Trunk Via Patterns

Adding vias while Trunk Routing

1. To place a Trunk Via pattern while using the Trunk Router, you can double click the left mouse button or choose a different layer using the Layer option on the Context Sensitive menu.  You will see the Change Layer dialog that is used during manual routing to enable you to change layer.   Selecting a new layer will cause a box Trunk Via pattern to be added dynamically to your cursor.  The Trunk Via pattern will not be created if it would generate an error and errors are currently disallowed in the Routing Options dialog.  An example of adding a Trunk Via pattern to a differential pair is shown below:

2. Use the left mouse button to place the Trunk Via pattern at the position of your cursor and continue Trunk routing on the new current layer.   It is also possible to change the Trunk Via pattern style to a number of predefined styles using the Context Sensitive menu during Trunk Routing or by pressing the 'Tab' key in order to cycle through the predefined Trunk Via patterns.  The space required by the Trunk Via pattern will always be the maximum space required for the largest configuration of the Trunk Via pattern's contents.

Note:   Whilst a Trunk Via Pattern is dynamic it is possible to cycle through the Trunk Via Patterns using the 'Tab' key on your keyboard.

Note:  In the same way that a Trunk can reorder during Trunk Routing, the Trunk Via pattern may also reorder to maintain the minimum number of crossed connections at each end of the Trunk.

Visual help for placement of Trunk Via Patterns

When  inserting Trunk Via Patterns in dense areas of design there is visual help.  You will notice that the Trunk Via Pattern will be left in it's last legal position whilst dynamic and a ghost image of the Trunk Via Pattern will appear on the end of your cursor.  The picture below shows an example of this.