Applied Parameters: RegionKind=Cutout
Summary
This command is used to place a Region object onto the active document, whose Kind property is set to Polygon cutout. Referred to thereafter as a polygon pour cutout, it is a polygonal-shaped primitive object that can be placed on any layer. It can have any number of sides and vertices (corners). Since it is placed as a negative, this type of region can create a cutout (a void) in a polygon pour. In this mode the region will not be filled with copper when the polygon is poured.
For detailed information about this object type, see
Region.
Access
This command is accessed from the PCB Editor, and PCB Library Editor, by choosing the Place » Polygon Pour Cutout command from the main menus.
Use
After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter region placement mode. You can either place the region within the bounds of the intended polygon pour object, or place elsewhere and move into position afterwards. Placement is made by performing the following sequence of actions:
- Position the cursor and click, or press Enter, to anchor the starting vertex for the region.
- Move the cursor ready to place the second vertex. The default behavior is to place 2 edges with each click, with a user-defined corner shape between them. Refer to the Placement Modes section below for more details on changing corner modes.
- Continue to move the mouse and click, or press Enter, to place further vertices.
- After placing the final vertex, right-click, or press Esc, to close and complete placement of the region. There is no need to manually close the region as the software will automatically complete the shape by connecting the start point to the final point placed.
- Continue placing further regions, or right-click, or press Esc, to exit placement mode.
Additional actions that can be performed during placement include:
- Press the + and - keys on the numeric keypad to cycle forward and backward through all layers currently visible in the design.
- Press the * key to cycle through the visible signal layers.
- Press the Tab key to access the Region dialog, from where properties for the region can be changed on-the-fly.
Placement Modes
While placing a region there are 5 available corner modes, 4 of which also have corner direction sub-modes. During placement:
- Press Shift+Spacebar to cycle through the 5 available corner modes: 45 degree, 45 degree with arc, 90 degree, 90 degree with arc, and Any Angle.
- Press Spacebar to toggle between the two corner direction sub-modes.
- When in either of the arc corner modes, hold the
or
keys to shrink or grow the arc. Hold the Shift key as you press to accelerate arc resizing.
- Press the 1 shortcut key to toggle between placing 2 edges per click, or one edge per click. In this second mode the dashed edge is referred to as the look-ahead segment (as shown in the last image in the set below).
- Press the Backspace key to remove the last vertex.
![](/documentation/sites/default/files/wiki_attachments/250836/Pcb_Obj-Region_RegionCornerMode_45Arc.webp)
![](/documentation/sites/default/files/wiki_attachments/250836/Pcb_Obj-Region_RegionCornerMode_90Arc.webp)
![](/documentation/sites/default/files/wiki_attachments/250836/Pcb_Obj-Region_RegionCornerMode_45SingleEdge.webp)
Press Shift+Spacebar to cycle through the 5 available corner modes, press the 1 shortcut to toggle placement between
2 edges, or 1 edge.
Tips
- 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 – 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.