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Precision Software Appli…tions Silver Collection 1
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Precision Software Applications Silver Collection Volume One (PSM) (1993).iso
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MANUAL5.DOC
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PCPRO - Printed Circuit Board Layout
5 Hard Copy
5.1 Introduction
This chapter contains information for plotting and printing
masks of printed circuit boards. Throughout the remainder of
this chapter, printing and plotting will be referred to as
plotting. Support is provided for plotter, graphic printer, and
photoplotter output.
To configure a new plotting device, refer to Appendix B.
5.2 PCPLOT Program
The PCPLOT program is a stand-alone utility for generating hard
copy plots of PCPRO data files. To run the program, enter
"PCPRO" and RETURN . The following sections describe how to
make plots. Please note that the help key, F1 is also
available.
After the program is started, select the device for output by
typing in the name of the plot device configuration file, or
RETURN to pick the device from a menu of available device
drivers.
Next, select the PCB file to be plotted by typing the name of
the PCB file, or RETURN to pick a file from a menu of file
names.
After the selection of the output type and PCB file, three
windows of data are presented on the screen.
The plot queue window allows the user to set up to ten plots to
be processed. By default, only plot one is enabled. To enable
a plot in the queue, move the cursor to the entry to be enabled
and press E to toggle the status. A queue entry may be
disabled, enabled as no-wait, or enabled as pause. Pause is
usually selected when it is necessary to change the paper
between individual plots. If no-wait is selected, the program
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PCPRO - Printed Circuit Board Layout
will proceed directly to the next enabled queue entry when this
plot is completed.
The I/O control window is used to override the output port
settings. This window is enterd by entering I from the plot
queue window. Once in this window, move the pointer to the
item(s) to be changed and RETURN . Choose the settings which
correspond to your output port. Normally, the port settings do
not need to be changed. Refer to Appendix B to change the
default settings for the output port. ESCAPE to return to the
plot queue window.
The plot setup window displays the current plot controls for the
queue entry indicated in the queue window. Enter RETURN to
switch to the plot setup window from the queue window. Change
the settings as desired for the plot you want to make. ESCAPE
to return to the plot queue window. Each of these control
settings are described in the following sections.
Enable the queue entries and their corresponding plot setups as
desired. Enter P (from the plot queue window) to begin the
plotting process. You may interrupt the plot(s) by pressing the
ESCAPE key.
5.3 Plot Setup Options
The following is a summary of the plotting options that are
available. Not all the options are available for all plotting
devices. If an option does not apply to the device you have
selected, a message will be displayed.
The Layer option is used to choose the PCB layer of data to be
used in generating the plot. When the layer is selected, the
plot type is set to the default value for this layer.
The Type option is used to choose the basic type of plot that is
to be generated. Select the type from the menu of possible
values.
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PCPRO - Printed Circuit Board Layout
The Scale option is used to choose the plotting scale of the
mask. Most standard PCB masks are generated at a scale of 2.0;
however, you may set the scale to any reasonable value. You
should take care to choose a scale that will fit within the
plotter limitations. For printer type output, the plot will be
made in strips (if necessary).
The Rotation option is used to choose the orientation of the
plot on the plotting medium. The possible choices are no
rotation or ninety degree rotation.
The Plot Holes option is used to control how the drill hole
portion of pads are plotted. To plot pads as solid, regardless
of the drill hole size, set the option to no. To show the
holes, set the selection to yes.
The Mode option is used to choose the plot quality and speed of
the plot. Draft mode produces the quickest plot. In this mode,
only the outline of lines and pads are drawn. This mode is used
to generate quick check plots, and is not suitable for the
making of master masks. Final mode produces a master quality
mask.
The Mirror X option toggles between mirroring and no mirroring
about the X axis (width). Mirroring is with respect to the PCB X
axis before any rotation of the plot.
The Mirror Y option toggles the option between mirroring and no
mirroring about the Y axis (height).
The X Offset" option allows the user to specify an amount to
shift the plot about the X axis. The shift is about the X axis
of the plotter, without regard to any plot rotation factor. The
value is in plotter units.
The Y Offset option allows the user to specify an amount to
shift the plot about the Y plotter axis.
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PCPRO - Printed Circuit Board Layout
The Oversize option allows the user to specify the amount of pad
oversize to be added for solder masks and power/ground type
masks. The pads will be drawn bigger by an amount equal to the
oversize value.
The Power Pad option allows the user to select how power pads on
a power/ground type plot are made. These pads may be drawn as
direct or with thermal relief.
The Power Net option allows the user to override the net name
assigned to a power/ground type layer.
The Plot Pen option allows the user specify the plotter pen to
be used in making this plot. If zero, the program will choose
the plotter pen based on the pen widths available per the plot
configuration file. If non-zero, the program will use the
specified pen. This is useful for overlaying plots on a
plotter, when a different color pen is used for each layer
plotted.
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