How to create arched polygon fill in Protel 99SE?

[Rodo]

Hi all,

I posted this in another group but I'm not getting any useful answers. When
this happens it is an indication that I'm trying to do the impossible or it
is really basic and I'm overlooking something. Since the PCB I'm editing has
a polygon with curved corners I'm pretty sure it is me. But I'm going insane
trying to curve the edge of the polygon. I've tried to place an arch (half a
circle) close to the polygon and see if they merge but that didn't work. I
can get the edge of the polygon to curve no matter what I do. The check box
for the polygon properties that say to use arches around pads is checked. As
I said, I'm going insane!

Could someone please enlighten me!!

Thanks

 

[Brad Velander]

Rodo,
Yes you are slightly crazy! Trying to draw a curved polygon outline,
what foolishness. *^>

All fun aside, it is not impossible, just difficult. You can change the
drawing mode type using Shift - Space. This will allow you to draw the
polygon outlines using orthagonal, 45s, any angle or even curves.
Experiement with this a little until you understand the drawing mode
changes. Using Shift after setting the drawing mode allows you to alter
between starting with an arc or adding an arc at the end of a straight.
Similarly with 45s, you start at 45 or start at 90 and end with 45.

To do the arcs with various sizes you will also need to set the Design
Rule controlling "Routing Corners". You set the min and max radii or
"setback" as they call it. Then when drawing your curved outline you use the
< or > (Shift , or Shift .) keys to expand or contract the arc. It is slow
so give it some time. I have also found it doesn't follow the min and max
you set up. Sometimes it can expand past your max, sometimes it never quite
reaches your max. Oh, the other frustrating part is that somethimes no
matter how you try you cannot get the curve going in the direction you want.
i.e. you want it arc left and down, it will only seem to arc down and left
(sort of clock-wise verses counter-clockwise).

My opinion is that you will find trying to draw curved polyons very
cumbersome and frustrating. When I can I choose to constrain a rounded
polygon with a arc'd layer specific keepout or another arc'd trace defining
the outer reaches of where the polygon should extend to. P99SE's handling of
arcs is less than optimal and can be very frustrating. I usually draw the
arcs as lines utilizing the property access to radius, center, etc. and then
add the net to their proerties. It is much easier than trying to route it as
a trace and radius it. Or radius polyons.

--
Sincerely,
Brad Velander.

"Rodo" <dsp1024@yahoo.com> wrote in message
newsIK%i.6268$V74.2374@trnddc02...

Hi all,

I posted this in another group but I'm not getting any useful answers.
When this happens it is an indication that I'm trying to do the impossible
or it is really basic and I'm overlooking something. Since the PCB I'm
editing has a polygon with curved corners I'm pretty sure it is me. But
I'm going insane trying to curve the edge of the polygon. I've tried to
place an arch (half a circle) close to the polygon and see if they merge
but that didn't work. I can get the edge of the polygon to curve no matter
what I do. The check box for the polygon properties that say to use arches
around pads is checked. As I said, I'm going insane!

Could someone please enlighten me!!

Thanks

 

[Rodo]

AWESOME! It works. I knew there was something I was missing. I just tried
and it turned the line into an arch. I'll play more with it later but this
is what I needed.

Thanks a bunch.


"Brad Velander" <bveland@SpamThis.com> wrote in message
news:iBQ%i.7786$cD.4980@pd7urf2no...

Rodo,
Yes you are slightly crazy! Trying to draw a curved polygon outline,
what foolishness. *^

All fun aside, it is not impossible, just difficult. You can change the
drawing mode type using Shift - Space. This will allow you to draw the
polygon outlines using orthagonal, 45s, any angle or even curves.
Experiement with this a little until you understand the drawing mode
changes. Using Shift after setting the drawing mode allows you to alter
between starting with an arc or adding an arc at the end of a straight.
Similarly with 45s, you start at 45 or start at 90 and end with 45.

To do the arcs with various sizes you will also need to set the Design
Rule controlling "Routing Corners". You set the min and max radii or
"setback" as they call it. Then when drawing your curved outline you use
the < or > (Shift , or Shift .) keys to expand or contract the arc. It is
slow so give it some time. I have also found it doesn't follow the min and
max you set up. Sometimes it can expand past your max, sometimes it never
quite reaches your max. Oh, the other frustrating part is that somethimes
no matter how you try you cannot get the curve going in the direction you
want. i.e. you want it arc left and down, it will only seem to arc down
and left (sort of clock-wise verses counter-clockwise).

My opinion is that you will find trying to draw curved polyons very
cumbersome and frustrating. When I can I choose to constrain a rounded
polygon with a arc'd layer specific keepout or another arc'd trace
defining the outer reaches of where the polygon should extend to. P99SE's
handling of arcs is less than optimal and can be very frustrating. I
usually draw the arcs as lines utilizing the property access to radius,
center, etc. and then add the net to their proerties. It is much easier
than trying to route it as a trace and radius it. Or radius polyons.

--
Sincerely,
Brad Velander.

"Rodo" <dsp1024@yahoo.com> wrote in message
newsIK%i.6268$V74.2374@trnddc02...
Hi all,

I posted this in another group but I'm not getting any useful answers.
When this happens it is an indication that I'm trying to do the
impossible or it is really basic and I'm overlooking something. Since the
PCB I'm editing has a polygon with curved corners I'm pretty sure it is
me. But I'm going insane trying to curve the edge of the polygon. I've
tried to place an arch (half a circle) close to the polygon and see if
they merge but that didn't work. I can get the edge of the polygon to
curve no matter what I do. The check box for the polygon properties that
say to use arches around pads is checked. As I said, I'm going insane!

Could someone please enlighten me!!

Thanks