Re: DXP, drag footprint outline?

Hello, Brad!
You wrote on Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:43:54 GMT:

BV> Brett,
BV> Are you in the Library editor or the PCB editor? Library editor you
BV> would use selection (click while holding the shift key, or drag the
BV> cursor completely around all the parts you want selected), then use
BV> 'M'ove, "S"elected. If you are in PCB editor, you really shouldn't be
BV> modifying part footprints as though you are in the library editor. It
BV> can be done but it is not normally the place for such actions. once you
BV> have strecthed a part, you do not have another copy of that particular
BV> part to use for your next connector. Likewise if you were to do
BV> something that updated the design, the original library part could be
BV> reloaded and change your stretched part back to the unstretched
BV> version. Does that make sense?
BV> PCB designers usually don't stretch designs, the thought process is
BV> very different. You make different library parts and symbols for
BV> different purposes, then you interconnect them, not stretch them until
BV> you have another different part.



Thanks for your input Brad.

My question may not have been concisely worded. I am working with footprints
in the library editor. I have not touched the PCB editor, although I can
hardly wait. My hair is not all turning gray quickly enough.

I don't really expect that there is a satisfactory resolution to my
issue/problem, except for me to accept that dragging is not supported in the
DXP footprint editor,(gasp). I must accept that fact - but I will try and
explain my squack:

I am acustomed to using Eagle and creating my own parts and libraries. My
circuits will be hand soldered. [The Altium supplied footprints may be
great for dense packaging and automated assembly, but are not so good for
home assembly. And god help the person doing de-soldering. Pads too small.
Same thing applies with Eagle - I'll have wider pads, please.]

Here I go: Let's say I've started with two newly created libraries, called
"resistor.pcblib", and, "connect.pcblib", and a single footprint in each
library - created through the "(PCB) Component Wizard". (Of course, I work
with only ONE library at a time.) After specifying the pads and body, I name
the component. The newly created footprint name appears in the library
"browser" pane and the new footprint's image is in the "edit" pane.

I will make an exact duplicate of the footprint like this: in the browser
pane, right click the component's name, select <copy>, right click <Paste 1
components>. Done, Finished. I then double click the new "Name-duplicate"
for text editing. It has happened THAT fast.

The 'duplicate' footprint will be turned into, either a longer jumper, or a
longer-leaded resistor. It would be great if I could (in the editor pane)
just -stretch- the footprint a little bit, say, about 100~200mil. But it's
not quite so easy.

Instead, after I decide and select whichever end to move, here's what
happens: either an 'end-cap' line will bend at a vertex, or, a component
body outline segment will break off from somewhere, or, a segment replica
forms and becomes attached to the mouse pointer, or, EVERYTHING bends, or...
or my mouse swipe may come up totally empty, -but, never never NEVER can I
drag the end of a footprint outline with the rest of the body still attached
to it. I am not making this up. I have tried alt, shift, and ctl, (+ mouse
click) combinations. Everything I can think of. Sometimes the results seem
random, but I know that's probably just MY random nature, and not DXP's.
But, it wears me out trying to figure out the ground rules. "Vertex" is
something I need to get a better grasp on, but that is a different (but
related) issue.

So anyway, unless somebody can explain what I'm doing wrong, I will just do
this (<cut>end), (<drag>pad),(<paste>end), then (<drag>end-of-top),
(<drag>end-of-bottom) to close the body perimeter. That seems infinately
faster that futzing around trying to drag an intact body outline. I probably
couldn't find the instruction for body outline dragging because the function
is undocumented because it's unsupported!!

With best regards, bretth2o.


.

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