Do you know how to allow specific nets inside a route keepout?

Hi John

The other method is to use the CM to add the nets to the group & that works good too. In looking at this the only question that comes to mind is how would a user looking at the UI even know the method of adding the nets existed. ?. By way of a suggestion, I think it would be good if the Group Box had some way to convey that. Something like a check box or text to indicate the operation.

One nice feature probably less obvious is that if  a user goes back to the Group box later on & chooses their RKO Group Name, the nets that are part of the group highlight so they can see at a glance what nets are in the group. That's pretty handy.

Best Regards.

Thanks Excellon1, your are 100% correct. Another method to do this is to:

1. Go to Constraint Manager > Properties domain to expand the Net folder.
2. Select a group of nets, XNets, net groups, or differential pairs in the Route/Vias Keepout Exception worksheet.
3. Right-click and choose Create – RKO Group from the pop-up menu..
4. Enter a name for the RKO group, or accept the default.
5. Click OK.

See snapshot example below.

Alternatively the Add command can be used. The same member can exist in both the new and existing RKO groups

Is this what you meant?

Thanks Excellon1, your are 100% correct. Another method to do this is to:

1. Go to Constraint Manager > Properties domain to expand the Net folder.
2. Select a group of nets, XNets, net groups, or differential pairs in the Route/Vias Keepout Exception worksheet.
3. Right-click and choose Create – RKO Group from the pop-up menu..
4. Enter a name for the RKO group, or accept the default.
5. Click OK.

See snapshot example below.

Alternatively the Add command can be used. The same member can exist in both the new and existing RKO groups

Is this what you meant?

It is in this net folder in the Constraint Manager that I can review the memberships list of nets for these groups - as shown by example here:

Let me know if this makes sense?

Hi John, Not exactly.

You have to assign the "RKO to the shape in the pcb editor first" & then in the CM add nets to the group you wish to exclude from the RKO.

SO in the pcb editor create a static shape on the Route Keepout layer you need , example RKO Top. In the options pane give the RKO a name
in the "Assign to Keepout Group" BOX. Lastly draw the shape. (I used RKO_ALLOWED-NETS) as the group name name.

Open the cm. Under the properties tab click on Route/Vias Keepout Exception. In the right hand pane click on the RKO Group Object so it highlights. In my case I would highlight RKO_ALLOWED-NETS

Lastly right click on it and choose. Create > RKO Group Members. In the box select the nets you want to allow pass through the RKO.

Best regards.

Ok thanks for the input Excellon1. 

I have now retested this on a  fresh design but I can confirm that it is not necessary to create the shape first. 

In Constraint Manger(CM), in the Net folder > Route/Vis Keepout Exception ( shown below.) We can create an RKO_Group for any net, bus, netgroup, etc... and later we can assign add Keepout shapes to this group. 

Please see below image showing that we can add either a Via Keepout or a Route Keepout to an RKO_Group that as already been created via CM. Use the right mouse button in the Editor over the shape to assign an RKO_Group name to any new keepout:

As additional fyi - it is also possible to select and report these RKO_Groups using the find by Query ui as shown.   

Let me know if this works at your end as described?! 

Hi John,

That method does work if the RKO Group exists. So there are a couple of methods to get there. I think it is easier to create the RKO Shape and assign it to the Group at the same time. Doing this means the chance of having objects that basically do nothing wont exist
within the CM. it is kind of a preference type of thing.

Getting back to my prior comment, I think the mechanics could be improved in particular with respect to the "Options Box" where one assigns a Group name and the selection of nets to exclude from the Keepout. My point was, how would anyone know that they could select the nets/etch as you had described above for exclusion from the RKO. It is not very intuitive. 

Best regards.