Technology - Style Naming Rules

This help page details how the Rules are defined for each of the Style Naming pages: Connection Naming Style, Hatch Naming Style, Line Naming Style, Pad Naming Style, Pin Naming Style, Text Naming Style, Track Naming Style and connection Naming Style. The mechanism is the same for all styles, with only the fields inserted being style specific.

Shortcuts

Menu: Setup

Default Keys: T

Command: Technology

Locating this option

Available from: Setup menu > Technology option > Naming section > type Style Naming

Using the Rules section

The principle for each type of Style Naming rule is the same. Multiple rules can be defined for styles, this is especially important for Pad Styles for example where different rules may be required to capture how different pad styles will be named.

When defining a style, the style may have an explicitly defined the name, in which case, the rules are irrelevant; or it can use a rule (so it has no explicit name); or you can type a templated string directly for the style (there is a special field which will be substituted by the result of the matching rule).

How to define a Style Naming Rule

Each rule consists of the match criteria - defined to the left of the dialog, and the Template string which will determine the resulting style name. The match criteria are specific to the type of style. For each style that requires a name, the rules are checked from the top down in the order they are defined in the dialog, until the style matches a rule. The Template String is applied with the field keywords substituted with the appropriate values.

As rules are matched in order, it is sensible to define the least specific rules lower down the list. If no rule matches, then the text Style is substituted. If the resulting style name is not unique for that type of style, then a number is appended to the name to make it unique.

You can therefore change the names of your styles by editing, adding or deleting the naming rules.

Template

This entry shows the template that will be used if the current rule matches. You can type this directly, or you can use the Insert field button to add the text of the field selected below.

Field:

Select the system defined field keyword using the drop down list. Fields can have Pre-text which is substituted in front of the field if that field is satisfied or true. In general, the field will appear in the template in the form keyword:pre-text. For example, you might want X substituted between and , but only when the shape has a length (a square or circle would only have width defined). You achieve this defining the X as Pre-text of the length field length:X. In this way you can add conditional text to a template, this is very useful for creating a complex rule which will work for many different styles.

Use the Insert button to add this text to the Template. The text is inserted at the editing cursor position in the Template. Remember to use the Insert button though, otherwise the Field and Pre-text: fields will not appear in the Template: box.

Generic Fields

Rule - - this is a special field which is only relevant if you using a templated name directly on a style (i.e. not as part of a rule template). If will be substituted by the result of the matching rule. This can be surrounded by other text or field keywords.

Some generic fields relating to units are common to all styles. The units for style names are defined on the Style Settings dialog (for pads or pins - see Pad Style Settings or Pin Style Settings).

Is Metric!? - - with no pre-text, this sets the current units to Metric for the remainder of the template; with pre-text, this acts as a test, and will substitute the pre-text if the current units are Metric.

Is Not Metric!? - - with no pre-text, this sets the current units to Imperial for the remainder of the template; with pre-text, this acts as a test, and will substitute the pre-text if the current units are Imperial.

Unit Text - - will substitute the name of the current units (e.g. mm).

Units Example

A Track Style Rule setting the track width value to metric and if the Style Settings units are set to imperial, then adding some Pre-Text: SignalTrack(<metric:Metric Value⇒width:)

The result being: SignalTrack(Metric Value=0.4) when the track width is displayed as 0.38mm or 15thou in the dialog

Related Topics - Technology Style Naming

Connection Naming Style | Hatch Naming Style | Line Naming Style | Pad Naming Style | Pin Naming Style | Text Naming Style | Track Naming Style | Style Settings | Pad Style Settings | Pin Style Settings

Related Topics

Technology Overview | Using Dialog Grids | Connection Styles | Hatch Styles | Line Styles | Pad Styles | Pin Styles | Text Styles | Track Styles | Design Settings Named Styles