Modeless Commands

You can set or change some settings and functions at any time using a shortcut key for the command called a modeless command.

To enter a modeless command:

  1. Click the display.
  1. Type the modeless command (shortcut key) for the command you want.

Restriction: Use a space between the command and the argument. For example: N GND or GD 50.

  1. Click Enter.

Table 2‑2 lists the modeless commands. In the table:

<X,Y> = coordinates

<s> = text

<n> = number.

Table 2‑2. Modeless Commands

Shortcut key

Description

C

Complementary format. Type C and press Enter to change the display to a complementary format, which views thermals and antipads on plane layers. Type C a second time and press Enter to restore the normal noncomplementary view.

D

Display last current layer on/off.

DO

Drill outline on/off.

E

Cycles through the End Via modes:

  • End No Via (where a trace ends in space)
  • End Via (where a trace ends with a via)
  • End Test Point (where a trace ends with a test point via

I

Database Integrity Test.

L <n>

Change the current layer to <n>.

 

<n> can be a number or name, for example (L 2) or (L top).

N <s>

Highlights nets one by one. To place the highlighted net <s> at the top of the stack, repeat the command, for example, N GND.

N-

Unhighlights each highlighted net in reverse order.

N

Removes all highlighting from the nets.

O <r>

Displays an outline of pads and traces.

See also: To Use Outline View Mode

PO

Pour outline on/off.

PN

Toggles pin number display on or off. (Makes pin numbers visible in the design or makes them invisible if they are visible).

Q

Quick Measure. Snaps to the design grid when Grid Snap is on. Measurements are gridless when Grid Snap is off. You can also measure precise Euclidean distances between polar grid nodes using this command.

QL

Quick Length. Area select the route items you want to measure; such as route segments, nets, or pin pairs. Type QL; and press Enter. A report of the route item lengths for routed, unrouted, and total length appears in the default text editor.

R <n>

Reduce display width to <n>, for example, R 50.

RV

Toggles Make Like Reuse operations to compare or ignore value and tolerance attributes.

See also: To Make a Like Reuse in Verb Mode, To Make a Like Reuse in Object Mode

SPD

Display generated plane data for split/mixed planes. This command controls an option in the Split/Mixed Plane tab of the Options dialog box.

SPI

Display plane thermal indicators. This command controls an option in the Split/Mixed Plane tab of the Options dialog box.

SPO

Display plane polygon outlines for split/mixed planes. This command controls an option in the Split/Mixed Plane tab of the Options dialog box.

T

Toggle Transparent Mode.

See also: To Use Transparent View Mode

UM

Sets Design Units to mils.

UMM

Sets Design Units to millimeters (metric).

UI

Sets Design Units to inches.

X

Text outline on/off.

W <n>

Changes width to <n>, for example W 5.

Ctrl+PageDown

  • Resets the Delta X,Y values to zero and begins measuring from the current location. This command works in any mode, with Delta X,Y on the status bar instead of the grid display.
  • Works the same as the Q modeless command (Quick Measure) when in object mode.


Table 2‑3. Grids

Shortcut key

Description

G <x> {<y>}

Grid global setting. The second parameter is optional.

Sets the Design and Via grids simultaneously, for example, G 25, G 8.3 or G 16-2/3, G 25 25.

GD <x> {<y>}

Dot grid setting, for example, GD 8-1/3, GD 25 25, or GD 100. The second parameter is optional.

GP

Polar grid on/off. Use the polar grid for Radial Move, circular component arrays, and to create radial drawings.

GP r a

Move to a point specified by polar coordinates (radius and angle).

GPR r

Move to a point specified by the radius, using the existing angle.

GPA a

Move to a point specified by the angle, using the existing radius.

GPRA da

Move to a point specified by the current angle (da) value, using the existing radius.

GPRR dr

Move to a point specified by the current radius (dr), using the existing angle.

GR <xx>

Design grid setting, for example, GR 8-1/3, GR 25 25, G 25.

GV <xx>

Via grid setting, for example, GV 8-1/3, GV 25 25, or GV 25.


More Examples Of Grid Use

Tip: - 8 = (eight); - 8-1/3 = (eight and a third); - 8.33 = (eight point 33)

Table 2‑4. Search

Shortcut key

Description

S <s>

Search for reference designator/pin <s>, for example SU 1.1 or SU 1.

S <n> <n>

Search absolute at <n> <n>, for example S 1000 1000.

SR <n> <n>

Search relative X and Y, for example SR -200 100.

SRX <n>

Search relative X, for example SRX 300.

SRY <n>

Search relative Y, for example SRY 400.

SS <s>

Search and Select by reference designator, for example SS U10.

Tip: Spaces may be important in modeless commands. For example, SS W1 and S SW1 have different meanings. SS W1 tells PADS Layout to search and select W1, while S SW1 tells it to search for SW1.

SS <s>*

You can search and select using an asterisk, *. Type SS, a space, the character you want to search by, and an asterisk. For example, to search and select all components beginning with a C, type

SS C*. All components with a reference designator starting with C are selected.

Tip: This command is useful for placing parts. For example, you can select all resistors using SS R* and then choose Move Sequential from the pop-up menu to place the selected parts.

SX <n>

Absolute move to <n>, current Y, for example SX 300.

SY <n>

Absolute move to <n>, current X, for example SY 400.

XP

Search for and select route segments using pixels instead of segment width, allowing you to adjust a trace whose corners are less than the width of the trace.


Table 2‑5. Angles

Shortcut key

Description

AA

Any angle.

AD

Diagonal angle.

AO

Orthogonal angle.


Table 2‑6. Undo

Shortcut key

Description

UN [<n>]

Multiple undo command (1-100), <n> is optional. (Ex. UN 2) UN will undo 1 time.

RE [<n>]

Multiple redo command (1-100), <n> is optional. (Ex. RE 2) RE will redo 1 time.


Table 2‑7. Design Rule Checking (DRC)

Shortcut key

Description

DRP

Prevent.

DRW

Warn.

DRI

Ignore Clearance.

DRO

Turn off DRC Mode.


Table 2‑8. Routing

Shortcut key

Description

E

Toggle between end via and end no via modes.

LD

Toggle between horizontal and vertical routing layer direction on the current layer.

PL <n> <n>

Paired Layer command, where <n> can be layer numbers or layer names. (for example, PL 1 2 or PL top bottom).

SH

Toggles Shove mode on or off.

V <name>

Select via type, for example V standard via.

VA

Automatic via selection.

VP

Use partial via.

VT

Use through hole via.

T

Toggle Transparent Mode.


Table 2‑9. Drafting Objects

Shortcut key

Description

HC

Circle shape draw mode.

HH

Path shape draw mode.

HP

Polygon shape draw mode.

HR

Rectangle shape draw mode.


Table 2‑10. Mouse Click Substitutes

Shortcut key

Description

M

Activate shortcut menu for current mode (right mouse button).

Spacebar

Perform a left mouse button click (to add corners, select items, complete, etc.) at the current cursor location.


Table 2‑11. Various

Shortcut key

Description

?

Show this help topic.

BMW

Basic Media Wizard. BMW creates a macro with associated files based on your last PADS Layout session or your current session. BMW records a session using the next.log file to simplify the process of reproducing a problematic PADS Layout session. This is also a command line option.

See also: Start-up Options

BMW is associated with another modeless command, BLT.

See also: To Use the Basic Media Wizard

BLT

Basic Log Test; it finds and runs the BMW macros to test or replay the media.

See also: To Run the Basic Log Test

F <s>

Open file <s>, where <s> is the path and name of the file to open.



PADS Layout User's Guide, PADS2007

© 2007 Mentor Graphics Corporation. All rights reserved.

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