Changing Multiple Reference Designators

The following procedures describe how to change the reference designators of components that you select on the canvas.

Incrementing or Decrementing the Number Section

Changing the Prefix

Changing the Number of Digits

Resetting the Number and Prefix

 

Note
  • For a component that has variants, you can change the reference designator of the master component. This changes the reference designators of all variants of the component. You cannot rename a variant component (non-master) directly. If you change the reference designator of a component that has variants, then the Variant component references cannot be changed directly section is added to the Reference dialog. This lists all the variant components in the selection, regardless of whether their reference designators are changed.
  • You cannot change the reference designator of an unplaced component using the Change Reference dialog. However, unplaced variant components are updated to reflect changes to the reference designator of their master component.
  • A license is required to access the variation functionality in eCADSTAR.

 

Incrementing or Decrementing the Number Section

For the reference designators of selected components, the number can be incremented or decremented by a specified value. This procedure is described below.

  1. Start the Change Reference command using one of the following methods.

Starting the Command With Objects Selected

  • After selecting a component whose reference designator you want to change, click Component > Change > Change Reference Reference on the eCADSTAR PCB Editor ribbon. Alternatively, click Change Reference Change Reference on the assist menu.

Starting the Command Before Selecting Objects

  • On the eCADSTAR PCB Editor ribbon, click Component > Change > Change Reference Reference.
  • On the canvas, select a component whose reference designator you want to change.
  1. In the Change Reference dialog, select Increment number.
  2. In the Value box, specify a value to change the number by.
  3. Click Apply. The reference designator is changed for the selected component. The change is shown in the displayed Reference dialog.

 

Note
  • If a component has no number section, then the value is incremented or decremented assuming the value in the number section is 0.
  • If the new reference designator already exists, then the value of the number section is incremented or decremented by a single unit until a non-existent reference designator is reached.

 

Changing the Prefix

The following procedure describes how to change the prefix to a specified string for selected components.

  1. Start the Change Reference command using one of the following methods.

Starting the Command With Objects Selected

  • Select a component whose reference designator you want to change.
  • Click Component > Change > Change Reference Reference on the ribbon. Alternatively, click Change Reference Change Reference on the assist menu.

Starting the Command Before Selecting Objects

  • On the ribbon, click Component > Change > Change Reference Reference.
  • On the canvas, select a component whose reference designator you want to change.
  1. In the Change Reference dialog, select Change prefix.
  2. In the Prefix box, specify a value.
  3. Click Apply. The reference designator is changed for the selected component. The change is shown in the displayed Reference dialog.

 

Note
If the new reference designator already exists, the reference designator is not changed.

 

Changing the Number of Digits

For the reference designators of selected components, the following procedure describes how to change the number of digits in the number section.

  1. Start the Change Reference command using either of the following methods.

Starting the Command With Objects Selected

  • Select a component whose reference designator you want to change.
  • Click Component > Change > Change Reference Reference on the ribbon. Alternatively, click Change Reference Change Reference on the assist menu.

Starting the Command Before Selecting Objects

  • On the ribbon, click Component > Change > Change Reference Reference.
  • On the canvas, select a component whose reference designator you want to change.
  1. In the Change Reference dialog, select Change number of digits.
  2. In the Number of digits box, specify a number between 1 and 10.
  3. Click Apply. The reference designator is changed for the selected component. The change is shown in the displayed Reference dialog.

Resetting the Number and Prefix

The following procedure describes how to reset the prefix and number for the reference designators of selected components.

  1. Start the Change Reference command using either of the following methods.

Starting the Command With Objects Selected

  • Select a component whose reference designator you want to change.
  • Click Component > Change > Change Reference Reference on the ribbon. Alternatively, click Change Reference Change Reference on the assist menu.

Starting the Command Before Selecting Objects

  • On the ribbon, click Component > Change > Change Reference Reference.
  • On the canvas, select a component whose reference designator you want to change.
  1. In the Change Reference dialog, select Reset number and prefix.
  2. In the Start number box, specify a value.
  3. In the Prefix box, specify a value.
  4. Click Apply. The reference designator is changed for the selected component. The change is shown in the displayed Reference dialog.

 

Note
If the new reference designator already exists, then the value of the number section is incremented by a single unit until a non-existent reference designator is reached.

 

Target objects

The only valid target object is Component.

Assist menu

The following items can be selected by right-clicking the mouse:

Apply

Undo

Exit

Command dialog

Change Reference

 

Related Topics
Changing a Reference Designator
Reference Dialog