Inserting a Layer Stack Preview Symbol places a diagram of the layer stack into the design.
Shortcuts
Default Keys: None
Default Menu: Insert
Command: Insert Layer Stack Preview
Locating this option
Available from: Insert menu > Layer Stack option
How to use the dialog
Show Table On Layer
You must specify the Layer you want the layer preview to appear on, (this would normally be a non-electrical layer).
Spans to be Included In Preview
You must choose which spans should be included in the preview. From the drop down list, select from All spans, No Back Drill Spans or Only Back Drill Spans.
Use Proportional Layer Thickness
Select this check box if you wish to represent the preview using a proportional representation of the actual layer thicknesses if defined in the Technology - Layers dialog along with thicknesses defined in the Technology - Materials dialog.
When this check box is unchecked, the layer stack preview will use a fixed size for non-electrical, electrical and construction layers.
When selecting the Layer Span for use in this dialog, there is a limited choice. If you wish to expand the selection to other Spans, add the Stack to the design and then use Properties dialog of the selected symbol to select the Span required.
Adding the Layer Stack Preview to the design
When you press the OK button, a layer preview symbol will be generated, and you can position the symbol where you want on the design. Once the symbol has been placed you return to the dialog, where you can add another layer preview or cancel the dialog.
Changing the Layer Stack Preview appearance in the design
The layer boxes in the preview are a fixed format, and cannot be edited. The size of the preview layer boxes are dictated by the size of the text style used to for the labels and the symbol scale factor. The default styles and layer are defined in the Report Symbol Defaults dialog.
Use properties on the layer stack preview symbol to scale it, change the text style of the labels and change the line style of the layer boxes. To change the line style of the label lines, select a label and use properties to change its callout line style. All label lines will then be changed to the new style.
The labels in the preview are text callouts and can be moved individually, aligned and spread out. Using Properties on the callout you can set it to have its own colour, which changes the colour of the text and its pointer line, and also you can change the Text Box Fill Colour which changes the fill colour of the box in the diagram representing the layer the callout refers to.
If you modify the design (by adding or deleting some layers), the symbol may need updating. This is automatically done when you create any plots, but can be done at any time using the Update Layer Stack Previews option.
Layer Stack Previews in the design
Layer Stack Previews inserted into the design are created using Text Callouts in a Doc symbol. This has two effects: the first, you can move and reposition the layer text; the second is that the text can be switched off and coloured separately to the layer view.
To view Layer Stacks in the design, Doc Sym Callouts must be visible using the Colours dialog and Doc Shapes page.
Changing the Layer stack appearance in the design
To change the Layer Stack appearance in the design, select the preview and from the context menu select Properties.
Related Topics
Update Layer Stack Previews | Technology - Layers | Technology - Materials | Technology - Layer Span | Doc Shape Colours | Layer Stack Preview Properties | Technology - Text Styles | Technology - Line Styles