4
\$\begingroup\$

Is there a way to set Altium to select only COMPONENT and not anything else like pads, nearby text or polygons?

I'm used to OrCAD where click simply selects the components required to be moved.

\$\endgroup\$
5
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Have you tried Altium support? \$\endgroup\$ Mar 17, 2014 at 14:37
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ Huh? Are pads not part of a component? \$\endgroup\$
    – dext0rb
    Mar 17, 2014 at 14:57
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ @dext0rb, yes, but sometimes you want to select the pad and sometimes you want to select the whole component. And it's hardly intuitive how to do one or the other in Altium. My method is just keep mashing the button until it does what I want. \$\endgroup\$
    – The Photon
    Mar 17, 2014 at 21:02
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ThePhoton Hrm, I see. If you want to select the pad, go to component properties and uncheck "lock primitives". You'll be able to select individual parts of the component then, rather than the whole thing. \$\endgroup\$
    – dext0rb
    Mar 17, 2014 at 22:15
  • \$\begingroup\$ Are you accidentally dragging the placement room? That's the only way I can think of to draw all the nearby entities. \$\endgroup\$ Nov 18, 2014 at 6:47

5 Answers 5

4
\$\begingroup\$

Various ways...

  • PCB inpector panel
  • Ctrl-D and hide what you don't want
  • Set up a filter
  • Right-click and "find similar objects"

Types of objects:

enter image description here

\$\endgroup\$
1
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Even in 2019, this was more instructive than Altium's documentation \$\endgroup\$
    – Ralph
    Jul 25, 2019 at 22:21
1
\$\begingroup\$

I think if u check "Lock primitives" option of that particular component,that problem will be solved.

\$\endgroup\$
1
\$\begingroup\$

I was in the same boat and I think the other posters missed your point. When I want to select a part, and Altium keeps selecting the pad (typical of Mtg holes, etc), I find the filter does not work and FSO won't work because you can't select it in the first place. So click lower right on the PCB tab and enable the PCB panel. Double click on your part by reference and the part's properties will come up, not the pad. PADS layout is much better at this.

\$\endgroup\$
1
\$\begingroup\$

Do the following:

Edit -> Select -> All locked
PCB -> PCB Inspector
Deselect "Locked"

Then you should be able to select the component, instead a part of it.

\$\endgroup\$
0
\$\begingroup\$

Make sure you have the layer-tab selected for the layer that the component is on.

For example, if you have the top layer tab selected, and you try to click on a through-hole connector that is on the bottom layer, it will try to select the pins, and if you click in between the pins, it will try to select the top layer polygon pour. If you switch to the bottom-layer tab, then you'll be able to select the whole component (connector).

\$\endgroup\$

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.