Adding a via quickly during interactive routing in Altium Designer is a common task. Based on the provided reference, there are two primary shortcuts available to achieve this.
Via Insertion Shortcuts During Routing
When you are actively routing traces on your PCB, you can easily switch layers and drop a via using simple key combinations or mouse actions. These shortcuts automatically place a via and switch you to the next available routing layer, allowing you to continue your trace on the new layer.
Here are the methods provided:
Method 1: Using the Numeric Keypad
- Press the * key on the numeric keypad.
This action performs two functions:
- It switches you to the next available routing layer.
- It inserts a via at your current cursor location.
Method 2: Using Mouse Wheel and Modifier Keys
- Hold down Ctrl+Shift and scroll the mouse wheel.
This method also switches layers and inserts a via:
- Holding Ctrl+Shift while scrolling cycles you through the next available routing layer.
- Each mouse wheel click moves you one layer.
- A via is inserted at the point where you initiate the layer change.
Summary of Via Shortcuts
For quick reference, here is a table summarizing the methods:
| Action | Shortcut | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Switch layer and insert via | * (on numeric keypad) | Switches to the next available routing layer and inserts a via. |
| Cycle layers and insert via | Ctrl+Shift + Mouse Wheel | Cycles through available routing layers and inserts a via with each click. |
Using these shortcuts allows for efficient layer changes and via placement while routing, streamlining the PCB layout process in Altium Designer.
