Reference designator, getting .Designator2

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   After building a new PC and re-installing everything, I've gone to make some parts.

So using version 25.3, I've generated the build scripts for some resistors - my go to sanity check that I have the settings right.

For some reason, the reference designator text is appearing as .Designator2. I am looking to get the designator onto the assembly outline layer, sized and centered appropriately. I can't seem to figure out why I am getting the 2 suffix, I don't remember that before.

No doubt I've missed something obvious, but I can't find it.

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JCurtis Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Active User Joined: 11 Jan 2020 Status: Offline Points: 14	Post Options Post Reply Quote JCurtis Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Reference designator, getting .Designator2 Posted: 8 hours 57 minutes ago at 4:20am
	After building a new PC and re-installing everything, I've gone to make some parts. So using version 25.3, I've generated the build scripts for some resistors - my go to sanity check that I have the settings right. For some reason, the reference designator text is appearing as .Designator2. I am looking to get the designator onto the assembly outline layer, sized and centered appropriately. I can't seem to figure out why I am getting the 2 suffix, I don't remember that before. No doubt I've missed something obvious, but I can't find it.



Tom H Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 05 Jan 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Status: Offline Points: 5749	Post Options Post Reply Quote Tom H Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 4 hours 37 minutes ago at 8:40am
	There are two .Designator One for Silkscreen .Designator and one for Assembly .Designator2 You can turn then on/off in Tools > Options > Drafting > Silkscreen/Assembly Are you using V25.03 that was released 12 hours ago?
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JCurtis Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Active User Joined: 11 Jan 2020 Status: Offline Points: 14	Post Options Post Reply Quote JCurtis Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 2 hours 10 minutes ago at 11:07am
	Yes, V25.03. Just downloaded the latest as I'm slowly sorting out the PC. I didn't realise Altium would take a .Designator2 when creating assembly/draftsman outputs. I'll give it a try tomorrow. Is this a new feature? I've been using PCBLibraries for a few years and not seen before. I'm rebuilding my 5 year old database library, trying to get everything into a common format. It's grown organically over the years. If I only knew what I do about Altium back then!

Tom H Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 05 Jan 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Status: Offline Points: 5749	Post Options Post Reply Quote Tom H Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 2 hours 3 minutes ago at 11:14am
	The Assembly .Designator2 is a new feature in V25.03. But you have on/off control in Tools > Options > Drafting
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JCurtis Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Active User Joined: 11 Jan 2020 Status: Offline Points: 14	Post Options Post Reply Quote JCurtis Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 1 hour 58 minutes ago at 11:19am
	That would explain it. Though Altium only specifies .Designator as a special string. I was seeing .Designator and .Designator2 on the different layers. The docs just say.. `.Designator` – the designator string for a component (placed on any layer in the library editor as part of the component footprint). https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-designer/text-objects-pcb#notes-about-using-special-strings When I'm back in the office tomorrow I'll see if Altium treats them both the same and replaces them with the actual component designator when generating the outputs.