The footprint editor Draw menu presents options for drawing graphical primitives and text, and manipulating selected objects. The Draw menu options include:
Primitive > Arc
This option, also available on the toolbar, initiates creation of an arc. To draw an arc, click the footprint editor grid at the two points that determines the arc’s ends, and then drag the arc to the appropriate radius.
Once you have created an arc, adjust its radius or move its endpoints by clicking the arc to select it, and dragging the appropriate handle.
Primitive > Circle
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw toolbar, initiates creation of a circle. To draw a circle, click the footprint editor grid to select a center point, then drag the circle to the appropriate diameter.
- Click the circle to select it, then drag one of its handles.
- Double-click the circle to open its Properties window, type a new value for the Radius parameter, and click OK.
Primitive > Line
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw toolbar, initiates creation of a polyline with one or more segments. To draw a line:
To complete the line, do one of the following after defining its final segment:
- Press the Spacebar.
- Right-click and click Finish.
After you have completed a line, change the endpoints of its segments as follows:
- Select the line and drag the appropriate handle(s).
- Double-click the line to open its Properties window, type new values for the parameters you want to change, and click OK.
Primitive > Rectangle
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw toolbar, initiates creation of a rectangle. To create a rectangle, click the editor grid to specify the position of one corner, then drag the rectangle to the appropriate size.
Once you have drawn a rectangle, Edit its height and width, the position of its center, and its angle (its rotation, in degrees, relative the handles of its bounding box) as follows:
- Double-click the rectangle, then edit its properties in the Properties window.
Primitive > Polygon
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw toolbar, initiates creation of a polygon. To create a polygon:
- Click the footprint editor grid to specify the position of one vertex, then click wherever you want to place additional vertices.
- To complete a polygon, specify the position of its final vertex, then do either of the following:
Once you have drawn a rectangle, Edit its vertex positions and other properties, including its fill style, as follows:
- Click the rectangle, then edit its properties in the Properties window.
- Double-click the rectangle, then edit its properties in the Properties window.
Primitive > Text
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw toolbar, adds to the footprint an editable “Default text” label in 12-point Arial. To edit the default text string immediately after placement, type the text you want, then press Enter or click elsewhere in the editor grid.
To change just the text of an existing label:
- Click the label.
- Click the label again to open its text for editing.
- Press Enter or click elsewhere in the editor grid.
To change other properties of a label, including its font and size:
- Click the label and view its properties in the Properties window, or double-click the label and view its properties in the Properties window.
- Click in the Value cell for the property you want to modify.
- Modify the value.
- Click OK, or click in another Value cell to commit the change and keep editing values.
Void > Circle
Create a void, or remove material from an object, in the shape of a circle, rectangle, polygon, or line using the Void > Circle command. One object can have multiple voids, but each void can only be associated with one “parent” object.
Void > Line
Create a void, or remove material from an object, in the shape of a circle, rectangle, polygon, or line using the Void > Line command. One object can have multiple voids, but each void can only be associated with one “parent” object.
Void > Rectangle
Create a void, or remove material from an object, in the shape of a circle, rectangle, polygon, or line using the Void > Rectangle command. One object can have multiple voids, but each void can only be associated with one “parent” object.
Void > Polygon
Create a void, or remove material from an object, in the shape of a circle, rectangle, polygon, or line using the Void > Polygon command. One object can have multiple voids, but each void can only be associated with one “parent” object.
Port > Create
Click the Port > Create command to create a port.
Port > Remove
Click the Port > Remove command to remove a port.
Pin
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw toolbar, initiates placement of a footprint pin with a default stem length of 10. You can rotate a pin once you’ve started to place it by iteratively pressing R until the pin is oriented to your liking. Click in the editor grid to finish placing the pin.
Via
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw toolbar, initiates placement of a through hole (via) of the default size (1mm).
Handle
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw toolbar, allows you to create an explicit footprint handle that can later be used to resize or reshape the footprint based on the handle’s reshaping rules.
3D Structure
Opens a menu that allows you to create and perform operations on a 3D structure in the Drawing Region.
Coordinate System
Opens a menu that allows you to create and perform operations on a coordinate system in the Drawing Region manage. For more information see Coordinate Systems in the Layout Editor topic.
Rotate
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw menu or by pressing Ctrl+R on the keyboard, rotates a selected object or group of objects 90° to the left.
Flip Vertical
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw menu, flips a selected object about the X axis.
Flip Horizontal
This option, also available on the Footprint Draw menu, flips a selected object about the Y axis.
Reverse Line
Reverse selected objects in the Drawing Region.
Align...
Position Relative
When a relative coordinate system (CS) and an object independent of that CS are selected, the “Draw > Position Relative” command positions the CS relative to that object.
Clear Position Relative
When a relative coordinate system (CS) and an object are selected, the “Draw > Clear Position Relative” command positions the CS unrelative to that object.
Duplicate
Duplicate a selected object in the Drawing Region.
Expand
Expand selected objects in the Drawing Region.
Split Polygon Region
Split selected polygon regions in the Drawing Region.
Geometry Healing
Geometry heal selected objects in the Drawing Region.
Stitch Lines
Stitch together connected/crossing lines into polygons and lines.