CAMTASTIC_Cmd-ToolsFilmWizardToolsFilmWizard_AD

Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to panelize selected Gerber layers within a single film box, enabling you to output Gerber layers onto film, for the current document.

Access

This command is accessed from the CAMtastic Editor by choosing the Tools » Film Wizard command from the main menus.

Use

First, ensure that only those Gerber layers that you wish to include in the panel are turned ON.

After launching the command, the Film Wizard dialog will appear. Use this dialog to define the size of the film and the array of the layers thereon. You may select one of the predefined size/array definitions from the Film Description drop-down field, or enter your own.

The Individual Film Size region of the dialog shows the amount of film available for each image in the array, based on the size/array settings specified.

Clicking the Neg/Mirror button will open the Film Wizard - Select Layers dialog. Use this dialog to choose which layers you wish to have mirrored, or made negatives, on the film.

After defining the film options, clicking OK in the Film Wizard dialog will effect creation of the film layer(s). A dialog will appear prompting you to choose whether or not to delete old objects. If you choose Yes, the film panel will be created and the original layers will be deleted. If you choose No, the film panel will be created and all original layers will remain, but will be turned OFF.

Tips

1. You would normally place only signal and plane layers onto film. In most cases, the plane layers would be made negative.
2. If you have specified your own film size/array number settings, the Add Description button will become available. Clicking this button will add the definition to the Wizard and will be available from the Film Description drop-down field, the next time you use the command.
3. Ensure that the Individual Film Size is at least the same size as the actual image extents. If not, you will be able to proceed, but a warning dialog will appear, alerting you to this fact. The results of the panelization may be less than desirable.
4. Deleting the original layers is an operation that cannot be undone.
5. The film layers that are created are added to the layers list on the CAMtastic panel and are named as film1, film2, film3, etc.
6. The number of film layers is calculated by dividing the number of enabled layers (that you want to put on film) by the number of elements in the XY array on a single film. So, for example, if you had 10 enabled layers and an array 1x2, the number of film layers created would be 5.
7. The enabled layers are positioned on the film layers according to layer list order. Therefore, considering 10 layers and a 1x2 array, the first two layers would be placed on the film1 layer, the next two on the film2 layer, and so on. For larger arrays, layers are placed in an anticlockwise fashion, starting from the top-left.