At a
Glance
ViewMaster is a pre-production graphical editor for Gerber,
HPGL, and NC Drill data. ViewMaster allows you to see your work,
on the screen and in hardcopy, as it will look on the plot. With
ViewMaster's unmatched combination of 98/ME/2000/XP ease-of-use;
input, output, editing and conversion capabilities; and "PentaLogix
speed," you can easily meet the requirements of your complex
designs.
Highlights
· 98/ME/2000/XP interface
· Import
and export multiple PCB data formats
· Import
and merge multiple aperture list formats
· Import
multiple netlist formats
· Multiple database
units of measurement
· Up to 255 layers of data
· Up to 10,000 simultaneously used apertures
· Graphical PCB editing
· Graphical NC drill editing
|
· Layer editing operations
· Step & repeat
· Aperture building
· Drill optimization
· Print to multiple
output devices
· Translucent colors that reveal
stacked elements
· Unmatched speed, advanced graphics,
and rapid redraw
· One year of free technical support
·
Many more key features! |
For greater detail, read
the following specifications.
Input
Formats
PCB Data Import
· Lavenir .BIN file
· Gerber
Basic
· Gerber Extended (RS-274X)
|
· MDA Autoplot
· HPGL/
HPGL2
|
· ODB++
· DPF |
NC Drill Import
| · Excellon |
· Wessel |
· Sieb & Meyer |
Aperture List Import
The Aperture Wizard allows you to define and save a method
for importing aperture list formats that ViewMaster does not
automatically recognize. In addition, ViewMaster can automatically
transcode and merge the following CAD aperture lists:
· Apple
· Associated
·
Designers
· Cadence
· Cadnetix
· Cadstar
· CAM Bridge
·
Compaq
· Consultech
· Daystar
· Eagle
· EE Designer
· EZ
Board |
· Gap
· GC CAM
· GerbTool
· Hiwire
· HNS
· IGI
· Interactive
· Intergraph
· KLA
· Megatek
· Mentor
· Optrotech
· OrCAD |
· PADS
· P-CAD
· Plan Master
· Protel
· Racal Redac
·
Report File
· Sun
· Tango
·
Theda
· TS
· Valor
·
Zuken |
Output
Formats
PCB Data Export
· Lavenir .BIN file
· Gerber
Basic |
· Gerber Extended (RS-274X)
·
MDA Autoplot |
· Cutter Code (HPGL) |
NC Drill Export
| · Excellon |
· Wessel |
· Sieb & Meyer |
Aperture List Export
· Lavenir .ENV File
Printing
Share your jobs with your colleagues or customers before fabrication.
· Print the Screen
· Print
All Board Layers
· Print Only a Single Board
Layer
· Print Black on White or Vice Versa |
· Print Screen Colors
on a Background Color or on White
· Set a Scale
Factor or Automatically Scale to Fit on a Page
·
Add a Header to the Page |
Print to Bitmap file
BMP is a handy format to create reports or PDF files.
· Print the View or Selected
Frame
· Print View or Frame by Board Layers
· Print Only a Single Board Layer |
· Print Black on White
or Vice Versa
· Print Screen Colors
·
Set Resolution (BPI) |
Text
Database Report
Export a text report with the following information about the
loaded database.
· Aperture List
· Element
Counts |
· Plot Size
· Data Format |
· Arc Analysis |
Database
Layer Database
· 255 Layers
· Positive
and Negative Layers |
· Paint and Scratch Layers
|
· Composite Board Layers |
Aperture Database
The D Code table defines aperture shape codes and dimensions
for D Codes 4 to 10,000. PentaLogix supports the following aperture
types:
· Blank
·
Circle
· Polygon Fill Trace
· Heat
Relief
· Obround |
· Rectangle
·
Square
· Targets 0-6
· Octagon
· Rounded Rectangle |
· Drawn Rectangle
· Drawn
Obround
· Drawn Crosshair
· NC Drill
Hole (D Code is mapped to a Tool Code on the Tool Code Table).
· Custom Aperture |
Drill Database
D Codes defined in the D Code Table as NC Drill Codes (shape N)
are further defined with types and diameters on the Tool Code
Table. The Tool Code Table defines Tool Codes 1 to 255. PentaLogix
supports the following Tool Types:
· Plated
· Non-Plated |
· Tooling
·
Via |
|
Viewing
Data
Layer Viewing
· Display layers in unlimited custom
defined colors
· Display layers in solid or
translucent colors |
· Turn On and Off Visibility for Layers
· Simple board layer definition and organizing |
Pad and Trace Viewing
· Turn On and Off Visibility for Pads and Traces
· Show pads in the same color as traces or in contrasting
color |
· Show traces at true width or at
zero width
· Show pads filled or outlined |
Selected Element Viewing
| · Turn On and Off Visibility
for Selected Elements |
· Show selected elements highlighted
in white or in contrasting color to unselected elements |
Unselected Element Viewing
· Turn On and Off Visibility for Unselected Elements
Zoom
Zoom range is from .001 to 7000.
· Mouse-controlled Zoom Tool for Zooming
Up, Down and on an Area
· Zoom Up and Down
· Zoom to Reference Level |
· Zoom On Reference Frame
·
Zoom To Show All Data |
Pan
| · Pan Up, Down, Left, Right |
· Pan to First and Next Screen |
Editing
Insert Elements
Insert the following types of data:
· Pads
· Lines
· Orthogonal
Lines
· 90-Degree Lines
· Rectangles |
· Chord and Tangent Arcs
·
Chord and Point Arcs
· Center and Chord Arcs
|
· 3-Point Arcs
· Circles
· Text |
Select Data for Editing
Some types of editing commands work on selected elements.
Use the following commands to select data for editing.
· Specified Layers or All Layers
· Specified D Codes or All D Codes
· Specified
Nets or All Nets
· Specified Classes of Elements
Such as Pads, Traces, and Arcs or Any Type of Element
· Single Elements
· Groups of Elements
Inside or Outside an Area |
· Add to or Remove from
a Selection
· Clear a Selection
·
Invert a Selection
· Select Globally using Selection
Criteria
· Select All Data |
Edit Selected Elements
Use these commands on elements that have been selected
using the selection commands.
· Delete
· Copy
·
Transfer to other layers
· Replicate to other
layers
· Mirror |
· Move
· Rotate
·
Scale
· Step and Repeat
· Transcode
to Different D Code |
· Snap to Grid
·
Swell
· Bi-directional conversion of polygons to/from F-type
D Code outlines
|
Editing Aids
These features make editing easier and more precise.
· Auto Save Binary Job File with User Definable
Time Period
· Undo Editing (Limited only by memory
allocation)
· Save/Revert To Milestone File
· Measure Distance
· Absolute/Relative
Coordinate System
· XY/Polar Coordinate System
· Go To Coordinates
· Go To Origin
· Screen Grid, Fixed Interval or Variable with Zoom |
· Draw a Reference Frame
·
Align Cursor to Element
· Query Properties of
Single or Multiple Elements
· Go To First/Next/Previous
Element
· Go to Other End of Element
·
Go To Center of Arc
· Mark Reference Point
· Go To Marked Reference Point
· Go To
Center of Data |
Special Editing Commands
These manual editing commands do not require element selection.
· Insert Text
· Break Traces and Clip
Filled Area |
· Stretch Traces
· Insert Elbows in
Traces |
· Insert 90-Degree Elbows in Traces
·
Insert Frame-Sized Pads |
Layer Editing
These commands act on entire layers and do not require
element selection.
· Delete Layer
· Transfer Layer
· Replicate Layer
· Swap Layer |
· Move Layer
· Move Layer
by Displacement
· Align Layer |
· Center Layer to Other Layers
· Center Layer to a Frame
· Rename Layer
Files in the Layers Table |
Aperture Selection
Use these selection commands to select D Codes for editing
in the D Code table.
· Select a Single D Code
· Select a Range of D Codes
· Add or Remove
from the Selection
· Select All D Codes |
· Invert the Selection
·
Select D Codes of the Same Shape
· Select D Codes
that are Used in the Database
· Select by Size
the Smallest, Next Smaller, Next Larger, or Largest D Code |
Aperture Editing
You can insert and manually edit D Code definitions in
the D Code Table. In addition, you can use the following operations
on selected D Codes.
· Copy D Code Definitions to New D
Codes
· Delete D Codes from the Table
·
Rotate D Code Dimensions by 90 Degrees
· Scale
D Code Dimensions
· Scale D Code Area
·
Swell D Code Dimensions
· Grow D Code Dimensions |
· Transcode Elements
of One D Code to Another D Code
· Build Custom
Shapes
· Unbuild Custom Shapes
· Store
Custom Shapes
· Unique Shapes (Compress the D
Code Table by automatically transcoding all duplicate shapes
to a single D Code) |
Automatic Editing
These commands automatically edit data and alter the loaded database:
· Break 360-Degree Arcs
into Quadrant Arcs
· Sort Elements by Proximity (Hypotenuse and Max
XY Methods) |
· Approximate Arcs with
Chords |
Design
Rule Checking
Run a Design Rule Check on all or only a selected part
of the loaded data. The operation outputs a text Error Summary
Report and flags error locations in the loaded data with selected
error elements. Check the following Design Rules:
Vector-Based DRC
Vector DRC uses the Gerber description of the position,
size and shape of elements to determine clearance and contact
between elements. You can run a vector DRC on all or only a selected
part of the loaded data. The operation outputs a text Error Summary
Report and flags error locations in the loaded data with selected
Gerber error elements.
Check the following Design Rules with vector DRC:
· Air Gap (Trace-Trace, Trace-Pad, Pad-Pad)
· Annular Ring Gap (Drill-Outer Layer, Drill-Plane
Layer, Drill-Other Layer, Drill-Thermal)
· Power-Ground
Shorts (Drill contact on more than one power or ground layer)
· Soldermask Clearance (Mask-Outer Layer Pad, Mask-Outer
Layer Trace)
|
· Outline-Copper Area Clearance
· Pad-Pad Contact
· Centerline Disconnection
(Trace-Trace, Trace-Pad)
· Trace Intersections
· Unterminated Traces |
| Current
as of October, 2002 |
Specifications
are subject to change without notice |
|
View
Specifications 
