Magnifier

The Magnifier provides you with a ‘live’ view of a defined region of your PCB or Schematic design. This will be a transient view of the design while using the magnifier. Once exited, the view is lost, only the magnifier settings are retained.

It can be used to locally zoom in on specific regions for inspection or item selection, it may be that your design is very dense and the magnifier gives you a local view without zooming the whole design.

Once used, it can be placed anywhere in the design and will dynamically update whenever design changes are made within the defined region.

The view can optionally be scaled but it also allows visible items to be selected within the magnifier.

Shortcuts

Default Keys: None

Default Menu: Utilities

Command:

Locating this option

Available from: Utilities menu > Magnifier option

Magnifier Overview

• Select Magnifier from the Utilities menu.
• A circular magnifier will be displayed at the centre of your design.
• You can change the shape and view of your magnifier using the magnifier context menu options.
• While using your magnifier, you can access its context menu by right clicking anywhere in your design.

Magnifier Context Menu Options

The following section provides an explanation for each option on the context menu when using the magnifier.

Select Previous

Select Previous is used to pick the previous nearest item in the design to the one currently selected.

Select Next

Select Next is used to pick the previous nearest item in the design to the one currently selected.

Circle/Rectangle

This option will automatically convert your current magnifier shape to the one you chose (Circle or Rectangle).

Reset Shape

This option will resize your shape to it’s default size.

Scale

The Scale dialog enables you can define your magnifier view scale.

Settings

A Magnifier - Settings dialog will appear with two available options. Use Own Colours and View Nets Only.

• Use Own Colours option allows you to add your own colour set by pressing the add button. A New Colours dialog will appear to set the name of your colour set. Then you can press the edit button to change the colours of your predefined colour set.
• View Nets Only option will dim everything but the net you choose. It provides two radio button options, “Choose Net” and “Highlight Selected Net”. There are also two check box options, “Nets in magnifier only” and “Highlight all selected nets”. The check box options become available based on your radio button option.

  • Choose Net option will give you a drop down list of all the nets in your design. By selecting the Nets in magnifier only check box, the list will be minimised to the nets that are only visible inside your magnifier.

  • Highlight Selected Net option will give you a drop down list of all the nets you have selected. If you have multiple nets selected, you have the option to either highlight one of them or all of them by selecting the Highlight all selected nets check box.

    Below is an example of Highlight Selected Net option:

    

Properties

A properties dialog will appear relevant to the item you clicked on.

Saving Magnifier Settings

Magnifier settings are automatically saved; the magnifier position, shape, scale and colour set are saved.

How to resize the magnifier

You can resize your magnifier by pressing key and double click on your shape, then drag your mouse to get the desired shape. To complete your shape, press right click.

If you are using rectangle shaped magnifier, you can double click on a corner or on a segment to resize your shape.

Related Topics

Colours Overview (SCM) | Colours Overview (PCB)