Handbook Version v2026.04.17.1 Released 2026-04-17

First Launch and Import¶

Goal¶

Help you complete a full first-use loop: start in the library, import something, open it, and return to the library again.

Supported Platforms¶

iOS
macOS

Intended Audience¶

New users who want to complete their first import loop
Testers validating import behavior from the library into the workspace

Prerequisites¶

PCBAtlas can already launch into the library
You have either one of the built-in samples or your own design/manufacturing source files ready

Steps¶

Start from the library and choose the design or manufacturing import path that matches your source.
If the source is IPC-2581 XML, choose the import intent when prompted.
Wait for the library progress banner to complete, then open the resulting document.
Confirm that the imported content can be viewed in 2D / Data and that revisions are updated as expected.

Result¶

The source is imported into the library as a new document or a new revision, and the workspace can open it successfully.

Default Content on First Cold Launch¶

When the library is empty, the app automatically seeds it with two KiCad sample documents that can be opened right away:

h730duino
BluePhil

If you just want to learn the interaction flow, open one of these samples first. If you want to validate your own data, continue with the import flow below.

Current Import Paths¶

Create a New Document or Append a Revision¶

Design path: DSN, KiCad .kicad_pcb, IPC-2581 XML
Manufacturing path: IPC-2581 XML, ODB++ archive/directory inputs, and manufacturing-package directories recognized by the importer

Import That Requires an Existing Document Context¶

SES: cannot create a standalone new document; it must be launched from an existing document menu after you choose a base revision

Special Behavior for IPC-2581¶

When you select an IPC-2581 XML, the app does not assume whether it should be treated as design-side or manufacturing-side data. Instead, it shows a confirmation dialog so you can choose:

import as design data
import as manufacturing data

Recommended Steps¶

Click an import entry on the library home page.
Choose the design or manufacturing path based on the source data in hand.
After selecting a file, if it is an IPC-2581 XML, choose the import intent.
Wait for the import progress banner at the top of the library to advance.
When import finishes, a new document card appears, or the revision count of the target document increases.
Open the document in the workspace and confirm that 2D / Data can be viewed normally.

What Feedback You Will See¶

The top of the library shows an in-progress banner with a title, stage detail, and percentage.
If you manually open another document during import, the task still completes, but it does not forcibly switch focus back to the newly imported document.
If you drop a new board file into the workspace while another document is open, the app first asks whether to replace the current content.

From the action menu on a document card, you can:

append a design revision
append a manufacturing revision
import SES and choose a historical revision that can serve as the base

That means import is not only for creating new documents. It is also how ongoing revision history is maintained for the same project.

Current Rule for Re-importing the Same Name and Format¶

When a source comes back with the same document name and the same format, the current implementation treats it as another input round for the same document rather than automatically creating a new top-level card:

if the newly imported original source is byte-identical to the current revision, the app reports that nothing changed and ignores the import
if the original source is different, the app stores it as a new revision under that document and switches to the latest revision
revision labels are displayed dynamically as A1 / A2 / ... based on the document name

Recommendations¶

For a first validation pass, start with a single DSN or KiCad file.
For manufacturing data, confirm the archive or directory is complete before importing.
For iterative updates to the same project, prefer appending revisions instead of creating multiple nearly identical documents.

Common Questions¶

Why can’t `SES` be imported like a normal file?¶

Because SES must attach to an existing design revision as its base revision. The current implementation requires you to enter an existing document first and then start SES import from that document’s menu.

Why does the app ask again after I pick `IPC-2581`?¶

Because the same IPC-2581 XML may be treated as design-side or manufacturing-side data, and the current implementation asks you to choose explicitly.

Why do the design and manufacturing paths for the same `IPC-2581` sometimes look almost identical after import?¶

That is normal in the current version. For IPC-2581, the main difference today is the library-side import intent and document classification, not an immediately obvious visual difference in the workspace.

If you choose the design path, the document is managed as design-side material.
If you choose the manufacturing path, the document is managed as manufacturing-side material.
That classification affects later management behavior, such as which append path is the default.
Importing the same IPC-2581 through both paths usually creates two separate documents instead of auto-merging them.

At the same time, the current display pipeline does not yet express the design-vs-manufacturing distinction very strongly once the file is open, so the visible result can still look quite similar.

Why doesn’t the import picker list every manufacturing-package suffix?¶

The manufacturing path accepts common archives, directories, and general data inputs. The final result depends on what the importer can actually recognize from the selected source.

Last Verified¶

2026-04-17