copper area polygon control points

[david_c_partridge]

When I place a board outline, I can select the board outline and add or remove control points defining the shape by selecting the properties of the object and selcting the "Polygon" tab.

This allows me to change the shape very easily.

However when I place a copper area, selecting the properties of the area doesn't present a "Polygon" tab, so the only way I can change the shape is manually to drag the control points at high zoom levels, and even then I don't believe I can readily add or remove additional control points.

This would seem to be an obvious need, so the question is whether I've missed something obvious???

Thanks

Dave

[yyao]

Hi,

Which version of Ultiboard are you using? The latest (10.1) should handle polygons fine. Someone else also had trouble adding points and modifying polygons, take a look at the post here:

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=370&thread.id=5750

What does it say on the title bar of your properties box? It should say "Copper Polygon Properties". Otherwise, you may have the wrong object selected. Take a look on your selection filters. The copper areas filter should be enabled so that you can select copper polygons.

[david_c_partridge]

It is 10.1 and it says "Copper Area Properties".

Dave

[yyao]

I think you placed a copper area instead of a polygon. If you click Place>>Shape>>Polygon, you can draw out a polygon just as you would a copper area. The properties box of a polygon has a polygon tab which allows you to numerically edit each vertex.

[david_c_partridge]

And that is my point - I wanted a copper area which is filled rather than a polygon that wouldn't be.  I also would like to be able to edit the vertices just like I could with a polygon.

Dave

[yyao]

Your copper polygon should be filled as well. The only functional difference between a polygon and a copper area is that the copper area will automatically clear traces. Because of this, the outline of a copper area can differ depending on what traces are running through it. and it doesn't make much sense to display all the vetices of a dynamically changing shape.

You can still move, add and delete vertices from copper areas using your mouse, just as you would with a copper polygon. If you are having trouble with the control points, I suggest looking at the post made in the link I pasted earlier.

[david_c_partridge]

But a copper area doesn't show the vertices that were created as a result of clearing traces that run through it (which is also a good reason to use this in preference to a regular polygon).  Just the original vertices that I placed it with, and only these can be moved, and yes I realise I can add vertices or remove them by right clicking.   It would just be so much nicer if this too provided its vertices in the same way that a polygon does through its properties window.

Cheers

Dave