View Options

Modified by Susan Riege on Aug 14, 2018

Summary

This tab of the View Configurations dialog provides controls to configure various additional display options with respect to the PCB design workspace.

Access

This is one of three tabs available for a 2D view configuration – accessed from within the View Configurations dialog. This dialog can be accessed from both the PCB Editor and the PCB Library Editor in the following ways:

In 2D Layout Mode, click View | View | » View Configurations » View Configuration from the main menus.
Press the L key.

To access 2D view-related tabs, ensure the workspace is in 2D Layout Mode prior to accessing the dialog.

Options/Controls

Display Options

Convert Special Strings - enable this option to display special strings converted to their literal value. Special strings act as place holders for various system data, e.g., layer names, hole counts and drawing legends. Normally, special strings are interpreted to their literal values only during printing or plotting, but with this option, some of those special strings can be displayed on-screen.

Single Layer Mode

This field shows the current Single Layer Mode, if any, chosen for the view configuration. Click to choose from one of the following available options:

Gray Scale Other Layers - displays the current layer; all primitives on other layers are displayed in gray. The shade of gray is based on a layer's color scheme.
Monochrome Other Layers - displays the current layer; all primitives on other layers are displayed in the same shade of gray.
Hide Other Layers - displays the current layer; all primitives on other layers are not displayed.
Not In Single Layer Mode - displays all visible layers as normal.

Other Options

Net Names on Tracks Display - this field shows the current display mode for identifying net names on tracks. Click to choose one of the following display modes:
- Do Not Display - no net names will be shown.
- Single and Centered - the net name will be shown once at the center of each track segment.
- Repeated - the net name is shown repeatedly along each track segment.

Only track segments that are long enough will display the net name. Net names will only become visible if you are zoomed in close enough.

Plane Drawing - this field shows how any internal split planes are displayed. Click to choose one of the following drawing modes:
- Outlined Layer Colored - the internal split plane will be shown as an outline only, color-dependent on the associated layer color.
- Solid Net Colored - the internal split plane will be shown with outline and fill, color-dependent on the associated net color.

The relevant internal plane layer must be visible for this option to work in the 2D workspace. Ensure that the layer's Show attribute is enabled on the Board Layers And Colors tab of the View Configurations dialog. Plane layers are always visible in the 3D workspace.

Solder Masks

Show Top Positive - enable this option to display the top solder mask in positive (all masked areas colored).
Show Bottom Positive - enable this option to display the bottom solder mask in positive (all masked areas colored).
Opacity - use this slide control, associated to each of the above options, to alter the opacity of the mask. The greater the opacity, the less 'light' passes through the surface. Move the slider bar to the right for greater opacity.

The Top Solder and Bottom Solder mask layers must be visible for these options to work. Ensure that each layer's Show attribute is enabled on the Board Layers And Colors tab of the View Configurations dialog.

Show

Test Points - enable this option to show any test points on the PCB.
Status Info - enable this option to have summary information, such as coordinate position and layer, displayed in the status bar when an object is selected.
Origin Marker - enable this option to display the coordinate origin marker (bottom left corner). All objects in the PCB design are positioned relative to the origin marker. Click the color swatch to the right to change the color of the origin marker through the standard Choose Color dialog.
Component Reference Point - enable this option to display reference point markers for components. Component reference points can be especially helpful when placing and positioning components. Click the color swatch to the right to change the color of component reference markers through the standard Choose Color dialog.
Show Pad Nets - enable this option to display the associated net name on a pad. Note that net names will only become visible if you are zoomed in close enough.
Show Pad Numbers - enable this option to display pad numbers. Note that pad numbers will only become visible if you are zoomed in close enough.
Show Via Nets - enable this option to display the relevant net name on a via. Note that net names will only become visible if you are zoomed in close enough.
Show All Connections In Single Layer Mode - enable this option to always display all of the connection lines when in Single Layer Mode. With this option disabled, all connection lines that do not start or end on the current layer are also hidden when switching to Single Layer Mode since it is assumed they are not relevant.
Use Layer Colors For Connection Drawing - enable this option to display the connection lines using the colors of the start and end layers between which the connection line travels. The connection lines are displayed as dashed lines, alternating the colors of both the start and end layers. This feature is ideal when you are routing a multi-layer board since you can easily tell to which target layer the connection being routed must go.

Note that this dashed color override is only applied to nets that travel from one layer to another. If the connection starts and ends on the same layer, it retains its defined net color.

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