Polygon Pour Manager

The Polygon Pour Manager dialog

Summary

The Polygon Pour Manager dialog provides a high-level view of all polygons on the PCB design. The dialog can also be used to rename polygons, set their pour order, perform re-pouring or disable pouring on selected polygons, add/scope the polygon connection style and clearance design rules, and add polygon classes for selected polygons.

Access

The dialog is accessed from the PCB editor by clicking Tools » Polygon Pours » Polygon Manager from the main menus.

Options/Controls

View/Edit

This is a list of all existing polygons in the PCB document; the columns show the current state of each polygon. Click a column heading to sort by that column. Polygon names can be edited. Once named, they can be used to scope polygon rules or create queries. You can select one or more polygons in the grid (Ctrl+click) then perform the grid functions described below.

Grid

• Name - the name of the polygon.
• Auto Assign Name - enable to auto-name the polygons.
• Layer - the layer on which the polygon is located.
• Net - the assigned net.
• Shelved - enable to shelve the polygon.
• IsModified - shows if te polygon has been modified.
• Locked - toggle to lock/unlock the polygon.
• Ignore On-Line DRC Violations - enable to ignore violations.

Buttons

• Repour - use the sub-menus to select which polygon(s) to repour: Modified Polygons, Selected Polygons, Violating Polygons, or Force Repour All Polygons. The number listed in parentheses after the first three choices is the total number of polygons affected with that specific action.
• Shelving - use the sub-menus to select which polygon(s) to Shelve or Unshelve: All Polygons or Selected Polygons. To commit the action, click Apply or OK.
• Locking - use the sub-menus to select which polygon(s) to Lock or Unlock: All Polygons or Selected Polygons. To commit the action, click Apply or OK.

• Violations - use the sub-menus to selectively Ignore Violations or Keep Violations of online DRC violations for All Polygons or Selected Polygons. To commit the action, click Apply or OK.

• Auto Name - use the sub-menus to set Auto Naming On or Auto Naming Off for All Polygons or Selected Polygons.
• Create Clearance Rule - click to open the Edit PCB Rule dialog to create a clearance rule with a new query for the selected polygons. This rule specifies the minimum clearance between any two primitives on a copper layer.
• Create Polygon Connect Style Rule - click to open the Edit PCB Rule dialog to create a polygon connection style rule with a new query for the selected polygons. This rule specifies the style of the connection from a component pin to a polygon plane. 
• Create Polygon Class - click to create a polygon class for the selected polygons. You will be required to provide a name for the new polygon class in the Object Class Name dialog. An object class is a set of objects treated as a group used by the design rules for example.
• Create New Polygon from - click to create a new polygon then choose:
  • Selected Polygon - the Polygon Pour dialog opens in which you can change the properties of the new pour such as name, net, layer, and other attributes. (The settings are cloned from the original polygon by default.) When you are satisfied these are set correctly, click OK to close the Polygon Pour dialog. The polygon is added to the list at the bottom of the Pour Order list.

• Board Outline - the Polygon Pour dialog opens in which you can define the properties for the pour as required, including its name and on which layer it is to be associated. Upon exiting the dialog, the new pour will be added to the list of existing pours in the View/Edit region.

• Properties - Click to open Polygon Pour dialog in which you can edit the properties of the selected Polygon Pour.

Pour Order

This region lists the order in which polygons will be poured. The preview image to the right shows a graphical representation of the polygon pours. 

• Move Up - click to move the selected polygon up in the repour order list. The higher the polygon is in the list, the earlier it gets re-poured relative to other polygons lower in the list.
• Move Down - click to move the selected polygon down in the repour order list. The lower the polygon is in the list, the later it gets re-poured relative to other polygons higher in the list.
• Auto Generate - click to have the system determine the pour order of polygons from smallest to largest. You can then use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to fine tune the pour order, if required.
• Animate Pour Order - click to preview the order of polygon pours in the graphical representation of the PCB in the preview area.