You can change the component placement mode in Altium by pressing the "R" key during component placement. This will cycle through the available placement modes.
Let's break down how this works in practice:
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Initiating Placement: Start by initiating the placement of a component. This is usually done by selecting a component from the Libraries panel and clicking in the workspace, or by using the "Place Component" command from the Place menu.
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Cycling Through Modes: As you are moving the component to place it, press the "R" key. Each press of the "R" key will switch to a different placement mode.
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Placement Modes Available: Altium offers several placement modes to control how the component is oriented during placement. Common modes include:
- Horizontal/Vertical: Restricts movement to horizontal or vertical directions.
- Rotational: Allows free rotation of the component.
- Angle Snap: Snaps the component's rotation to predefined angle increments. The increments can be configured in Altium's preferences.
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Visual Feedback: Pay attention to the component's behavior as you press "R". The component's movement and orientation will change depending on the active placement mode, providing visual feedback.
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Preferences: While the "R" key is the standard method for cycling through modes, some specific angle snapping behaviors are configurable through Altium's preferences settings. You can find these settings in the Preferences dialog under the relevant PCB Editor sections (likely related to interactive routing or placement).
In summary, using the "R" key is the primary and most efficient way to switch between different placement modes while placing components in Altium Designer. This ensures accurate and controlled component placement on your PCB.
