Use Apply Vias/Pads to add vias or pads, either around, or on the selected shape.
Shortcuts
Default Keys: None
Default Menu: Utilities
Command: Apply Vias/Pads
Locating this option
Available from: Utilities menu > Apply Vias/Pads option
Apply Vias/Pads
You can apply vias or pads around Copper, Tracks, Pads or Vias. This enables you to create areas flooded with vias or pads, or to run vias around a track to act as shielding.
Item selection
You can either select the item to apply vias or pads to, then use the Apply Vias/Pads command, or use the command first, then go into an item selection mode. Once the appropriate item is selected, the dialog will appear.
Add Vias or Add Pads
Choose if you want to Add Vias or Add Pads.
Where Placed
Choose where to place the vias or pads.
- Around outside means placing vias in all possible legal positions around the outside of the selected shape and on the net given. This is ideal for shielding a track or other item.
- On the shape means along an open shape, such as a track, or along the edge of a closed shape. This could be used to stapling an item to a power plane.
- Around inside means inside the edge of a closed shape.
- Fill the shape means cover the interior of a closed shape with vias or pads.
Net Name and Layer Span used for Add Via
The dialog changes slightly for use with Add Via or Add Pad.
For use with Add Via, select or enter the Net Name to which the vias will be added. In a PCB, leaving the net name blank creates a default net. In a footprint, leaving it blank creates component vias not on a net. Free Pads are not added to a net. If you select an item already on a net, and you are adding vias on the shape, then the net is already determined and you will not need to select a net.
Specify the Layer Span for the Vias.
Layer used for Add Pad
For use with Add Pads, you can choose the Layer to apply the pads to, this can be any named layer on the drop down list.
Pads added will be Free Pads on a single electrical layer and will not be on a net, this is useful for creating a thieving pattern, for example. These options also work in a footprint design, where Component Vias will be added (you cannot add free pads to a footprint).
Style
Specify the Via or Pad Style to use (this is initialised to the default for the selected net).
Spacing between items
Define the spacing between items, this defaults to the Via/Pad spacing, but can be any positive value.
When placing around the shape the Spacing to items is the spacing between the selected item and the vias/pads, this should be at least the via/pad to item spacing defined in the spacing rules, but can be larger.
Random
The Random option will randomly distribute the vias or pads, so there will be no regular pattern.
Use Rules
With Around Inside or Around Outside selected, checking the Use Rules check box will use the the spacing rules defined for Via to Track or Pad to Track. This can be overridden locally by leaving this unselected and typing in a Spacing to items value.
Staggered
If you are placing Vias/Pads to Fill a closed shape, you can choose to Stagger them to give a closely packed array.
Lock
Select Lock to lock the added vias or pads against moving, or removal by tools such as Unroute Nets.
Apply the Vias/Pads
Press Add to add the vias/pads. Save Settings will save the current settings, and use them to prime the dialog, where appropriate, next time it is used. Cancel exits the dialog without doing anything.
Removing Applied Vias/Pads
The Remove Applied Vias/Pads command removes vias or pads added by the Apply Vias/Pads Command.
Around the shape / On or in shape
If you are removing from Around the shape or On or in shape, you need to specify the Net Name the vias are on.
All matching
Select All matching to remove all suitable vias across the whole design, not just from around the selected shape.
Selecting
Remove Locked
This option will remove vias/pads which are locked, as well as the unlocked ones.