Possible Ultiboard bug re: trace properties (12.0.0)

[Kleven]

Hi,

When I select a single trace or multiple traces associated with one net and open the properties dialog, I can click the General tab and within the Width dropdown and the Clearances dropdowns I can select the option 'Use Net Settings' and when I click Apply or OK, the net settings will be applied to the selected trace(s).  This is the expected behavior.

However, when I select multiple traces which are associated with multiple different nets and repeat the same procedure, I do not get the same result.  Instead, all selected traces have a fixed width or clearance applied instead of using the value assigned to the respective associated net.  As best I can determine, the fixed value applied is one of the fixed values in the drop-down control.

First, is this expected behavior?  If not, I would presume that this is a bug.

Second, if this is expected behavior, I would request that the behavior be changed to what I would experience when selecting trace(s) associated with a single net.  The current behavior can create a situation where every trace in the design can be assigned a fixed value for one of these properties and the only way to return to using the associated net settings (which are easily edited via the Nets table) is to select each trace in the design one at a time, open the properties dialog, and make the change.  To say that this is time consuming is, in my opinion, a bit of an understatement.

If I have missed some other way to effect the desired result of ensuring all traces in the design use the associated net settings for width and clearance (in a relatively short set of steps) then please let me know how to do this - I have not seen another way in my searching through the manual, help, and forums.

Thanks!

Kleven

[Sharanya_R]

Hi Kleven,

If I understand correctly you would like to change your width and clearance settings for different traces. 

A simple way to do this for multiple traces is to select the traces you would like to change in the Spreadsheet View.

1. View»Spreadsheet View

2. Select the Nets tab

3. Select the appropriate Nets (to select multiple nets, hold the Ctrl key down while left-clicking on the appropriate nets)

4. Double-click the value you would like to change for one of the selected nets (Trace Width/Trace Clearance)

5. Change the value and press Enter

6.  All the selected nets should be changed accordingly

Hope this helps!

[Kleven]

Hi,

Actually, that is what I am attempting to do, and it does not work.

The reason is that at some point in the past, unfortunately, I selected all (or a large number of) traces, opened a properties dialog, and selected a fixed width.

Now that this fixed width is applied to the traces (overriding the net settings in the spreadsheet view) I cannot adjust the width and clearance via the net properties in the spreadsheet view.

When I try to select all (or even just two) traces in the layout which have different associated nets, I cannot get the traces to apply the option 'Use Net Settings'.  When I attempt to do so, one of the fixed values in the drop-down dialog is applied instead across all selected traces - even ones that I had successfully switched back to 'Use Net Settings' by selecting them individually.

To recreate what I am attempting to explain:

1.  Select two traces belonging to different nets (preferably two nets with different width properties to provide an even clearer illustration).

2.  Right click one of them and select 'Properties' - they should both still be selected and this should be a unified 'Properties' dialog for both traces.

3.  Select the 'General' tab.

4.  In the 'Width' box, type in something notably different from the trace widths - i.e. my traces are 10 mils and 15 mils, and I enter 5 mils in the box.

5.  Click 'OK'.

6.  Observe that both traces are now 5 mils wide.

7.  Modify the trace width of the nets in the spreadsheet view to be something even larger.  You will observe that the trace segments you previously selected don't change width - they have been overridden by the procedure using the properties dialog.

8.  Select the same two traces again and open the 'Properties' dialog just as was done previously.

9.  In the 'Width' box, click the drop-down arrow and you should see at least two options - 5.0000 and 'Use Net Settings'; there may be more depending on what your editing history has been.  Select 'Use Net Settings' and click 'OK'.

10.  Observe that instead of applying the large widths you have just set for these nets in the spreadsheet view, you most likely still have 5 mil traces.

11.  To verify, select one of the traces and open the 'Properties' dialog.  You will notice that the 'Width' box has a fixed value and not 'Use Net Settings'.

12.  Select each trace individually and repeat the process of using the 'Properties' dialog to select 'Use Net Settings' for each trace.

13.  Observe that the traces now have the larger width you previously specified in the spreadsheet view and you can once again manipulate the width of that trace by changing the width for the associated net in the spreadsheet view.

Hopefully that provides a little better explanation of what I'm trying to do and what I'm seeing instead.

Thanks!

Kleven

[Sharanya_R]

Hi Kleven,

I have a better understanding of what you are talking about.

If you would like to change the trace back to the Net Settings, you would have to click each net seperately. 

Thank you for this feedback and I have put in a request for a Corrective Action Report.

[Kleven]

Hi Sharanya,

Thank you for following up on this.  I appreciate your help!

Kleven