Grouping Vias in ECAD Xplorer Demonstration

This video demonstrates how to group on-chip vias in ECAD Xplorer, the options available and where to find them.

Video Narration Script (click to view)

0:05	This example exlpains grouping on-chip vias in ECAD Xplorer. Chip-scale vias are imported as primitives and are grouped based on the distance between them.
0:15	Before starting, you should configure the Via Group settings. From the Layout ribbon, click Settings to open the Geometry Simplification Settings window.
0:26	The maximum distance that two vias can be grouped together is called the tolerance. Two vias can be grouped together if they are within tolerance of one another. If the distance between the two vias is greater than the tolerance, they won’t be grouped together unless a third via bridges the distance between them.
0:42	Vias are grouped together in one of two methods: Group by Proximity and Group by Range. Group by Proximity groups together vias with similar spacing, assuming the spacing is in the tolerance distance. Group by Range groups any vias that are in the tolerance distance of each other, regardless of their spacing. So in this case, Group by Proximity clusters these groups together like this, while Group by Range clusters the vias like this.
1:12	The Check Containment option causes ECAD Xplorer to evaluate potential via groups for shorts and split up a group where a short occurs. After the settings are configured, click apply and close.
1:26	All of the Group Vias controls are located in the Group Vias menu on the Layout ribbon. To group vias, select a group of rectangular via primitives and select Group Vias. Click Persistent to create a via group while keeping the original primitives the group is based on.
1:47	Clicking Non-Persistent also creates a via group but deletes the primitives. If one of the selected primitives is not in the tolerance of any other primitive, it won’t be included in the group.
2:01	To combine groups or add vias to an existing group, create multiple groups or use existing groups. Highlight the groups and vias and select Group Vias > Combine.
2:12	To get rid of a group, highlight the unwanted group and click Group Vias > Dissolve. The group splits into individual via primitives unless the group is a non-persistent via group. In that case, the group dissolves into a polygon that represents the via group's outline because its via primitives is deleted when the group is formed.
2:33	To group vias by the layers they reside on, use the group vias options in the Layers window. Right-click layer you want and select Group Vias > Persistent or Non-Persistent. You’ll have to go to the Layout ribbon to combine or dissolve via groups.
2:49	This concludes this demonstration of grouping vias in ECAD Xplorer.