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Documentation / Design

Design Variants

Select and review fitted configurations, then verify the variant in each exported artifact.

Overview

Variants describe alternate fitted configurations of one design, such as development and production assemblies. They are not version-control branches and do not create an independent board layout.

Use variants for supported fitted status or property differences. A different footprint, power stage, or supposedly compatible replacement needs its own electrical and layout review; selecting a variant does not establish compatibility. Check build and host availability.

Creating Variants

  1. Open and save the intended project.
  2. In a compatible native schematic toolbar's variant selector, choose Add New Design Variant… and enter a name and description, such as DEV or PROD.
  3. Set the supported component differences in the relevant properties controls.
  4. Select the intended active variant and inspect the affected components.
  5. Save and review schematic/PCB agreement before generating outputs.

Do not assume a not-fitted header disappears from board copper or that changing an assembly value updates every physical artifact.

Text Variables in Drawing Sheets

Compatible native drawing sheets can use:

  • ${VARIANT} — The variant name
  • ${VARIANT_DESC} — The variant description

Check the resolved text in the actual plot or printed document. A title-block name alone does not prove BOM or assembly filtering was applied.

Variant-Aware Properties

Review the relevant symbol/footprint properties under the active variant. Compare fitted status, values, and associations with the base design. Keep explicit records of which changes the installed controls support.

Exporting with Variants

  1. Select the intended variant in the desktop.
  2. In each exporter, inspect any variant selector and output options; do not assume it follows the current GUI choice.
  3. Export into a clearly named, separate destination.
  4. Open the result and check variant identification, fitted references, quantities, positions, and model visibility as applicable.
  5. Verify that BOM and position files describe the same assembly.

Use trace-cli from the Trace app after signing in to the desktop. It has variant selection in supported export commands; check each format's help. Companion host exports have their own contracts. Do not assume --variant works on every command or that changing the GUI selection controls a separate export invocation.

See Exporting Designs and the CLI reference.

Importing Altium Variants

Compatible native Altium project import reads variant definitions from .PrjPcb. Keep the source project and inspect names, component assignments, fitted status, and property changes after import. Do not infer complete cross-tool variant fidelity or bidirectional synchronization.

See Importing from Other EDA Tools.

BOM Generation with Variants

Supported native BOM export uses variant fitted status and configured BOM exclusions. Inspect the generated rows, quantities, exact part numbers, and not-fitted handling; don't assume every export represents exclusions identically.

If a Variant Is Missing or the Output Is Wrong

Check the active project, saved variant definitions, exporter selection, and installed command support. An unknown variant or failed export is not a default-variant success. Correct the selection and re-export into a new destination; review the actual artifacts before ordering.