Operation Column

Each row in the Routing Strategy dialog represents a task. The columns in this dialog control the operations and options that are associated with each task. These columns are described in the following topics.

The Operation column, in the Routing Strategy dialog, allows you to specify the operations that are executed in a task. A summary is shown below of the operations that you can select.

Item	Description
Acid Trap Removal	Removes patterns of track that may create acid traps.
Autoroute	General autoroute. The type of autoroute that is done depends on the selection and the settings. This is described in more detail later in the training guide.
Chamfer/Fillet	Removes 90-degree track corners, and replaces them with 45-degree segments of track or an arc.
Create Testpoints	Allocates testpoints to individual signals.
Delete Chamfer/Fillet	Replace the 45-degree corners or arcs with 90-degree track. Effectively, this is the reverse of the Chamfer/Fillet operation.
Equal Space	Spaces relevant tracks so that the space between them is equal.
Fan-out	Perform a fan-out of pads on the footprint, based on the current settings.
Fix	Locks items so that they cannot be subsequently changed.
Lengthen	The length of tracks is increased by inserting a lengthening pattern (meander line).
Pull Tight	Shortens the length of tracks by pulling the track path closer to obstacles, and removing unnecessary segments. The fundamental path is not changed. If tracks contain lengthening patterns, then these are not removed.
Refine Routing	Attempts to shorten the length of tracks and reduce the number of vias. Unlike pull tight, this operation can fundamentally change the path of tracks and vias. This should be run after autorouting.
Report File	When the strategy is executed, the contents of the file that is specified in the Text/Comment column is added to the report.
Report HTML	When the strategy is executed, the HTML code that is specified in the Text/Comment column is added to the report.
Report Text	When the strategy is executed, the text specified in the Text/Comment column is added to the report.
Run Python Command	Executes a single python command. The python command is entered into the Text/Comment column.
Run Python File	Executes a python script file that can contain many python commands. The name of the file is specified in the Text/Comment column.
Semi-Fix	Sets the status of items to "Semi-fixed". Unlike fixed items, semi-fixed items can still be changed, but the autorouter will only do so as a last resort. Unfixed items are changed first.
Split Plane	Generates split-plane copper that is based on selected power nets.
Unfix	Unlocks items, and allows them to be changed. See Fix.
Unlengthen	For tracks for which a lengthening pattern is added using the Lengthen command or the Autorouter, the lengthening pattern is removed. The length of the track is not reduced by moving its position. This can be done using the Pull Tight operation.
Unroute	Removes any tracks or vias that are not fixed.
Unroute Errors – Node to Node	Deletes tracks that contain DRC errors at the node-to-node level.
Unroute Errors – Segments	Deletes tracks that contain DRC errors at the segment level. This may result in isolated track segments.
Unroute Errors – Segments and Isolated	Deletes tracks that contain DRC errors at the segment level, but also removes any resulting isolated track segments.