Altium shorcuts

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

OZ8HP - Hugo Pedersen - 12 Jun 2007 08:08 GMT

Isn't there a shortcut in Altium that increases/decreases the trackwidth?

It could be usefull when routing between pads on an IC

Signature

/* Vy 73 de OZ8HP / OZ1IIQ
/* Hugo Pedersen
/* http://www.hugopedersen.dk

Reply to this Message

Brad Velander - 13 Jun 2007 04:18 GMT

Hugo,
I don't use AD/DXP but I believe what you are mentioning is the trace
"neckdown" feature and I believe it only works for pad/land entries. I don't
belive it works on necking down a trace between pads. Can't you set several
preferred trace widths in AD/DXP (not sure which version) and then switch
them with some shortcut keys?

Sincerely,
Brad Velander

Signature

Sincerely,
Brad Velander.

> Isn't there a shortcut in Altium that increases/decreases the trackwidth?
>
> It could be usefull when routing between pads on an IC

Reply to this Message

James Beck - 13 Jun 2007 15:51 GMT

> Hugo,
> I don't use AD/DXP but I believe what you are mentioning is the trace
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Sincerely,
> Brad Velander

I don't use Altium either, but when I used PCAD you had to stop the
route where you want to neck down, change the trace width with the menu
on the task bar, and then continue. At least that's how I did it, I
never saw any short cut in the manual.
The system I use now had the ability to define a "Necked" width and to
select it on the fly. I like that much better.

Jim

Reply to this Message

nospam - 13 Jun 2007 16:42 GMT

>Isn't there a shortcut in Altium that increases/decreases the trackwidth?
>
>It could be usefull when routing between pads on an IC

Assuming you are running the current version of Altium Designer, while
interactive routing there is a default hotkey of '3' to cycle through a
list of favourite track widths. A default hotkey of Shift-W brings up a
menu of the favourite track widths. The list of favourite widths can be
configured under Tools>Preferences>PCB Editor>Interactive Routing>.

While in an interactive mode the '~' hot key (might be a different key
depending on the nationality of your keyboard) brings up a menu of hotkeys
active in that particular mode.
--

Reply to this Message

OZ8HP - Hugo Pedersen - 14 Jun 2007 09:37 GMT

>> Isn't there a shortcut in Altium that increases/decreases the trackwidth?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> depending on the nationality of your keyboard) brings up a menu of hotkeys
> active in that particular mode.

I have the list of preferred track widths, but my problem is that I
can't change it while routing.
I can bring up the list Shift-W but nothing happens if I choose a
different width - and that is very frustrating :-)

/Hugo

Reply to this Message

nospam - 14 Jun 2007 11:35 GMT

>I have the list of preferred track widths, but my problem is that I
>can't change it while routing.
>I can bring up the list Shift-W but nothing happens if I choose a
>different width - and that is very frustrating :-)

Works for me setting the width of the track you are currently placing.

Check you don't have a design rule which would be broken by the selected
width.

Can you change the width by hitting tab and typing a new value? I am pretty
sure you will be warned about design rules in that case, maybe the hotkey
just silently forces the width to comply with rules.

--

Reply to this Message

Brad Velander - 15 Jun 2007 01:46 GMT

Hugo,
I wondered if you were just a little confused by the prior message about
setting the favorite widths.

Shift-W brings up the window to set the favorite track widths.
It is the '3' key that then cycles through the favorite widths while you are
routing.

Could it be that the '3' only works on the numeric keypad and it has to
be set to numeric functions or vice versa? You should be able to check your
hotkey settings as well, maybe your '3' was previously set to some other
function or just blanked in your set-up?

Otherwise "nospam" has a good point about trying to change the width
manually and double checking that some design rule is not trumping your
desired trace width change. Been there, done that, now I usually recognize
it right away since I have run into it so many times.

Signature

Sincerely,
Brad Velander.

>>I have the list of preferred track widths, but my problem is that I
>>can't change it while routing.
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> --

Reply to this Message

OZ8HP - Hugo Pedersen - 20 Jun 2007 11:44 GMT

After some 'fidling around' I managed to get this working - it is not
optimal but it works :-)

Now I am only left with one problem (for the time being) and that is the
optional to have more than one clearance setting. I want one setting for
routing and one for when adding polygons. But that I haven't been able to
figure out.

Signature

/* Vy 73 de OZ8HP / OZ1IIQ
/* Hugo Pedersen
/* http://www.hugopedersen.dk

> Hugo,
> I wondered if you were just a little confused by the prior message
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>> sure you will be warned about design rules in that case, maybe the hotkey
>> just silently forces the width to comply with rules.

Reply to this Message

nospam - 20 Jun 2007 17:12 GMT

>Now I am only left with one problem (for the time being) and that is the
>optional to have more than one clearance setting. I want one setting for
>routing and one for when adding polygons. But that I haven't been able to
>figure out.

You can have a zillion different clearance rules.

Add a new clearance rule with a query "InPoly" against All. Make it higher
priority than tighter clearance rules.

It will apply to any part of a polygon against everything else on the PCB.

--

Reply to this Message

Brad Velander - 21 Jun 2007 03:58 GMT

Hugo,
Sounds like you needd to do some reading on the capabilities of your
tool. If you don't know how to do multiple rules then you are just playing
at it. 8^>

Not sure which version of AD you have but you need to check out the learning
guides available for download through the Altium website. Like:

http://www.altium.com/community/support/learningguides/altiumdesigner6learningguides/

TR0116 Design Rules Reference

or

http://www.altium.com/Community/Support/LearningGuides/AltiumDesigner2004Learnin
gGuides/

AR0111 Specifying the PCB Design Rules and Resolving Violations
and
TR0116 Design Rules Reference earlier DXP2004 version than the one listed
above.

And there are many, many more, a couple of dozen. There are also some of
these available on your computer right now through the "About" drop-down
menu area.

Signature

Sincerely,
Brad Velander.

> After some 'fidling around' I managed to get this working - it is not
> optimal but it works :-)
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> routing and one for when adding polygons. But that I haven't been able to
> figure out.

Reply to this Message

OZ8HP - Hugo Pedersen - 24 Jun 2007 12:07 GMT

> Hugo,
> Sounds like you needd to do some reading on the capabilities of your
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> these available on your computer right now through the "About" drop-down
> menu area.

Well the last thing you normally do is to read the manual :-)
After not having used PCB software for some years it is a big step from
Protel 2.0 to Altium Designer 6.7 and further more I am not full time
user. So please forgive me if asking 'stupid' questions :-)

Signature

/* Vy 73 de OZ8HP / OZ1IIQ
/* Hugo Pedersen
/* Tlf. 40 28 78 84
/* mail@hugopedersen.dk
/* http://www.hugopedersen.dk

Reply to this Message

Brad Velander - 25 Jun 2007 06:30 GMT

Hugo,
No problem, you aren't exactly asking for step by step guidance on how
to do every basic thing like some posters to the NG. Have you looked at the
website to see all of their guides? Have to give Altium credit for doing all
those guides, they far surpass the typical help file or manual one receives
today.

Protel 2.0? That must have been purchased back in about 92/93? I used
the first versions of Protel up to and including vesion 1.7 or 1.8, then we
threw it in the round file under my desk because we couldn't get product out
the door, for the fact we were always sending corrupt files to Protel for
salvation/fixes.

AD is actually quite a powerful system but you do need to understand the
rule/query portion of the tool to get the best out of it. I think the
capabilities in the rules/queries need a few more capabilities but those
that are there can easily surpass most of the competitive systems
capabilities since you can write your own rules and consition them to fit
most needs. Certainly doesn't limit you to the simple rules capabilities
that the designers/programmers could think of up front.

Signature

Sincerely,
Brad Velander.

> Well the last thing you normally do is to read the manual :-)
> After not having used PCB software for some years it is a big step from
> Protel 2.0 to Altium Designer 6.7 and further more I am not full time
> user. So please forgive me if asking 'stupid' questions :-)

Reply to this Message

OZ8HP - Hugo Pedersen - 25 Jun 2007 20:30 GMT

> Hugo,
> No problem, you aren't exactly asking for step by step guidance on how
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> most needs. Certainly doesn't limit you to the simple rules capabilities
> that the designers/programmers could think of up front.

It sounds about right with 92-93. I started working at the company in 94
and at that time it was the software used by the electronics guys there
and due to my interest in the subject (I am licensed HAM amateur and
likes to play around with small electronic setups) I tried the software
and have been using it on and off since. About a year ago I should use
some PCB software and got the opportunity to try the AD and I liked it
much better than Eagle that I simply can't work with :-) but since the
license is on a laptop I burrowed from one of the guys at my old
company, I will have to return to my old Protel 2.0

That is the story of my use of the AD - not proff. just for fun.

Signature

/* Vy 73 de OZ8HP / OZ1IIQ
/* Hugo Pedersen
/* Tlf. 40 28 78 84
/* mail@hugopedersen.dk
/* http://www.hugopedersen.dk

Reply to this Message

Marra - 13 Jun 2007 22:55 GMT

On 12 Jun, 08:08, "OZ8HP - Hugo Pedersen" <r...@hugopedersen.dk>
wrote:

> Isn't there a shortcut in Altium that increases/decreases the trackwidth?
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> /* Hugo Pedersen
> /*http://www.hugopedersen.dk

What I did with my CAD software was to have large pads on layer 2 and
narrow pads on layer 1 so I could run tracks easily between pads. My
symbol designer allowed this so it was no problem.

Reply to this Message

Electronics Forum / CAD / June 2007

Altium shorcuts