The Define Pad Shapes option allows you to define your own pad shape which is not one of the standard shapes available.
One created, these special pad shapes can be saved into a PCB Documentation Symbol library. The pad shape in the library contains all shapes, construction lines, text, dimensions and text callouts, the pad style in a PCB design only contains the shapes.
Shortcuts
Default Keys: None
Default Menu: Setup
Command: Define Pad Shape
Locating this option
Available from: Setup menu > Define Pad Shape option
Available from: Setup menu > Technology dialog > Pad Styles page Define Pad Shape option
How to Define a Pad Shape
The are a number of ways that you might create your own pad shape. The Define Pad Shape editor option will be used from any of these entry points:
- You can create a new pad style in the Technology dialog using Pad Style, then use the Define New Pad Shape button to modify it. Ideally, you would choose a standard shape which is similar to the shape you wish to define.
- From the Technology dialog and Pad Styles page, you select the Define New Pad Shape button from where you can either select an existing Pad Style from the drop down list, or create a new pad style by typing in the new pad style name.
- From within your PCB design, select an existing pad shape and then from the Setup menu, select Define Pad Shape. This will modify the existing Pad Style once saved and will change all pads in the design using that style. If you want a custom pad style for just one pad instance, create a new Pad Style for use.
- From the Library Manager with a PCB Documentation Symbol Library open. Use the “New” button to add a new documentation symbol of type “Pad Shape”.
Define Pad Shape Dialog
When accessing this option from the Setup menu with no existing pad style selected, you are presented with the Define New Pad Shape dialog. Select a Pad Style from the drop down list or type the name of the Pad Style you required. Press the Edit Shape button to open the Define Pad Shape View.
The Pad Shape Editor
With an existing pad selected, the original Pad Style shape is presented as a starting point for you to edit. If starting by typing your own name and using the Edit Shape option, then the view will display an Origin and a basic built in pad shape of a Square pad style with a drill hole.
Each pad shape entity within this editor or view has a colour to aid identification, these are taken from the current design, or from the technology file if editing a pad shape symbol from the library.
The shape will be on a special layer called
If the Pad Style has a drill defined, this is also shown as a shape on a special
Once you have defined the shapes, use the Save option to save it back into the Pad Style, or to save it back to the library if editing a library symbol.
When editing a pad shape from a design or technology file you can use “Load Pad Shape From Library” from the context menu to replace the pad shape being edited with the contents of a symbol from a PCB documentation symbol library or vault.
When editing a pad shape from a design or technology file you can use “Save To Library” to save the pad shape being edited to a symbol in a PCB documentation symbol library.
During editing, you can edit or create new shapes on any of the layers and also delete existing shapes. You can also create several shapes, but at the point it is saved, only a single shape (or no shape) should be left on each layer. The exception is Non-Electrical layers, which can have several shapes defined on them.
When the pad style is saved, the program will attempt to identify predefined shapes, and create user defined Special shapes for the other pad shapes. Predefined shapes can still be modified using the Pad Style Edit dialog, whilst Special shapes would need to be edited using Define Pad Shape again.
Micro-via Entry and Stop
Pads are defined by placing the shape on the special
A shape that represents the pad shape on all inner layers of the board is created by
placing the shape on the special
A shape on all layers of a layer class is defined by first adding the shape on a layer using the required layer class, and then marking it using the Toggle as Layer Class Shape context menu option. There should be only one of these shapes on each layer class as it represents the pad shape on any layer using the class. This will be checked when you attempt to save the pad style.
A Spacing Shape is defined by marking it using the Toggle as Spacing Shape context menu option. Spacing Shapes should only be defined on an Electrical layer or the through hole layer and there should be only upto one shape on each layer. This will be checked when you attempt to save the pad style.
Saving Pad Shapes to Library
As well as being defined directly in a design or technology, user-defined pad shapes can be saved as a special type of documentation into a library for use in other designs.
This allows you to include elements such as text, dimensions and callouts to the pad shape definition, making it easier to refer back to and modify at a later date.
With a user-defined pad shape open for editing in Define Pad Shape, choose the Save To Library command from the File menu to save your pad shape to the library. You will be prompted to choose the desired doc symbol library.