Altium Designer Viewer License Expired: Understanding Installation and Upgrades

When installing a new version of Altium Designer, users are presented with several options that can be confusing. One such option is the 'Install Board-Level Libraries' checkbox during installation. But what exactly do these libraries entail? In this article, we'll explore the purpose of installing board-level libraries and provide information on upgrading to the latest version of Altium Designer.

What are Board-Level Libraries?

Board-Level Libraries are a collection of integrated libraries used for board-level design of printed circuit boards. These libraries contain various components and symbols that can be reused across different projects, reducing the need to create duplicate designs from scratch.

Why Install Board-Level Libraries?

When installing Altium Designer, enabling the 'Install Board-Level Libraries' checkbox allows users to install these essential libraries along with their software. This ensures that designers have access to a comprehensive set of design components and symbols, streamlining the board-level design process.

New Installation Directory for Winter 09 Release

The Winter 09 release of Altium Designer is a new version that installs into a separate directory on your computer, independent of any existing installation(s) of Altium Designer. This means that users can run multiple versions of Altium Designer simultaneously without conflicts or overwriting previous installations.

Upgrading to the Latest Version

Unfortunately, the Winter 09 release is not available through web updates, and users cannot upgrade their Summer 08 release directly to this version. Instead, they must perform a complete installation. For information on upgrading to the latest version of Altium Designer (Altium Designer 10), see our FAQs page.

In conclusion, understanding the purpose and benefits of installing board-level libraries can enhance the user experience when working with Altium Designer. By enabling this option during installation, designers can access a comprehensive set of design components and symbols, streamlining their workflow. Additionally, knowing that each new release installs into a separate directory alleviates concerns about compatibility and version conflicts.

Altium designer viewer license expired