The CAM Plots dialog is used to define all the outputs you will need, to check and document your design.
If you just want to make a quick preview printout of the current view of your design, you can still use the Print option from the File menu. However, it is recommended to use this CAM Plot dialog as you have far more control over the final print.
Shortcuts
Default Keys: T
Default Menu: Setup
Command: Technology
Default Keys: Shift+P
Default Menu: Output Command: CAM/Plots
Locating this option
Available from: Setup menu > Technology option > Design - CAM Plots page
Available from: Output menu > CAM/Plots option
CAM Plots
The CAM Plots dialog is available through the Technology dialog and through the Output CAM Plots option. Both dialogs have the same main display, navigation buttons and information panel at the bottom of the dialog. The main difference are the extra navigation tabs at the top of the dialog used in the CAM/Plots dialog accessible from the Output menu.
Through this dialog you can add and review all the plots you will require to check and document your design. You can, therefore, setup your plots in a Technology file so they will be ready to use in any design created using that Technology.
Output menu - CAM Plots
Functionality tabs across the top of the dialog:
- CAM Plot (the tab displayed here)
- Plot Settings
- Plot Preview
Navigation
The buttons to the right side of the dialog are used to navigate the grid, the general common buttons are detailed on the Technology Navigation page. There are some exceptions listed below:
The New button will start the Plot Wizard to create a new plot. If you had an existing plot selected when you pressed the New button, the new plot is loaded with the information from the existing plot. This allows you to easily create a new plot like an existing one.
The Editbutton is only enabled if you have selected a plot in the grid. Click in one of the fields of the plot you wish to edit, then press the Edit button. You are taken through the Plot Wizard which is the same as when you press New.
If no plots are currently defined, you will have the option to use the Auto Generate dialog to generate a set of plots which cover each layer.
The Copybutton is only enabled if you have selected a plot in the grid. Click in one of the fields of the
plot you wish to copy, and press the Copy button. This will produce a copy of the current plot, along with all the
additional plots. The plot will have a modified name along the lines of ”
Additional buttons, Delete, Delete All, Up/Down, to the right side of the dialog are used to navigate the grid, the general common buttons are detailed on the Technology Navigation page.
The Add To Plot button is only enabled if you have selected an existing plot in the grid. It enables you to add another layer to the same plot, to build up a composite of more than one layer. For example, you might want to add a Top Silkscreen to a Top electrical layer for a PDF plot. Selecting this button takes you into a very simple wizard which allows you to define the additional layer to be plotted and any exclusions you may want. It is possible to Offset this relative to the main plot.
The Auto Gen button is used to create a set of plots if none have already been defined or used to completely regenerate and reset a full set of plots covering each page in the schematic. Only use this option if you wish to redefine all your plots, it should be used with care.
The Reports button will generate a summary report listing the plots and their settings, in case you need to keep this for future reference.
Pressing the Step & Repeat button takes you to the Step & Repeat dialog, which allows you to define the Step and Repeat values for the current design.
The Show All Groups button will display all groups if they have been closed using the Show This Group Only from the context menu on the Group field.
Generating Plots
The Run button allows you to produce all the currently enabled plots with a single click.
The Apply button allows you to define a set of plots and save them with running an output.
The Cancel button is active if no changes have been made and if Apply has not been pressed. Once apply has been pressed, the Cancel button changes to Close, enabling you to close the dialog with all changes saved.
What is a CAM Plot?
Each CAM plot contains the parameters needed to generate a plot in conjunction with the appropriate Output Device Settings. Some of these parameters are presented in the CAM Plot grid for quick reference and editing. Some other parameters can only be edited through the Plot Wizard
Column Headers
Each column header is described below:
Name : the name of the plot. The name must be unique and ideally descriptive.
Enabled : only plots which are enabled are output when the Run button is clicked.
Group : gives the names of the plot groups, if any are defined. You can enable or disable groups of plots using the context menu. In particular, the Enable Selected Group command, on the context menu, will enable the group and disable all other plots allowing you to quickly switch between groups. Use the context menu to Show This Group Only. There is a button on the right of the dialog to Show All Groups again.
Device Type : the type of output being produced. This corresponds with the devices defined in the Output Device Settings dialog. The Device Type can be:
- DXF
- Format File to run a user report
- Gerber
- HP-GL Pen Plot
- Nothing, no output, or decide later which one is required
- PDF document using built-in PDF driver supplied by Pulsonix
- A document (for long term archiving)
- SVG vector graphics format
- Windows using the system Windows printer
Process : this field defines which Page is to be processed.
Variant : this field in only
present if the design has variants
defined. It specifies which particular variant is to be plotted. It is possible
to select a named variant or
Scale : this defines the size of the plot. Using Auto Fit causes the plot to be scaled to fit the Output Device. Otherwise a scale factor can be specified, this would normally be 1.0. In the grid you can select from the scale factors provided in the drop-down list or alternatively type in your own custom scale factor.
Rotate : this defines the orientation of the plot, this can be no rotation, or a 90 degree anti-clockwise rotation. Auto Rotate causes the plot to rotate when necessary to get a better fit onto the Output Device. Otherwise you can explicitly define the rotation.
Mirror : this defines if the output is to be mirrored.
Position : this defines the positioning of the plot on the Output Device. It is used in conjunction with the Registration Point defined in the Output Device. If either the plot position or the Output Device Registration point are defined as Auto Shift, the plot will be automatically placed on the plot area. Otherwise the various position options define a point on the design which must correspond with the Output Device Registration point.
Area : this defines which area of the design to plot. This can be one of the following:
- the extents of all the graphical items currently in the design. - the complete area of the defined coordinates. (see Design Settings). - Named Area - the extents of a named area.
Step Repeat : this defines if the plot should use the Step & Repeat values for the current design. These can be set using the Step & Repeat dialog.
Exclude Items : this option is only available in the Plot Wizard. It can be used to exclude certain types of items or attributes from your plot. This option is only available through the Plot Wizard.
Plot String : you can optionally provide a string which is used to satisfy any Attribute Positions of
type
You can produce a combined plot, that is a plot of more than one page on a single plot. To do this use the Add To Plot button.
Using the dialog
The CAM Plots dialog is one of the pages on the Technology dialog, it is also one of the pages on the CAM/Plots Output dialog. Choose Technology from the Setup menu, or use the toolbar icon or shortcut key for “Technology”, then click on the “CAM/Plots” tab. OR Choose “CAM/Plot” from the “Output” menu, or use the toolbar icon or shortcut key for CAM/Plots, then click on the “CAM/Plots” tab.
The main part of the dialog is the grid, which shows all the plots currently defined for the design. Most of the plot parameters are displayed in this grid, and can be edited by just clicking the appropriate cell. For more detailed editing it is best to use the Plot Wizard (see Edit below). There is also a smaller panel at the bottom of the dialog which will tell you about any Pages which are not currently covered by at least one plot.
Related Topics
Technology Overview | Using Dialog Grids | Plot Wizard | Output Device Settings | Plot Preview | Technology Files | Auto Generate Plots | Print | Step & Repeat