I use Protel 99SE. Is it possible to view different layers and turn different layers on and off. I know that by pressing <SHIFT> +S, I will view only the current layer but its it possible to select which layers are being viewed. For example when looking at my top layer I would like to see the Top layer and the Top Layer overlay .
Also is it possible to flip the board around and view the bottom layer as if it were the top. Once I fabricate and start troubleshooting the PCB I would like to be able to view what I have in real life. When I am looking at the top layer on my PCB I am looking at my top layer in Protel and when I filp my PCB around and look at the bottom layer I want to be able flip my view around in Protel so that I see the bottom of the board. I no longer want to see a mirrored version.
There is info around on setting up shortcuts and toolbars buttons that allow you to enable and disable groups of layers in one hit. This uses the customisation features of Protel.
These archived messages offer some help:
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/msg07516.html
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/msg07519.html
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/msg07509.html
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/msg10128.html
http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/msg10188.html
Search for things like "Customizing protel" and "layer sets" within the Protel EDA Forum archive at the mail-archive site.
Have a look at the info for PCB:DocumentPreferences in the help to see how to do the layer toggle stuff. Then play with the customisations.
Flipping the view of a board has been requested for a long time. It is not in P2004. P2004 now has better support for flipping selections that include components but this is not what is wanted here. There is a method of flipping selections containing components in P99SE but it requires multiple steps and so is not likely to be something you would do when tracing around on a board. These techniques are not just showing the baord from the back but rather flipping all the entities from back to front - and they have lots of limitations.
The 3D viewers (both that supplied with P99SE and improved version in P2004, as well as the very well reputed QualECAD offering) allow you to look at the bottom of the board. I think they will allow identification and highlighting of nets. Is that right John W. and others?
Another alternative is a little thing I wrote that provides a mirrored image of a region around the cursor in a floating window.
http://www.considered.com.au/Protel01.htm
A screen shot of the effect is here: http://www.considered.com.au/ProtelFiles/images/csflipview1.gif
The CSFlipViewer allows you to edit and select the board normally. You can flip in the X, or the Y or both directions. You can get some weird oscillating patterns when the mouse is near the flip window due to the fact that the flip window is busy flipping itself. It is not an ideal solution or particularly elegant but it does work (dual monitors help).
Ian
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