Use this to set up preferences that affect how connections behave when being added or edited in a Schematic design.
Shortcuts
Default Keys: O
Default Menu: Tools
Command: Options
Locating this option
Available from: Tools menu > Options > Edit Connection (SCM) page
Using the Edit Connection Tab
All of these options are saved to the registry, so they will apply to all the Schematic designs you create or load into the application. Most of these switches can also be changed using the shortcut menu whilst using Insert Connection or Edit Connection.
Connection Segment Editing
Segment Mode
This defines the default restrictions on the orientation of segments when creating or editing a connection. You can change the Segment Mode at any time whilst creating or editing a shape by using the Change Segments option on the Insert Connection or Edit Connection shortcut menu.
There are 4 options:
Orthogonal  | Angled (45)  | Curved (90)  | Free  |
| Alternate connection segments are vertical and horizontal lines. | Alternate connection segments are orthogonal and 45 degree lines. | Alternate connection segments orthogonal line and 90 degree curve. | There is no restriction on the segment orientation, so free line. |
Interactive Mitre/Fillet
Defines the size of mitres and fillets which are added interactively to round off sharp corners between two straight connection segments. They are added when using Edit Mitre or the Segment Modes Orthogonal (Mitre), Orthogonal (Fillet) and 45 Angled (Fillet).
A mitre is a straight line across the corner, and a fillet is a curve to produce rounded corners. On a 90 degree corner between two orthogonal lines they will look like:
Mitre  | Fillet  |
| Mitre gives fixed size 45 degree angled segments. | Fillet gives fixed size 90 degree curved segments. |
Mitres and Fillets are a fixed size, which is specified in the Size edit box. The Size is the radius of a circle that is a tangent to the lines that meet at the corner. A Fillet will be the part of the circle between the two lines, and a Mitre will be a straight line between the same two points. For 90 degree corners between orthogonal lines, the size will be the orthogonal width and height of the mitre.
Check the Any Angle box to allow Edit Mitre to mitre or fillet between straight lines with any angle between them. Leave unchecked to only allow mitres or fillets between lines orthogonal and perpendicular to each other.
Auto Corner
This is an advanced editing feature which allows connections to be drawn without having to click the mouse at each corner. (Note, this feature does not operate in Free segment mode). You must define a tolerance, which is the distance the cursor must move away in a perpendicular direction from the first segment you are adding before a corner is added. You can still click at any time to add a corner. It is recommended that the Tolerance is larger than any grid and mitre size you are using.
In the example the cursor is at the bottom of the second selected (white) segment. As you move right the first selected segment gets longer. When you move down so that the second selected segment is longer than the auto corner tolerance, a corner is added and the first selected segment is complete.
Apply Seg Mode To Tail
When checked, applies the same segment mode to the lead and trailing segments when editing an existing connection segment.
No Seg Mode To Tail  Trailing segment is at a free angle. | Apply Seg Mode To Tail  Segment mode is applied to the trailing segment. |
Other Edit Connection Switches
Show ‘Can Finish’ and ‘Has Loop’ Markers
These take the form of Modal Cursors or, if Modal Cursors not enabled (see General Options) , then dynamic markers are drawn in the highlight colour. They appear at the cursor position to indicate that clicking would do something different from just the normal add corner. The following 2 Markers exist:
Can Finish Here  | Loop To Remove  |
| Left click whilst this marker is shown will result in the connection being finished and attached to the item underneath the cursor. | Left click whilst this marker is shown will result in a loop in the connection being removed. |
Remove Loops
Use this to allow loop removal when connections are finished. This is the normal mode, but occasionally you may want to create loops in connections. If this mode is not checked, the loop removal marker is not used. Loops will only be removed within the connection path, not anywhere on the net.
Auto Share Connections
Use this to automatically remove overlaid connections after finishing editing or moving a connection. A junction will be created where the overlaid connections end. If it is not checked, any overlaid connections will remain so. You can always use the Share Connections option to remove all overlaid connections on the page.
Add To Bus Shows Net Name
If this is checked, whenever a connection is started or ended on a bus the net name will automatically be displayed adjacent to the point of connection.
Always Mark Net Being Edited
Use this to cause the net being edited to be marked (highlighted) automatically as soon as you start editing it. Clear Mark when edit complete will cause the edited net to become unhighlighted again. Otherwise, it will remain highlighted until the next net is edited.
Show Connection To Nearest Node
Use this when moving symbols to show a temporary line (Connect Guides) from any moving pin that is on a named net but does not have a connection attached to it. The temporary line will end on the nearest static item that is on the same net. This is to indicate where the symbol is best placed to be close to other items on the same net. This feature is only available when you have the Connect Guides switched on in the Colours - Others dialog.
Sketch Connection
Sketch Connection allows you to create tracks by roughly drawing a path for the system to follow.
Use Point To Point Mode option means that you simply define points to route to, rather than sketching a continuous path.
The Mitre Result option causes the resulting track path to be mitred using the Auto Mitre tool.
Use Grid When Sketching controls if the sketch is to be completely free hand or gridded.
Ignore Text causes the sketch router to ignore text items, which includes attribute positions. Once a design has been roughly laid out, it is quite common for pin names and net names to block access to pins. You can choose to ignore these text items for sketching and then tidy up these items later.
Other Options Tabs
| General Options: | Design Backups | Display | Edit Shape | File Extensions | Find | Folders | General | In-Place Names | Macros | Move | Multi-Screen | Pan & Zoom | Resolve Net Names | Select | Synchronisation | Tooltips | Warnings |
| PCB Options: | Edit Track | Interaction | Online DRC | Track Length Limits |
| Schematics Options: | Interaction | Online ERC |
| Footprint Options: | Edit Breakout |
Related Topics
Insert Connection | Edit Connection | General Options | Share Connections | Connect Guides