I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong here and need some help, please. I am trying to configure FP Expert CAD ME layer assignments (left) to match the Altium PCB Layerset shown (right).

My question applies to several different layers here but I'll just use 3D Body as the example for this question. Rather than configure FP Expert to explicitly specify Mechanical 11 here, I would like to specify "3D Body" so that it doesn't matter what the underlying mechanical layer is, which will be dependent on which client workspace I am working in. When I try to do this as shown, and run the script to generate the footprint in a new Altium PcbLib, the 3D Body is "there" but greyed out, as shown.

If I then Press 3 to turn on 3D view, the 3D body shows up in 3D view. If I then click on it, Properties is saying "Layer not defined".

What am I doing wrong here? Is it possible (I hope!) to assign the layers using the Altium Layer Name instead of eMechanicalXX?

Thank you in advance.

Chris

The word "eMechanical" cannot change or be renamed or you will break the script language. 

You can change the Numbers, but not the text. 

OK, thanks. I was hoping I could leverage the Component Layer Pair Names Altium has so that it can redirect to the specific mechanical layer based on the active mechanical layerset. As it is right now, I've got 5 different FP Expert installations on my machine, each one dedicated to a specific client and any footprints I make are only compatible with that client's workspace. 

I'm trying to get to a workflow solution wherein this is not necessary and any footprint I create is compatible with any Altium workspace. Maybe there's another way to do this. I don't know.

Thanks,

Chris

You defined the primary (Top) layer in Footprint Expert and the opposite layer (Bottom) in Altium.

Many Altium users create PCB design templates. Open the template and save as your project. 

All layer set assignments are defined in the templates. 

Hi Tom,

What Altium does provide is a layer abstraction mechanism that allows layers to be referenced by these "names" instead of eMechanicalXX. So it seems like it should be possible for the scripts to specify the abstracted name instead, even if not presently implemented. Perhaps this abstraction layer is not exposed to the scripting language. I don't know.

I don't see how having PCB design templates for specific layersets helps me here. If I have one template for Courtyard on M15, and another for Courtyard on M30, in Altium, I still can't use the same FP Expert generated footprints in both projects. I still need two FP Expert installations (or CAD translator settings) with one hardcoded to eMechanical15 and the other to eMechanical30, and then I have two different footprints instead of one.

Maybe I'm missing something.

Thanks,

Chris

The translator window does not specify which options file is being used. This is a risk when generating multiple sets of outputs as I don't know which settings are being applied. I would be clearer, and less prone to unintentional user error, if the GUI displayed the filename somewhere, like here.

The multiple options you're requesting has always been a feature in FPE 24 in all the translators.

At least since November of last year.

It's unclear which software version you're using or referring to.

The very first screen shot in your post (1:40pm) shows this option is available but your last (3:52pm) does not.

Gotcha. I have multiple installations and some of them haven't been updated in a while. Thanks for pointing that out.

Cheers,

Chris

I'm getting around to next steps here and I can't figure out how to actually select a different options file.

For starters, I now have created two different options sets (in addition to the default) I want to swap between, as shown.

Now, when I go to click on the ellipses for the options filee path/name dropdown it takes me to a "Save As" window and asks me to confirm overwriting that file. That's not what I want to do.

I am unable to find anything in the PDF documentation that explains this.

Thanks,

Chris

The word "eMechanical" cannot change or be renamed or you will break the script language. 

You can change the Numbers, but not the text. 

RE: saving new option files.

I already HAVE the options file. I want to switch to it. I'm asking how to select an already existing options file, not how to create one. Standard Windows "browse to" functionality.

Thanks,

Chris

I'm fixing it now and it'll be in a new release in the morning.

Jeff

Let us know if it's OK for official release. 

I'm not seeing any change using the installer in the supplied link. I completely uninstalled all other instances of FP Expert to make sure I wasn't opening an older revision by accident. About is showing version v.05.

Clicking the ellipses in the translator still takes me to a Save As dialog.

Perhaps the installer at the provided link is incorrect?

I am stuck in meetings for the next 5 hours but can test any additional update you provide after that.

Thanks,

Chris

Checking it now...

I only went this far, but the layer assignments are not updating when I switch option files.

I've attached the two different options files I am trying to switch between. 

Thanks,

Chris

uploads/16545/options.zip" rel="nofollow - uploads/16545/options.zip

Just wanted to make sure you saw my comment a few days about about the beta build still opening a Save As dialog. Wasn't sure if I posted that as a response to you or not.

Thanks,

Chris