Placing component groups

You can assign functionally related components to groups at the schematic level. When you specify the group number (as assigned in the schematic) in the Component Selection Criteria dialog box, the components assigned to the group snap to the cursor for placement.

To place a component group

1 Choose the component toolbar button.

2 From the pop-up menu, choose Select Any. The Component Selection Criteria dialog box appears.

3 Enter the group number, as assigned at the schematic level, in the Group Number text box and choose the OK button. The group of components snaps to the cursor.

4 Click the left mouse button to place the components on the board.

Minimizing connections to optimize placement

Use the Minimize Connections command to evaluate the connections within a net and find the shortest route for the net (ratsnest) based on the placement of the pins or components on the board. When nothing is selected, Minimize Connections is a global command; it affects the entire board each time you apply it. However, if you have selected one or more components, Minimize Connections only affects the nets attached to the selected components.

You can also select just a single net and minimize the connection length on that net only.

To use the Minimize Connections command

1 Choose the component toolbar button.

2 If desired, select the appropriate component(s) or net(s).

3 From the pop-up menu, choose Minimize Connections.

Rotating components

The Rotate command rotates any selected components around the lower left corner of the component (or component area, if you select more than one component), based on the Increment setting in the System Settings dialog box. The relationships between the components you select remain the same. The entire group rotates around the lower left corner, rather than each component rotating in its place.

To rotate components

1 Select one or more components.

2 From the pop-up menu, choose Rotate. The selected items rotate.

Mirroring components

The Opposite command mirrors the components you have selected in the X dimension to the opposite side of the board. If you select a number of components and choose the Opposite command, the relationships between the components you selected remain the same. The entire group mirrors around the X axis, rather than each component mirroring in place.