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How Do I Add a Port in Altium?

Published in Altium Schematic Editing 3 mins read

Adding a port in Altium Designer is a fundamental step for creating organized and readable schematic designs, especially when dealing with multi-sheet projects or defining connections within a single sheet. A port acts as a terminal for connecting nets between sheets or serving as an off-sheet connector.

Here's how to add a port in Altium Designer based on common practices and the provided reference steps:

Understanding Ports in Altium

Before adding a port, it's helpful to understand its purpose. Ports are graphical objects placed on a schematic sheet that represent a connection point. They are typically used to:

  • Connect between schematic sheets: Nets connected to ports with the same name across different sheets are considered part of the same net.
  • Act as off-sheet connectors: For simple designs, they can indicate connections going outside the current schematic page.

Steps to Place a Port

Follow these steps to place a new port on your schematic sheet:

  1. Open your Schematic File: Begin by opening the schematic document where you want to add the port. The reference process starts with opening a file like 7_can_rc_i2c_analog. ....
  2. Initiate Port Placement:
    • Go to the main menus and choose Place » Port.
    • Alternatively, you might select the Port tool from a relevant toolbar (like the ActiveBar or Utilities toolbar).
  3. Position and Place: Click on the schematic sheet where you want to place the port. The port symbol will appear attached to your cursor.
  4. Exit Placement: Right-click or press Esc to exit the port placement mode after placing one or more ports.

Configuring Port Properties

Once placed, configure the port's properties using the Properties panel. This panel allows you to define the port's identifier and behavior.

  • Access Properties: Ensure the port is selected. The Properties panel will display its settings. If the panel is not visible, you can open it via View » Panels » Properties.
  • Set the Name: In the Properties section of the panel, enter a descriptive name for the port. This name defines the net it connects to. As shown in the reference, you might enter BAT_VOLTAGE as the Name.
  • Define I/O Type: Specify the direction of the signal using the I/O Type option. Common types include:
    • Output: Signal flows out of the port.
    • Input: Signal flows into the port.
    • Bidirectional: Signal can flow in either direction.
    • Passive: No specific direction defined.
    • For the BAT_VOLTAGE example in the reference, the I/O Type is defined as Output.

You can adjust other visual properties like font, color, and justification in the panel as well.

Practical Tips

  • Copying Ports: To quickly add multiple ports with similar configurations, you can place and configure one port, copy it (Ctrl+C), and then paste it multiple times (Ctrl+V) as mentioned in the reference. Remember to update the Name for each pasted port if they represent different nets.
  • Port Style: The graphical style of the port (e.g., arrow direction) can often be cycled through by pressing the Spacebar while placing the port or configured in its properties.

Using ports effectively helps create structured and easy-to-navigate schematic designs, which is crucial for complex projects and collaboration.