The property editor filter is a powerful editing tool with which you can show or hide properties on selected objects. You can use the pop-up Filters menu on the spreadsheet to view the status of a property or edit columns, tabs, or the entire property editor spreadsheet.
You can add, delete, or change any filter except the <Current properties> filter. The <Current properties> filter displays all properties as undefined until you create or select another filter.
When you create a new filter, all properties appear undefined, just as in the <Current properties> filter. If you click the right mouse button on a column heading in the spreadsheet and point to Filters on the popup menu, you will see that each property is Undefined, and the filter specifies to Show Undefined.
Property Edit menu options
Show
The selected column will always appear when you use this filter, unless the filter is inverted.
Hide
The selected column will never appear when you use this filter, unless the filter is inverted.
Optional
The selected column will only appear if the property exists on one or more objects when you use this filter.
Undefined
The selected property is not defined. It is neither included in nor excluded from the filter.
You can control the display of undefined properties on individual tabs of the property editor with the next two choices on the Filters menu. Select any combination of the two.
Show Undefined
Specifies that any undefined property columns that are selected will appear when you use this filter. However, if you also select Invert Filter, these same selections will not appear.
Defined properties appear at the beginning of the spreadsheet (toward the left side) when you select Show Undefined.
Invert Filter
Specifies to show hidden property columns when you use this filter. Conversely, it will hide any property columns that you have specified to show. For example, if a property is optional and does not exist on any objects, you can use Invert Filter to show the property.
The last two menu choices affect all tabs on the property editor.
Add Filter
Specifies to add a new filter to all tabs. The default of a new filter is to show all properties as undefined.
Remove Current Filter
Specifies to delete the filter that displays in the Filter by list box from the list. You cannot undo this operation.
Your results will be more reliable if you use the property editor Filters menu to make changes rather than editing the PREFPROP.TXT file manually.
Changes to the filters are saved to PREFPROP.TXT when you close the spreadsheet. If you need to retrieve the original version, you can copy PREFPROP.TXT from the OrCAD installation CD in the Capture directory.
You can use the property editor filter to narrow the scope of properties it displays. Because you can have hundreds of properties assigned to your parts, nets, pins, and title blocks, it is more efficient to view only the properties you want to see. Capture provides a template that defines the properties that appear if you are targeting your design for PSpice or a board layout tool.
Use the Property Editor Filter
- From the schematic page, choose Select All command from the Edit menu.
- Click the right mouse button and choose the Edit Properties command from the pop-up menu. The property editor appears.
- Click the Parts tab to display all the properties of the parts you selected.
- Click the Filter by drop-down list down arrow to expand the list of filters, then select a filter.
- If you chose PCB Editor, for example, the displayed properties change to include those properties you might want to apply to your parts for use in a PCB netlist.
- Enter a value into one of the cells and click Apply. The property and new values apply to your part.
Create a New Filter in the Property Editor
- Click the right mouse button on any column heading in the spreadsheet.
- Point to Filters in the pop-up menu and choose Add Filter.
- Type the new filter name in the Add Filter dialog box and click OK.
The new filter will be saved in PREFPROP.TXT when you close the property editor.
Edit a Filter
- Expand the Filter by drop-down list by clicking the down arrow.
- Select a filter. The appearance of the properties on the spreadsheet may change when you change the filter.
- Click the right mouse button on any column heading and point to Filters on the pop-up menu.
- Use the Filters menu to change the property definitions and appearance on the spreadsheet.