Parent page: PCB Commands
The following pre-packaged resources, derived from this base command, are available:
Place Fill
Applied Parameters: None
Summary
This command is used to place a Fill object onto the active document. A fill is a rectangular object that can be placed on any layer. When placed on a signal layer, a fill becomes an area of solid copper that can be used to provide shielding or to carry large currents. Fills of varying size can be combined to cover irregularly shaped areas, and can also be combined with track or arc segments and be connected to a net.
Fills can also be placed on non-electrical layers. For example, place a fill on the Keep-Out layer to designate a 'no-go' area for autorouting. Place a fill on a Power Plane, Solder Mask, or Paste Mask layer, to create a void on that layer. In the PCB Library Editor, fills can be used to define component footprints.
For detailed information about this object type, see
Fill.
Access
Fills are available for placement in both PCB and PCB Library Editors:
- PCB Editor - the following methods of access are available:
- Choose Place » Fill from the main menus.
- Click the button on the Wiring toolbar.
- PCB Library Editor - the following methods of access are available:
- Choose Place » Fill from the main menus.
- Click the button on the PCB Lib Placement toolbar.
- Right-click in the workspace and select Place » Fill from the context menu.
Use
After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter fill placement mode. Placement is made by performing the following sequence of actions:
- Click or press Enter to anchor the first corner of the fill.
- Move the cursor to adjust the size of the fill, then click or press Enter to anchor the diagonally-opposite corner and complete placement of the fill.
- Continue placing further fills, or right-click or press Esc to exit placement mode.
A fill will 'adopt' a net name if it touches an object which has a net name.
Additional actions that can be performed during placement are:
- Press the L key to flip the fill to the other side of the board – note that this is only possible prior to anchoring the fill's first corner.
- Press the + and - keys (on the numeric keypad) to cycle forward and backward through all visible layers in the design respectively – to change placement layer quickly.
- Press the Tab key to access the Fill dialog, from where properties for the fill can be changed on-the-fly.
Tips
- A Fill can be placed as a layer-specific keepout object, or an all-layer keepout to act, for example, as a placement or routing barrier. Objects defined as keepouts are ignored during output generation, such as photo plotting and printing. A layer-specific keepout fill is simply a Fill object with its Keepout property enabled, an all-layer keepout is a Fill that has been placed on the Keepout layer.
- While attributes can be modified during placement (Tab to bring up associated properties dialog), bear in mind that these will become the default settings for further placement unless the Permanent option on the PCB Editor – Defaults page of the Preferences dialog is enabled. When this option is enabled, changes made will affect only the object being placed and subsequent objects placed during the same placement session.