Documentation

Layers Bar

8 min read

This modeless dialog is displayed as a configurable Dockable Window containing a list of all the layers in the design. The checked layers are currently visible in the display window.

Shortcuts

Default Keys: Ctrl+L

Default Menu: View

Command: Layers Bar

Locating this option

Available from: View menu > Dockable Windows > Layers Bar option

The Layers Bar Dialog

As well as being a visual guide to which layers are currently displayed and the colour of each layer, the dialog is fully functional and allows you to change the layer visibility.

When editing PCB designs and footprint symbols you will find a More or Hide button at the bottom of the bar. Press to show or hide the display and pick check boxes for some electrical PCB item categories.

It also provides access to some display operations via its shortcut menu.

To Show/Hide the Layers Bar Dialog

From the Main Menu, under View, select Layers Bar to toggle visibility of the Layers Bar window. Alternatively use the defined shortcut key.

Using the Layers Bar

  • Layer Visibility - Left click on a layer checkbox to change the visibility of the layer. This change will be instantly performed in the design display window.

  • Default Layer - Left click on a layer colour square to change the layer to be the electrical or documentation default layer. This change will be instantly performed and will show in the dialog as a black box around the colour square. See Set As Default Track/Copper Layer and Set As Default Documentation Layer below for details.

  • Left click on a Power plane layer icon (the thermal relief icon to the right of the colour square) to toggle display of the resulting power plane copper. This change will be instantly performed in the design display window. The power plane currently being displayed will be indicated by showing the icon inverted (mostly black).

  • Double-click on a layer name (or checkbox) to set that layer as the only visible layer. All other layers will be switched off.

  • If the Layers Bar is floating, you will see a pin icon at the top left of the dialog. Click on this to set the pinned status of the floating dialog. If pinned the dialog will stay modeless and remain displayed whilst you interact with the design. If not pinned, the dialog will disappear as soon as you click outside of its window. This, in combination with the shortcut key to display the dialog, enables a “use it and remove it” mode which some users prefer.

  • Left click on the More button to show a set of check boxes for some PCB electrical items. Each item has a Show and Pick check box.

  • Each of the item boxes is a quick method of switching the appropriate boxes in the Colours Dialog. Be aware that these categories represent many items in the colours dialog. For example, Routing changes the display of tracks, breakouts and vias. Pads switches the display of all free pads, component pads and mounting holes. Areas switches the display of all areas in the design and areas in components.

    Changes to a box in the Show column will instantly alter the design display window.

    Changes to a box in the Pick column will instantly alter the interactive selectability of the items.

  • Left click on the Hide button to hide the set of item check boxes.

  • Right click anywhere in the Layers Bar to display its shortcut menu (shown above) which provides a set of layer commands described in the next section

Using the Layers Bar Shortcut Menu

Additional settings on the context menu are available when you right mouse click on the Layers Bar:

Window controls

The first set of options control how the dialog behaves on its docking station. Options are available to replicate those on the Layers Bar furniture, options for Floating, Docking, Auto Hide Auto Hide and Hide.

All Layers On

Use this to switch on the visibility of all the layers in the design.

All Layers Off

Use this to switch off the visibility of all the layers in the design.

All Electrical Layers On

Use this to toggle the visibility of all Electrical layers. Once selected as on, the switch then enables you to switch the layer class type off.

All Non-Electrical Layers On

Use this to toggle the visibility of all Non-Electrical layers. Once selected as on, the switch then enables you to switch the layer class type off.

This Side On

Use this to switch on the visibility of all the layers on the side of the currently selected layer.

This Side Off

Use this to switch off the visibility of all the layers on the side of the currently selected layer.

Switch Displayed Side

Use this to switch all visible layers associated with the top or bottom side of the board off, and switch all their corresponding layers on the other side of the board on.

Set As Default Track/Copper Layer

This is available if an electrical layer is currently selected. Use it to set the default track, copper and template layers.

Set As Default Documentation Layer

This is available if a documentation or non-electrical layer is currently selected. Use it to set the default layers for most item types used for documentation purposes. Note dimension and construction line defaults will not be changed as they are usually kept on their own layers.

Show Item Layers

This switch is available when a single item is selected in the design. Use it to only display the layers that the selected item is on.

Set Toggle Layers

Use Set Toggle Layers to open a dialog for defining custom commands for toggling specific layers.

Create Layer Toggle From Selected Layers

This creates a new Layer Toggle using the currently selected layers. These layers will be assigned the ShowEx action. This allows you to show exclusively these selected layers from a click of a button in the Toggle Layers Bar.

Toggle True Width For Layers

Toggles true width for all layers at once.

Colours

Use Colours to open up the layers page of the colours dialog.

Load Colours

Use Load Colours to change the display to the colours and visibilities that have been saved from a previous session.

Save Colours

Use Save Colours to save the current colour settings to a file which can be recalled at a later time.

Technology

Use Technology to open up the layers page of the technology dialog.

Using Keys to Change Visibility

All the options on the context menu have commands that can be assigned to keys using Customise.

Use Set Toggle Layers to open a dialog for defining custom commands for toggling specific layers or sets of layers.

The following commands to toggle the display and picking of the categories at the bottom of the layers bar are also available to assign to keys:

  • Show Areas and Pick Areas - change the display or picking of all areas in the design and component areas.
  • Show Components and Pick Components - change the display of all component areas and shapes.
  • Show Connections and Pick Connections - change the display of all connections in the design.
  • Show Constructs and Pick Constructs - change the display and picking of construction lines.
  • Show Copper and Pick Copper - change the display of copper in the design and within components.
  • Show Pads and Pick Pads - change the display or picking of all free pads, component pads and mounting holes.
  • Show Routing and Pick Routing - change the display or picking of tracks, breakouts and vias.
  • Show Templates and Pick Templates - change the display or picking of templates used for copper pouring.
  • Show Pin Name in Pads - change the display of pins names within pads in the design.
  • Show/Hide Grids - toggle the display of visible grids in the design.
  • Pick Locked Items - when unchecked, locked items will not be pickable in all circumstances (apart from Unlock in latch mode). Locked items will be drawn in a dimmed colour to indicate they cannot be picked (the same as if you make a colours category non pickable). This check box can be assigned to the Toggle Pick Locked Items command using the Customise, Keyboard option.

You can also put the loading of specific Colour Files on a key by recording a Macro to load the file using Load Colours from the Setup menu, defining a User Tool to run the macro and assigning that User Tool to a key.

Colours | Dockable Windows | Load Colours | Save Colours | Technology | Toggle Layers

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