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 Turn off resist and paste layers
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rbuck

USA
63 Posts

Posted - 19 May 2020 :  22:14:19  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have an irritating problem for 2 layer boards.I have a dockable layers tab on the right of my board design. I can uncheck the resist and paste layers and turn them off.

But if I click the icon on the left tool bar to turn a layer off, when I click the icon again to turn it back on, the resist and paste layers become visible again.

How can I turn them off permanently as they are not needed during the board design phase?

I think this only started happening with the Version 23 release. Do I have to create a special Technology File instead of using the built-in files?

Iain Wilkie

United Kingdom
1009 Posts

Posted - 20 May 2020 :  09:16:18  Show Profile  Visit Iain Wilkie's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I know what you mean ..... I have never found a way of overcoming this ... it was just the same in previous versions.

If anyone has the answer, I would be very interested !

Iain
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edrees

United Kingdom
763 Posts

Posted - 20 May 2020 :  09:38:35  Show Profile  Visit edrees's Homepage  Reply with Quote
As Iain says its always been this way. Personally, I can't see this as a big issue. Just use the dockable LAYERS tab on the RHS instead of the 3 Layer switching icons on the left hand side. Maybe in future the "Matrix" selector at the bottom of the dockable LAYERS tab could include both solder masks (Top & Bottom) and both Solder Pastes?

The 3 Icons on the left hand tool bar toggle TOP, MIDDLE or BOTTOM. These include such things as resist or paste layers on the TOP and BOTTOM sides. Even if you use the "Rainbow Icon" => Layers and Layer Spans" feature and disable say the resist, it will still toggle with these left hand side Icons.

quote:
.... turn them off permanently as they are not needed during the board design phase
If this is the case then why not simply delete the paste and resist layers from the Design Tech file (and re-instate them when design completed,-if necessary)?
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ianafh

United Kingdom
25 Posts

Posted - 20 May 2020 :  10:49:57  Show Profile  Visit ianafh's Homepage  Reply with Quote
You can create a group of layers and map them to a key.

This allows you to toggle a set of layers on / off from the keyboard.

Ian
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rbuck

USA
63 Posts

Posted - 20 May 2020 :  20:39:07  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
It is not a big issue but it is an issue. When you turn the top layer off on the LHS it is one click. To turn it back on with the RHS, it takes 3 clicks to get back to where you were. Click the layer icon, click the top copper check box, and then click the top silk check box.

Having the paste and resist layers on during the layout process makes absolutely no sense. It serves zero purpose other than to irritate you.
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edrees

United Kingdom
763 Posts

Posted - 21 May 2020 :  09:03:17  Show Profile  Visit edrees's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Having the paste and resist layers on during the layout process makes absolutely no sense. It serves zero purpose other than to irritate you.


As I suggested earlier in this Post why not just delete these layers from your Design Tech file? Then you'll have no issue whatsoever.

You can still plot the resist and paste layer plots from the Gerber Plotting & Printing dialogue using the Settings=> "Pads-Only (Resist/Mask) plot switch even though they are not specified in the Design Tech file.

I occasionally have special requirements for resist/paste masks and I want them to be visible (WYSIWYG) during the design phase.
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rbuck

USA
63 Posts

Posted - 21 May 2020 :  21:37:15  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
"As I suggested earlier in this Post..."

I don't see where anyone suggested that even though I asked about it in my first post. I have always used the default 2sig2pwr Technology File. When I design my next board I will create a special Technology File that doesn't include those layers. Hopefully if I do that, the LHS buttons will not turn them on when clicked.

I like the idea ianafh suggested about mapping a layer group to a key.
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edrees

United Kingdom
763 Posts

Posted - 21 May 2020 :  23:06:48  Show Profile  Visit edrees's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Look again at my first reply above!

By all means use 2sig2pwr but delete the resist and paste layers in Design Tech! Problem solved!
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edrees

United Kingdom
763 Posts

Posted - 22 May 2020 :  09:17:47  Show Profile  Visit edrees's Homepage  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by edrees

Look again at my first reply above!

quote:
quote:
.... turn them off permanently as they are not needed during the board design phase
If this is the case then why not simply delete the paste and resist layers from the Design Tech file (and re-instate them when design completed,-if necessary)?


By all means use 2sig2pwr but delete the resist and paste layers in Design Tech! Problem solved!

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