Track highlighting and net lists
Posted by adco at
I'm new to this package but an old hand at PCB layouts. Used P-CAD for 25 years.
Three issues so far.
1)
a)When I enter a manual net list, I see the nets joined pin to pin with a yellow line. Good. Once I have added all the nets that I want, I start to route manually. When I click on a pin that is part of a net, the other mated pin doesn't highlight. This makes it visually difficult to see the end destination when you want to look ahead as an aid to placing the track. P_CAD used to highlight all the pins associated with the net you have currently selected.
b) Once I have placed the track and completed the net, the net remains on the screen so I never get the visual of the nets reducing as I route them. Too much screen clutter.
2) When I click on an already placed track so that I can go off to the next point, only the segment that I clicked on highlights. I want the entire track to highlight because it would show you the track across the entire PCB which helps with routing and neatening up routings.
3) If I cross a track, on the same level but with a different net value, with another track, I don't get a warning that there is going to be a short. P-CAD won't let you cross tracks. You can merge them into the same net though. This sets the program up to allowing mistakes to creep in especially on complex boards.
I know I am going on about P-CAD but it is what I was used to and it was a very good package. I can't use it anymore because it won't run on new machines. It is DOS based and needs a real COM1&2 port. My old PC got zapped by lightning.
Thanks for any feedback.
Replies
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Hi adco, thank you for the questions.
1 a) well it is simply a different way the software works. To highlight a track right click>net>highlight net which gives you the same result. The highlighting method you described seems useful, I will make a note of it
1 b) You need to run tools>optimise nets. Most of the times ratsnest connection does disappear, it really depends on the way you have routed a particular track.
2) hold SHIFT and then click a segment
3) The function you describe is called on-line DRC. We have been looking into this as one of the next features. I personally don;t think a lack of this is a big disadvantage, it is easy enough to run DRC every now and then to make sure there are not too many errors on layout completion
After using a tool for so long you have developed very strong habits so I completely understand your comparisons. It is often tricky to get used to new tools just because of the different way they are structured or operate. I am sure you will find functions in DesignSpark PCB that you wished p-cad had too.
Best regards,
Mike -
Hi Mike
Thanks for the reply. I must say that I am improving with time. A few responses to your message.
1)
a) If I click on a track or pad that has a net and then press "h", the net highlights. I don't have to right click etc. Nice short cut. It would be nice if it automatically, or by a menu selection, always highlighted the entire net, track and pad. Makes it easy to see "ahead" when placing tracks, especially on a board with lots of tracks.
b) I'm not sure yet but it could be because I haven't ended the track properly onto the pad. Your package keeps the hole in the center free even if I end my track in the middle. Makes it difficult to know if I have ended the track in the middle of the pad. P-CAD never shows the hole in the pad. Their pads are always solid.
2) I have to double click else only the segment lights, but that's what I was looking for. Great.
3) OK. It is a very nice to have feature. You will be surprised how easy it is to cross tracks on a dense board.
Yes, there are features that are better but there are also some that are not. I like the ease of editing components that are in place without having to first remove then modify then replace it. The feel of the track placing is a bit awkward but that's because I was used to P-CAD.
What would also be nice is to make the cursor snap to the grid at all time. That makes marking out a distance by using the keyboard arrow keys easier. I use a 25mils grid and stepping out distances is useful by using the arrows. Another nice P-CAD feature was the space bar. It would operate the same as the left click. You could start and end a track with it. In fact, you could do a complete layout only using the space bar, escape key and the arrow keys. That is why putting the cursor on the grid is useful.
It may sound like I want P-CAD merged into your package but I'm only letting you know what I found to be useful. As an end user, I want board layouts to be free flowing because it is a difficult job at the best of times.
Thanks
Adrian