Altium schematic - multiple component footprint

component footprint

This is a bit of a noob question, but hopefully someone will know what i'm talking about and be able to direct/redirect me.

Just wondering how do i create a footprint for a component (NUP2105L component - SOT−23 footprint to be exact) from multiple components as seen in the screen shot attached.

Can i create a snapshot of the area and create a footprint for that specific area or something to that effect?




Thanks.

It looks like you've already defined the schematic symbol as a three terminal device. You can link any three terminal footprint to that symbol by double clicking on the schematic symbol, bringing up the symbol properties, and selecting the desired footprint in the bottom right dialog box.

If the schematic is not yours, and you're asking how to make the schematic symbol in Altium Designer - you need make it to look like the one in the schematic you posted. You can't just do a "snapshot" because the pins are electrical objects. You'll have to place three pins in the schematic library editor, and then draw in the remaining parts of the symbol using lines. You can then place the three pin component in your schematic, and link it to the proper PCB footprint.

When you compile the schematic, and import it into the blank PCB, the software will pull the linked footprint from the PCB library and place it on the blank board.

A component is defined by its pins as they appear in the schematic symbol. The rest of the symbol is just a drawing to make the symbol mean more to the person reading the schematic. If you make the symbol with three pins, you have a three pin device no matter how much more "stuff" you draw connected to those three pins.

Thanks House_Cat, tried what you said today and i managed to get it how i wanted.


I have another question though. If i want to use a component that cannot be found in the footprint library, how do i go about modifying an existing footprint to suit or create a new footprint using the data sheet specifications?




Thanks again for your help.

I suggest you read the tutorial that comes with Altium Designer. It's included in the help subdirectory of your installation, but it's also available on the web at: https://www.altium.com/files/AltiumDesigner6/LearningGuides/TU0103 Creating Library Components.pdf .

The section on making PCB component footprints starts on page 26. This tutorial is for version 6 of Altium Designer, but the basics are the same for earlier versions. The IPC footprint wizard wasn't included in versions before 6.3 - if your version is older, you can ignore the section on the IPC wizard.

A version of the tutorial for older versions of Altium Designer can be found at: https://www.altium.com/files/learningguides/TU0103 Creating Library Components.pdf

Once again House_Cat thanks for your help. The tutorial was exactly what i needed/was looking for.

Now to decipher some of those data sheets i have lying around . :|