What is the best PCB Editor Command?

Hi John,

I think most users would avoid the command line but opt for using the commands within macros or hot keys. For commands using the command line only the ones I use from time to time would be.

CL2S = Cline to shape. "Very powerful skill app that converts clines to shapes" Really useful for creating etch for RF based circuits such as transmission lines etc.

Etch Length = This command is used with add connect. It displays the length of the etch as you route clines in.

Specctra out = Invokes the PCB Router

Getting back to automation. One great way to use commands is with hot keys, but perhaps a less known method is to use strokes instead. Basically Strokes are graphical lines that a user draws in on the canvas using the right mouse button. These graphical entities map to commands. So that strokes work better there is a Setting that needs to be set first. Under user preferences look for no_dragpopup and check the box.

To see what the current strokes are go to Utilities > Stroke Editor. There are some defaults and each one is mapped to a command. One of the defaults is Zoom. On the canvas with a board loaded try draw a Z using the right mouse button by holding down the button. That invokes the Zoom in. Its faster than a hot key as you don't have to leave the mouse. You just use the right button to draw something to invoke the command. "may take a little practice to get used to it.

Anyway back to commands. One common command is add connect so as to route clines. One could easily add a Stroke to do this. I use a back slash type line to do this, like \ . So in the stroke editor add a new Stroke graphic and associate the command     generaledit; add connect; Toggle; etch length;  with it. Save the stroke file.

In the pcb editor hold down the right mouse button and draw the stroke. If it works correctly you can left click and start adding in your new cline. If one does not like having the physical etch length showing up then just remove the etch length command from the stroke.

From my experience when one gets used to using strokes general things such as adding etch etc become seriously fast.

Best Regards.

Hi John,

I think most users would avoid the command line but opt for using the commands within macros or hot keys. For commands using the command line only the ones I use from time to time would be.

CL2S = Cline to shape. "Very powerful skill app that converts clines to shapes" Really useful for creating etch for RF based circuits such as transmission lines etc.

Etch Length = This command is used with add connect. It displays the length of the etch as you route clines in.

Specctra out = Invokes the PCB Router

Getting back to automation. One great way to use commands is with hot keys, but perhaps a less known method is to use strokes instead. Basically Strokes are graphical lines that a user draws in on the canvas using the right mouse button. These graphical entities map to commands. So that strokes work better there is a Setting that needs to be set first. Under user preferences look for no_dragpopup and check the box.

To see what the current strokes are go to Utilities > Stroke Editor. There are some defaults and each one is mapped to a command. One of the defaults is Zoom. On the canvas with a board loaded try draw a Z using the right mouse button by holding down the button. That invokes the Zoom in. Its faster than a hot key as you don't have to leave the mouse. You just use the right button to draw something to invoke the command. "may take a little practice to get used to it.

Anyway back to commands. One common command is add connect so as to route clines. One could easily add a Stroke to do this. I use a back slash type line to do this, like \ . So in the stroke editor add a new Stroke graphic and associate the command     generaledit; add connect; Toggle; etch length;  with it. Save the stroke file.

In the pcb editor hold down the right mouse button and draw the stroke. If it works correctly you can left click and start adding in your new cline. If one does not like having the physical etch length showing up then just remove the etch length command from the stroke.

From my experience when one gets used to using strokes general things such as adding etch etc become seriously fast.

Best Regards.

Great insights excellon1, thanks so much for sharing!

Yes and totally agree that mouse strokes can also be a huge time saver when mastered for pcb design. After using them for about 10 years, I found myself sharing the burden between left and right hands though. Some commands I would use the mouse strokes (left hand), and for others I was using the right which was hovering over the keyboard. Like a wax-on / wax-off dual-handed approach!

More elaborate strokes can be slower than a keyboard press, or need to be repeated. So once all the simple strokes are allocated, it may be more efficient to use the command autotype or an alias for later commands. Just a thought. :)