ROUTE

Function

Converts unrouted connections into routed wires (tracks).

Syntax

ROUTE [width] * [curve | @radius] *..

Mouse

Center button changes the layer.
Right button changes the wire bend (see SET Wire_Bend).

Keyboard

Shift when switching bend styles reverses the direction.
Shift at the end point places a Via.
Ctrl starts routing at any given point along a wire.
Ctrl toggles between corresponding bend styles.
Ctrl when placing a wire end point defines arc radius.

The ROUTE command activates the manual router which allows you to convert airwires (unrouted connections) into real wires.

The first point selects an unrouted connection (a wire in the Unrouted layer) and replaces one end of it by a wire (track). The end which is closer to the mouse cursor will be taken. Now the wire can be moved around (see also WIRE). The right mouse button will change the wire bend and the center mouse button will change the layer. Please note that only those signal layers (1 through 16) are available that have been entered into the layer setup in the Design Rules.

When the final position of the wire is reached, a further click of the left mouse button will place the wire and a new wire segment will be attached to the cursor. If the Shift key is held down in such a situation, a Via will be generated at that point if this is possible and the airwire hasn't already been completely routed. The generated Via will have either the appropriate length or, if such a length can't be determined, will go from layer 1 through 16.

When the layer has been changed and a via-hole is thus necessary, it will be added automatically as the wire is placed. When the complete connection has been routed a 'beep' will be given and the next unrouted connection can be selected for routing.

Only the minimum necessary vias will be set (according to the layer setup in the Design Rules). It may happen that an already existing via of the same signal is extended accordingly, or that existing vias are combined to form a longer via if that's necessary to allow the desired layer change. If a via is placed at the start or end point, and there is an SMD pad at that location, the via will be a micro via if the current routing layer is one layer away from the SMD's layer (this applies only if micro vias have been enabled in the Design Rules).

While the ROUTE command is active the wire width can be entered from the keyboard.

If the curve or @radius parameter is given, an arc can be drawn as part of the track (see the detailed description in the WIRE command).

If the Ctrl key is pressed while selecting the starting point and there is no airwire at that point, a new airwire will be created automatically. The starting point of that airwire will be that point on the selected wire that is closest to the mouse cursor (possibly snapped to the nearest grid point). The far end of the airwire will dynamically point to a target segment that is different from the selected one. If the selected signal is already completely routed, the far end will point to the starting point instead.

Selecting the routing layer

When you select an airwire, the initial layer in which to route is determined by considering the objects at the starting point as follows:

• if there is an object in the current layer, the current layer is kept
• else one of the layers of the objects at that point will be taken

Snap Function

If an airwire is routed very close to the end point the last wire is placed automatically. The minimum distance for this snap function can be defined with the command

SET SNAP_LENGTH distance;

Wire Angle

If you route airwires connected to pads which are not positioned at a grid point, this might not be possible with 45-degree angles. In this case the command

SET SNAP_BENDED OFF;