USER GUIDE

User Guide

Fetch symbols and footprints, then search, inspect and place them inside AD. Written for the 0.6.1-dev.8 invitation beta.

Environment: Windows x64 · Altium Designer 24 · .NET Framework 4.8

Install and open the panel

Prepare

Extract the whole package

Do not run directly from inside the ZIP. Save all AD project files, fully exit AD, then double-click Install.cmd. Allow the installer to write into the AD directory when Windows asks.

If AD24 is not found, or several installs exist, choose the X2.exe of the matching installation. The installer never force-closes AD.

Start

Panels → LibrarySearch

After "install complete", restart AD and choose LibrarySearch from the Panels menu at the bottom right. The version is listed under More → Version and test notes.

The panel docks or floats. Keep it at least 340 px wide; drag wider if names get cut off.

Fetch and place a component

Prepare the target projectCreate or open a PrjPcb, add a SchDoc schematic and a PcbDoc board, then run File → Save All.
FetchSelect Online in the panel, type C7473159, click Fetch. The first fetch needs network access; a number already downloaded is reused from the local copy.
Filter and inspectSwitch results between All / Schematic / Footprint. Select an entry, click View Library and check pin numbers, connection points, polarity and size. If there are conversion warnings, inspect them first.
Place the symbolRe-activate the target schematic, select the symbol and click Place Symbol. Click a position on the canvas, press Esc to finish. Double-clicking a result also starts placement.
Save the projectThe plugin first copies the paired library files into the project folder, then adds them to the project. After placing, run Save All.
Update the PCBRun Design → Update PCB Document following the normal AD flow; review the ECO before applying. Confirm the footprint is usable and pin numbers match pads. Activate the PCB document first when placing a footprint directly.

Viewing a source library switches AD's active document. Click back to your target schematic or PCB tab before continuing to place.

Where symbols and footprints live

One copy stays in the per-machine library, one travels with the project. The panel footer shows the current library folder; open it via More → Open component save folder.

Documents\LibrarySearch\
  Components\C7473159\downloaded-version\
    C7473159.SchLib      schematic symbol
    C7473159.PcbLib      PCB footprint
    component.json       part number, links, file checksums
    SOURCE.txt           official data source
    converter.log        conversion record
  Index\C7473159.json   index used by "My Components"

Your project folder\
  Project.PrjPcb
  Schematic.SchDoc
  Board.PcbDoc
  Libraries\LibrarySearch\C7473159\content-version\
    C7473159.SchLib
    C7473159.PcbLib
    SOURCE.txt
    README.txt

Question	How it works
Can I work offline later?	Switch to My Components and search by model, number or footprint name. Only the first fetch needs the network.
Can I change the save location?	More → Change component save folder. The new folder applies to future downloads; existing downloads are not moved. Project-attached libraries are unaffected. Note the Windows Documents folder may sit inside OneDrive — trust the path shown in the panel.
How do I hand a project to a colleague?	After Save All, copy or compress the entire project folder, keeping the `Libraries` subfolder. The receiver opens the project and checks library paths and ECO; never send a bare SchDoc.
Does re-fetching overwrite old libraries?	More → Re-fetch current component creates a new version. Previous downloads and placed components are never replaced automatically. Update by re-placing or via AD's component update flow after checking.
Does uninstall delete libraries?	No. Install, rollback and cancelled downloads never remove long-term library data. Cancel only clears temporary files from that run.
What about my existing local libraries?	Switch to Local Index, click Choose Folder and pick the root library folder. The plugin scans subfolders for SchLib, PcbLib and IntLib, reads real component names and builds a cache — no TSV needed. Unchanged files reuse the cache; More → Refresh local libraries forces a re-read. Local links keep using the original libraries; paired footprints are not auto-packaged.

3D models with components

Online Fetch also tries the source library's STEP; select a component to see its 3D status. The model is embedded directly in the PcbLib and saved with the project library — no model path configuration. If the source has no STEP or the download fails, the 2D library is kept; retry via More → Re-fetch current component. Older 2D libraries keep working; re-fetching online tries to add the model, and already-placed components should be updated through AD's library update flow.

Open the footprint and switch AD to 3D view to check orientation, position and height. "3D embedded" means the model was written, not that real alignment has been tested.

Recommended first components

Fetch the four numbers below online; they cover a plain IC, a polarized part, an op-amp and a multi-unit device, so test these first.

When upgrading from an older version, the legacy OnlineCache folder is left as-is and not auto-imported into My Components. Re-fetch the components you need online to pick up the corrected electrical endpoints; existing projects still see old libraries, but placed symbols are not updated automatically.

Number	What to check
`C7473159`	TP4057: symbol, 6 pins and paired footprint; pale-yellow IC body.
`C51933293`	LED: hollow triangle, two emitting arrows, K/A and numbers, connection points at the outer pin ends.
`C7433`	OP07: op-amp triangle, four-way connection points, pin names and footprint link.
`C6964`	TL074: multi-part A/B/C/D, shared footprint and power pins. The A in U?A is the part suffix.

For each component run through: fetch → view symbol / footprint → place → wire from the outer connection points → save → Update PCB → close and reopen the project → reuse from My Components offline → copy the whole project to another folder and check paths.

When something goes wrong

Symptom	What to do
Fetch fails or times out	Check the full component number and network, then retry later. Fetches are cancellable. Data missing from the official service cannot produce a complete pair.
Cannot place	Activate a target document of the right type first; online components also require the document to belong to a saved PrjPcb. If you just opened a library file, switch back to the target canvas.
Update PCB can't find the footprint	Check the project has the PcbLib under Libraries, everything is saved, and the symbol's linked name matches the name inside the footprint library. Note the number and ECO message, then report.
Symbol looks incomplete or connection points are wrong	Record the component number, take a screenshot including pin numbers and connection points, and state whether it came from a fresh fetch or an older placed component.
AD crashes	Recover and save your project first; note the time, the last action and the component number. The legacy WorkspaceManager.DLL crash is not confirmed fixed in this version — stop testing on production projects.

Feedback, logs and rollback

Click More → Export feedback log and save the ZIP. Fill in the component numbers, full AD version, reproduction steps, expected and actual results, and whether it reproduces. Screenshots help.

The feedback package contains limited logs and environment info only — no projects or library files — and is never sent automatically. User directories are replaced with %USERPROFILE%; other file names and custom folders may still appear in logs, so review before sending.

Settings: %LOCALAPPDATA%\LibrarySearch\settings.json
Logs:     %LOCALAPPDATA%\LibrarySearch\Logs\

To disable or roll back, save and close AD, then double-click Uninstall.cmd. If a LibrarySearch version existed before installation it is restored; a first install is deactivated. Downloaded libraries, project libraries and backups are all kept.

Scope

Scope and data sources

This build targets small-scale functional testing on AD24; the current host is compiled against the local 24.3.1.35 interfaces and other minor versions are untested. Online fetch attempts STEP and embeds it into the PcbLib; without a model the 2D footprint is kept. 3D orientation, height, alignment, special graphics and library formats still need user verification in AD. The installer and plugin are unsigned; the bundled SHA-256 manifest is for file integrity checks.

Component data comes from the JLCEDA / EasyEDA official library (lceda.cn · easyeda.com). Always confirm component behavior, dimensions and electrical connections against the vendor datasheet.