Author Topic: unrouted trace detection  (Read 7388 times)

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Offline vini_iTopic starter

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unrouted trace detection
« on: April 14, 2015, 11:28:33 am »
Does eagle have some type of tool similar to the design rule check that can check if there are any unrouted traces?

The way i normally do it is turn off all the layer except for Unrouted and dimension and give the whole board a good look over. Unfortunately the other day i missed a trace and sent a board out. It was nothing that a jumper wire couldn't fix but if i could automate the process it would be wonderful.
 

Offline android

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2015, 11:50:50 am »
I vaguely recall using a ULP called zoom-unrouted. I'm not sure if it is the same one. Worth a shot.
Lecturer: "There is no language in which a double positive implies a negative."
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Offline android

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2015, 11:55:00 am »
Lecturer: "There is no language in which a double positive implies a negative."
Student:  "Yeah...right."
 

Tac Eht Xilef

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2015, 12:04:10 pm »
Yeah, I was just trying to remember the name of the ULP. Pretty sure that's the one.

Other tips:
  • Tools - Statistics will tell you if there are airwires, but not help you find them  |O
  • If you zoom right out until your board disappears, zoom back in one, choose "route manually", then click anywhere in the valid board area (e.g. inside the invisible 8" x 5" window for the freeware-licenced version), it'll chose and start to route the closest airwire - which saves poking around trying to find where the hell they are (or trying to remember what that damned ULP is called ;D).
 

Offline Kjelt

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2015, 12:05:21 pm »
You can also generate some text file that shows the trace lengths of the nets.
If it is a single point to point net thats unrouted it will show up as length 0 but if it is a multipoint net that is unrouted you are out of luck. 
 

Online H.O

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2015, 12:33:31 pm »
Simply running the Ratsnest command will tell you how many airwires there is left on the board or, if the board is fully routed, it'll say Nothing to do!. It still doesn't help you find WHERE the airwires are though.
 

Offline Karel

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2015, 06:27:18 pm »
Simply running the Ratsnest command will tell you how many airwires there is left on the board or, if the board is fully routed, it'll say Nothing to do!. It still doesn't help you find WHERE the airwires are though.

Exactly.

To find the last, very short, nearly unvisible, airwire, do as follows:
Zoom out till your board is just one or a couple of square cm's on your screen.
Hit the ROUTE command.
Now click in the middle of your board. The new trace will automatically snap to one end of the airwire.
Now zoom out.
You have found the airwire.

 

Offline MarkL

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2015, 07:08:00 pm »
I'll echo that - Definitely always check ratsnest for completion.

It can also help to set the Unrouted layer to a higher contrast color than the default dark yellow (or brown, or whatever that's supposed to be).  I have mine set to bright red and displayed on a white background the airwires are usually easy to see.

But if I still don't see them because they're embedded in copper or another layer, I turn off all the other layers and then look.  I Mark the one I want to fix and turn the other layers back on.  Repeat.

Haven't tried "zoom-unrouted".  I'll try that next time.
 

Offline kizzap

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2015, 11:34:01 pm »
You can also find them by playing with the layers. Turn off all the layers except 19 Unrouted and it gives you a ballpark of the area you need to look in.
<MatCat> The thing with aircraft is murphy loves to hang out with them
<Baljem> hey, you're the one who apparently pronounces FPGA 'fuhpugger'
 

Offline vini_iTopic starter

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2015, 01:17:16 am »
thank you so much. all excellent tips.  :)
 

Offline Mr.B

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2015, 01:29:30 am »
zoom-unrouted.ulp is the easiest answer.
Turning on and off layers is painful.
I approach the thinking of all of my posts using AI in the first instance. (Awkward Irregularity)
 

Offline Christopher

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #11 on: April 16, 2015, 07:55:43 pm »
In my toolbar at the top I have a link to automatically run zoom-unrouted

Works like a champ!!
 

Offline jc101

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #12 on: April 21, 2015, 10:22:56 pm »
I quite often use "display none unrouted" which turns everything off bar the unrolled signals, as boards are small they are easy to zoom into then use "display last" to turn everything back on that was there before.
 

Online IanJ

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Re: unrouted trace detection
« Reply #13 on: May 29, 2015, 06:50:28 pm »
In my toolbar at the top I have a link to automatically run zoom-unrouted

Works like a champ!!

Yup, install Bob Starr's toolbar add-on and then edit it with your own commands n stuff.

http://www.bobstarr.net/pages/downloads.html

Ian.


Ian Johnston - Manufacturer of the PDVS2mini & author of the free WinGPIB app.
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