The differences between vias and free pads are artificial. Vias in Protel 99SE are essentially free pads with the following limitations:
(1) Vias cannot have names (2) Vias cannot be any shape except circular. (3) Vias cannot exist on a single layer only. (I'm not sure about this, it is conceivable that one could configure a buried/blind via with one layer only. But my expectation would be that it would not work, or if it "works" it would set up many bugs, being thoroughly unconsidered and untested, I would think. Pads can do all of the above. on the other side, free pads are vias with the following limitations: (1) Free pads cannot be blind or buried, i.e., if they have a hole, it goes all the way through the board. (2) If they are in a footprint (i.e., not free) their net assignments are affected by netlist load. Give us blind/buried layer attributes for pads and free pads will do everything that vias will do, plus they can be named, which means that it is easy to assign special rules to them. Vias, however, should be maintained for backward compatibility and the occasional via that one wants to be part of a footprint -- and/or a way should be introduced to cause a pad to behave under netlist load and DRC like a via. Perhaps a via checkbox. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Abdulrahman Lomax Easthampton, Massachusetts USA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post a message: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * To leave this list visit: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/leave.html * * Contact the list manager: * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Forum Guidelines Rules: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/forumrules.html * * Browse or Search previous postings: * http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
