This page of the Libraries dialog provides access to 3D Package libraries, these are used as an alternative when STEP models are not available.
Note, 3D Packages can also be used within the Legacy 3D View but this is not recommended as this option will be retired from Pulsonix in the future.
Locating this option
Available from: Setup menu > Libraries > 3D Packages tab
3D Packages explained
3D Packages define how PCB symbols are represented in the 3D Preview of your PCB design when the STEP model is not available or you wish to create custom packages. Each 3D Package has a ‘style’ (DIL, Quad, Axial, and so on), and various settings that control how the 3D image is generated. It also has one or more names that specify which PCB symbols the 3D Package applies to, allowing one package to be used to generate the 3D image for many PCB symbols. These names can be specific symbol names, or they can include ‘wildcards’ to match multiple symbol names.
To generate the 3D view of the actual components on your PCB design, the set of package libraries is scanned to find the first package that matches each of the PCB symbols used in the design. Because each package can have a basic name and a set of ‘aliases’ both of which can include wildcards, it is possible to create packages that can autogenerate the 3D view for many PCB symbols.
A more detailed explanation on the creation of 3D Packages is available on the Edit 3D Package page.
How to use this dialog
The 3D View tab gives a summary of the selected item, and small pictures in 3D and ‘normal’ view of a corresponding footprint. The PCB symbol that is used for this dialog will be the first one found that matches the rules defined by the selected package.
A more detailed explanation on the using the 3D Packages is available on the Edit 3D Package page.
A tutorial detailing how to create a new 3D Packages from the start is available on the Create 3D Package page.
Current Library
The top part of the dialog allows you to choose which libraries to view. The drop-down list will include all the library files found in the folders you specify on the Folders page.
Any library files that are set on the Folders page as ‘Disabled’ will not appear in the drop-down list. The list
will only include ‘Enabled’ libraries, and the special entry
New Library
To create a new library, press the New Library button. A standard File Browser dialog will be displayed. Enter the name of the new library file and press OK. If you have chosen to create your new library file in a folder which is not in the list of folders, an additional dialog is displayed which will ask you to choose whether or not this folder should be added to the folder list.
If you choose not to add a newly chosen folder to the list of folders, your new library will not appear in the list of ‘known’ libraries, and therefore any items added to that library will not be available either here in the Libraries dialog or when inserting new items into designs.
Report
The Report button opens up the Library Reports dialog from where you can produce different reports and lists of the selected symbol libraries.
Contents
The Contents area of the dialog shows the items contained in the library (or libraries) selected in Current Library, sorted into alphanumeric order by Library first and then contents within that library.
Centre Console Buttons
The buttons down the side of the Contents list provide the options needed to modify the library items. Most operations can be performed on one or more items. These buttons will be enabled or disabled depending on whether or not any of the items are selected.
| New | Create a new 3D Package definition. Define the name first then use the Edit dialog |
| Edit | Edit an existing 3D Package |
| Delete | Delete an existing 3D Package |
| Find | Find 3D Packages based on the Footprint name |
| Rename | Rename a 3D Package |
| Copy | Copy 3D Package within or between libraries |
| Move | Move 3D Packages within or between libraries (i.e. Copy, but Deleting the originals) |
| Refresh | Refreshes the list of sorted items |
3D Package Content Filter
To help in locating the items you require, a Filter can be applied to select those items with names which match a wildcard pattern and/or a specified number of Pins.
Press the Filter Apply button to update the contents list.
Use the Clear button to clear the contents of the Filter.
Preview
The Preview tab of the dialog displays the currently selected 3D Package and the Footprint it represents.
The Applies to Footprints list will display all the Footprints that the Package defines in the Alias list.
Details
The Details tab of the dialog displays the name of the currently selected 3D Package, the Footprints it represents, the Pkg Style (Package) defined and a list of Alias (Also) names defined.
Close Dialog On Edit
If this box is checked it will cause this dialog to close when you edit the item. If left unchecked, the dialog remains open allowing to to open other items, or to switch to other pages of the dialog to view or edit items of a different type.