connecting a Signal to a via in board editor

On 4/12/2010 6:07 PM, Martin Eder wrote:

Hi,

 

Is there a trick to connect a signal to a via?  I can connect signals

between packages, but if I place a via and try to connect a signal to

it, it doesn't take. I had to create a pad as a part to get it to work.

 

Normal behavior?

 

v4.16

 

Thanks

Martin

 

 

did you name the via to the same name as the net you connect it to??

"Gary Gofstein" <nospam@use.forum.net> wrote in message

news:hq0h2v$qc6$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

On 4/12/2010 6:07 PM, Martin Eder wrote:

Hi,

 

Is there a trick to connect a signal to a via?  I can connect signals

between packages, but if I place a via and try to connect a signal to

it, it doesn't take. I had to create a pad as a part to get it to

work.

 

Normal behavior?

 

v4.16

 

Thanks

Martin

 

 

did you name the via to the same name as the net you connect it to??

I Think I tried that, but the pin is part of a connector so you can't

get the name of the pin.

Any type of part will exhibit the same behavior, you cant signal it to a

lone via.

Cheers

"Martin Eder" wrote

Is there a trick to connect a signal to a via?  I can connect signals

between packages, but if I place a via and try to connect a signal to

it, it doesn't take. I had to create a pad as a part to get it to work.

 

Normal behavior?

v4.16

Thanks

Martin

Martin

You can connect a signal to a via. The via must have the same name as the

signal for the attachment to take place. This has been said earlier. But

once you are connected to that via you cannot continue on to your

destination point. So this is not a really useful approach to take.

Remember signals are abstract connections. They simply indicate points, on a

common net, that will be phyically connected after you have done the

routing.

You appear to be approaching this in a single ended manner. i.e starting out

from a pin and trying to connect to the via before heading off to the final

connection point/pin.

It's better to:

1.  Attach the signal to the start and finish points so the signal is

established .

2. Determine the name of the signal.

3. Drop in a via with the same name and if its close to the signal airwires

they will snap to the via as you wished but can snap with your via on a

branch.

But even this is over working. Why not do the following

1.  Attach the signal to the start and finish points so the signal is

established .

2. Commence routing this signal. When you change layers a via will be

automatically placed.

3. Finish the route to the destination or as much as you can do at that

point.

Hope this helps

Warren

On 4/12/2010 9:07 PM, Martin Eder wrote:

Hi,

 

Is there a trick to connect a signal to a via?  I can connect signals

between packages, but if I place a via and try to connect a signal to

it, it doesn't take. I had to create a pad as a part to get it to work.

 

Normal behavior?

 

v4.16

 

Thanks

Martin

 

 

Hi Martin,

I've run into this problem trying to route traces to Power pads that

leave my board.

You can run airwires between ICs and library components but not simple

pads that you place on the board.

My techniques is this:

Let's say I have a Timer IC whose +V pin I need to connect to the +V pad

on my board.

1) Use airwires to connect the +V pin to some other pin or component

(preferably one that not to close to the V+ pin).

2)Use the Route command and start routing from pin +V, but head towards

+V pad or via.

3) Using the wire command start at the V+ PAD on the board and connect

this wire to the traces you have already routed.

4) Eagle will ask if the two signals go together, select the name you

want the joined signal to have and click ok.

5) Now if you check name you'll see that both the Timer +V pin and the

+V pad are all one signal. If not then check the PAD signal name it

should be the same the wire you used to connect it to the traces you routed.

6) Now that the connection is complete you can delete the dummy airwire.

Hope this helps.

Jorge Garcia

Cadsoft Computer

"Jorge Garcia" <jorge@cadsoftusa.com> wrote in message

news:hq2lfo$qr5$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

On 4/12/2010 9:07 PM, Martin Eder wrote:

Hi,

 

Is there a trick to connect a signal to a via?  I can connect signals

between packages, but if I place a via and try to connect a signal to

it, it doesn't take. I had to create a pad as a part to get it to

work.

 

Normal behavior?

 

v4.16

 

Thanks

Martin

 

 

 

Hi Martin,

 

I've run into this problem trying to route traces to Power pads that

leave my board.

 

You can run airwires between ICs and library components but not simple

pads that you place on the board.

 

My techniques is this:

 

Let's say I have a Timer IC whose +V pin I need to connect to the +V

pad on my board.

 

1) Use airwires to connect the +V pin to some other pin or component

(preferably one that not to close to the V+ pin).

2)Use the Route command and start routing from pin +V, but head

towards +V pad or via.

3) Using the wire command start at the V+ PAD on the board and connect

this wire to the traces you have already routed.

4) Eagle will ask if the two signals go together, select the name you

want the joined signal to have and click ok.

5) Now if you check name you'll see that both the Timer +V pin and the

+V pad are all one signal. If not then check the PAD signal name it

should be the same the wire you used to connect it to the traces you

routed.

6) Now that the connection is complete you can delete the dummy

airwire.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jorge Garcia

Cadsoft Computer

 

 

I pondered this approach, but I found it easy to just create a pad as a

part.  Thanks for the suggestion.

I wasn’t expecting  such a road block with this. Thought there might be

a easy way.

FYI, I was just trying to connect connector shell mount/gnd signals to a

pad so that there is a  option to ground them.

Typically you don’t see them in net lists, at least the Netlist I have

from a clients orcad.

Cheers

Hi MArtin,

Martin Eder wrote:

Is there a trick to connect a signal to a via?  I can connect signals

between packages, but if I place a via and try to connect a signal to

it, it doesn't take. I had to create a pad as a part to get it to work.

reading the whole tread, especially your answer to Gary, I think I

understand now what you are trying to do but didn't state explicitly

anywhere 8-)

You've placed a part in the schematic and now you want to connect one

of its pins to a via you placed in the board, without this pin being

connected to any net in the schematic.

If that is the case you can't connect anything to that pin in the

board (as you already stated) because there is no net to connect to.

But you don't need a you pad as a part, just connect a short net stump

to the pin in the schematic (and give it a name if you like). Then

"via 'net-name'" (or placing the via and renaming it afterwards) gives

you a via connected to that pin.

You need to do a ratsnest to see the aitwire though.

Or ctrl-click to start routing on either the pin or the via.

I'm on 5.8 here, but I can't remember any change in behaviour in this

area since 4.x

On the other hand I prefer using a part because that documents the

precense of the via (test points in my case) in the schematic.

And placed as a part in the schematic I won't forget to place it in

the board.

--

Lorenz

On 4/13/2010 3:51 PM, Martin Eder wrote:

"Jorge Garcia"<jorge@cadsoftusa.com>  wrote in message

news:hq2lfo$qr5$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

On 4/12/2010 9:07 PM, Martin Eder wrote:

Hi,

 

Is there a trick to connect a signal to a via?  I can connect signals

between packages, but if I place a via and try to connect a signal to

it, it doesn't take. I had to create a pad as a part to get it to

work.

 

Normal behavior?

 

v4.16

 

Thanks

Martin

 

 

 

Hi Martin,

 

I've run into this problem trying to route traces to Power pads that

leave my board.

 

You can run airwires between ICs and library components but not simple

pads that you place on the board.

 

My techniques is this:

 

Let's say I have a Timer IC whose +V pin I need to connect to the +V

pad on my board.

 

1) Use airwires to connect the +V pin to some other pin or component

(preferably one that not to close to the V+ pin).

2)Use the Route command and start routing from pin +V, but head

towards +V pad or via.

3) Using the wire command start at the V+ PAD on the board and connect

this wire to the traces you have already routed.

4) Eagle will ask if the two signals go together, select the name you

want the joined signal to have and click ok.

5) Now if you check name you'll see that both the Timer +V pin and the

+V pad are all one signal. If not then check the PAD signal name it

should be the same the wire you used to connect it to the traces you

routed.

6) Now that the connection is complete you can delete the dummy

airwire.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Jorge Garcia

Cadsoft Computer

 

 

 

I pondered this approach, but I found it easy to just create a pad as a

part.  Thanks for the suggestion.

I wasn’t expecting  such a road block with this. Thought there might be

a easy way.

 

FYI, I was just trying to connect connector shell mount/gnd signals to a

pad so that there is a  option to ground them.

Typically you don’t see them in net lists, at least the Netlist I have

from a clients orcad.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

I would create a pin on the part to connect the shell, and use a pad

part as you did. there are pads and holes parts in the eagle libs, but

you can easily create one as well. don't know if you use schematics or

not, but I always show things like this in the schematic. good that you

caught it missing in the netlist.

OK, how about this approach:

Do a CTRL-route from some point on the signal where  you want to

connect the via.  A CTRL-route allows you to start anywhere, even if

there are no airwires or unconnected nets.  Continue with that

CTRL-route to where you want to place a via.  Then change layers and

continue a little ways further in the new layer, then hit ESC to stop

the routing.  This will give you a trace, a via, and then a trace on

the new layer that goes nowhere.  Now use rip-up to get rid of the

trace on the new layer.  Finally, use INFO to change the properties of

the via as needed to make it as big as a pad, or whatever you want to

do with it.

Robert Scott

Real-Time Specialties

Ypsilanti, Michigan