Export (IDF): Edit Parameters Dialog

The Edit Parameters dialog allows you to configure, import and save the parameters for exporting an IDF file. It is launched by clicking Edit parameters in the Export (IDF) Dialog.

Item

Description

Import parameters

Allows you to load parameters that are stored in a file, using the Open dialog.

Export parameters

The parameters that you configure in this dialog can be saved to a file, using the Save As dialog.

Conversion target

Allows you to specify the areas of the IDF file that are exported.

Version

Item		Description
IDF file version	Version 2.0	IDF file version 2.0 is exported.
IDF file version	Version 3.0	IDF file version 3.0 is exported.

Unit

Item		Description
IDF file unit	mm	Values are exported in millimeters.
IDF file unit	mil	Values are exported in mils.

System layer

Item		Description
Board outline	Selected	The following information for the board outline layer is exported to the BOARD_OUTLINE section of the IDF file. Outline and cutout shape Board thickness
Board outline	Not selected	Information for the board outline layer is not exported.
Layout area	Selected	The following information for the layout area is exported to the PLACE_OUTLINE and ROUTE_OUTLINE sections of the IDF file. Outline shape
Layout area	Not selected	Information for the layout area is not exported.
Height limit area	Selected	The following information for the height limit area is exported to the PLACE_KEEPOUT section. Outline shape Height
Height limit area	Not selected	Information for the height limit area is not exported.
Hole	Selected	The following information for round holes in the hole layer is exported to the DRILLED_HOLE section. Position Hole diameter Plating attributes (only applicable to holes in the padstack; other holes are exported as "unplated"). Hole type. In-component holes are exported as PIN. In-via holes are exported as VIA. Other holes are exported as MTG.
Hole	Not selected	Information for round holes in the hole layer is not exported.

Component

Item		Description
Component group area	Selected	The following information for the component group area is exported to the PLACE_REGION section: Outline shape Name Placement side
	Not selected	Information for the component group area is not exported.
Placement information	Selected	The following information for the component is exported to the PLACEMENT section. Reference Position Placement side Disallowed attributes The Non-electrical check box is made available.
Placement information	Not selected	Information for the component is not exported.
Non-electrical		Specify whether non-electrical components are output to the PLACEMENT section.
	Selected	Non-electrical components are output to the PLACEMENT section. A component with a pin count of "0" is considered a non-electrical component.
	Not selected	Non-electrical components are not output to the PLACEMENT section.
Variant		Allows you to specify whether data is exported for the whole design, or only for the variant components that you specify.
	Master	Data is exported for the whole design, regardless of whether it contains variant components.
	[Variant]	Data is only exported for the specified variant. This value is only displayed if the design contains variant components.
Use brackets() when outputting footprints with alternates	Selected	When selected, footprints with alternates will have the alternate name enclosed in brackets.
	Not selected	When not selected, footprint alternate names will be prefixed with a +-_.
Attribute to be output as shape name	Part	In the PLACEMENT section, the part name is exported as the component name. You can define an IDF component using a combination of the shape name and part number. If a different part is used for a footprint on side A and side B, then you can define them as different component shapes by specifying a different attribute in the Attribute to be output as shape name and Attribute to be output as part number fields.
Attribute to be output as shape name	Footprint	In the PLACEMENT section, the footprint name is exported as the component name.
	Footprint_Height	Outputs the footprint name and its associated height to the PLACEMENT section. The height value is the height of the part, which may be set to zero. However, if this value is blank, then the height of the associated component area is used. The Footprint_Height value is created based on the following rule. Footprint name_height value x 100000. For example, if the footprint name is CN-IMD24-54.726.0 and height is 15.2, the output name is CN-IMD24-54.726.0_1520000.
Attribute to be output as part number	Part	Outputs the part name to the PLACEMENT section.
Attribute to be output as part number	Footprint	Outputs the footprint name to the PLACEMENT section.
	Footprint_Height	Outputs the footprint name and its associated height to the PLACEMENT section. The height value is the height of the part, which may be set to zero. However, if this value is blank, then the height of the associated component area is used. The Footprint_Height value is created based on the following rule. Footprint name_height value x 100000. For example, if the footprint name is CN-IMD24-54.726.0 and height is 15.2, the output name is CN-IMD24-54.726.0_1520000.

Conversion figure

Item		Description
Expand figure in component to output layer	Selected	Pads or other in-component figures are expanded, and exported to the layer that is set on the Keepout Layers or Other Layers page.
Expand figure in component to output layer	Not selected	In-component figures are not exported.

Keepout Layers

Allows you to set the output layer for each KEEPOUT section.

Layer to convert

Item		Description
IDF layer name		Shows the section names in the IDF file.
	PLACE_KEEPOUT	Contains information for the height limit area.
	ROUTE_KEEPOUT	Contains keepout information for routes.
	VIA_KEEPOUT	Contains keepout information for vias.
Mount side		Shows the mount side attributes associated with each section of the IDF file.
	TOP	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with the top mount side.
	BOTTOM	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with the bottom mount side.
	BOTH	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with the top and bottom mount sides.
	INNER	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with inner mount sides.
	ALL	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with all mount sides.
Layer name		Specify the destination layer. User-defined layers can be specified.

Moves the row that is selected in the Layer to convert box to the Layer not to convert box. Select multiple rows using the CTRL or Shift keys.

Moves the row that is selected in the Layer not to convert box to the Layer to convert box. Select multiple rows using the CTRL or Shift keys.

Layer not to convert

All options for KEEPOUT sections are listed in the Layer not to convert box.

The values in the Layer not to convert box are read-only.
During the export process, only the settings that are specified in the Layer to convert box are referenced.

Item		Description
IDF layer name		The section names of the IDF file are displayed.
	PLACE_KEEPOUT	Contains information for the height limit area.
	ROUTE_KEEPOUT	Contains keepout information for routes.
	VIA_KEEPOUT	Contains keepout information for vias.
Mount side		Shows the mount side attributes associated with each section of the IDF file.
	TOP	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with the top mount side.
	BOTTOM	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with the bottom mount side.
	BOTH	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with the top and bottom mount sides.
	INNER	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with inner mount sides.
	ALL	The relevant IDF layer name is associated with all mount sides.
Layer name		Shows the destination layer.

Other Layers

Two or more OTHER_OUTLINE sections can be exported to an IDF file. Right-click in the Layer to convert box and select Add Rows on the assist menu. Specify a layer in the displayed Select Layer dialog, and assign an ID to it.

Add Sequential numbers to IDs of each figure

If selected, then you can specify a unique ID value for each layer that is exported, and specify its format. The Output format and Sequential number format fields are made available.

Item		Description
Output format		Allows you to select the format of the unique ID value that is associated with each exported layer. A unique value is created by adding a number to the end of each value in the ID column, in the Layer to convert table.
	ID_Sequential number	For each layer that is exported, a unique ID value, in "ID_Sequential number" format is created. Specify the numbering format in the Sequential number format field.
	ID(Sequential number)	For each layer that is exported, a unique ID value, in "ID(Sequential number)" format is created. Specify the numbering format in the Sequential number format field.
Sequential number format		Allows you to specify the numbering format that is used to create the unique ID value that is associated with each exported layer.
	1	A unique ID value is created for each exported layer by appending a number with no leading zeros.
	01	A unique ID value is created for each exported layer by appending a number with one leading zero.
	001	A unique ID value is created for each exported layer by appending a number with two leading zeros.
	0001	A unique ID value is created for each exported layer by appending a number with three leading zeros.
	00001	A unique ID value is created for each exported layer by appending a number with four leading zeros.

Board outline output

Allows you to output the figures of the board outline layer to the OTHER_OUTLINE section. You can also convert each hole to a cutout. Holes other than the round holes are not available in IDF. However, the shape is transferred by the cutout.

Selected: figures in the board outline layer are output. The shape in which a hole is subtracted is output from the board outline.
Not selected: figures in the board outline layer are not output.

Convert hole to cutout

Allows you to select the type of hole that is converted to a cutout.

Round hole

Selected: a round hole is converted to a cutout when it is output.
Not selected: a round hole is not output.

Slot hole

Selected: a slot hole is converted to a cutout when it is output.
Not selected: a slot hole is not output.

Non-circular hole

Selected: a non-circular hole is converted to a cutout when it is output.
Not selected: a non-circular hole is not output.

Layer to convert

Two or more OTHER_OUTLINE sections can be output to the IDF file by setting IDs. Each ID can be assigned to one layer. To add a combination of ID and layer, select Add Rows on the assist menu.

Item		Description
ID		Specify the ID name of the OTHER_OUTLINE section.
Mount side		Specify the mount side attribute that is exported to the OTHER_OUTLINE section.
	TOP	The specified ID name is associated with the top mount side.
	BOTTOM	The specified ID name is associated with the bottom mount side.
Layer name		Select the output layer that is associated with the specified ID.
Drawing		Specify whether the drawing layer of the specified layer is exported.
	Selected	The drawing layer of the specified layer is exported.
	Not selected	The specified layer is exported.
Thickness		Specify the thickness attribute that is exported to the OTHER_OUTLINE section.

Layer not to convert

The Layer not to convert box allows you to save the settings for layers that are not exported to the IDF file. Add layers in the Layer to convert table, and click

to move them to the Layer not to convert table. These settings are saved to a file when you click Export parameters. When you load the exported file by clicking Import parameters, the specified layers are shown in the Layer not to convert table. This allows you to easily add them to the Layer to convert table.

Only the settings specified in the Layer to convert box are referenced during the export process.
The values in the Layer not to convert box are read-only.

Item		Description
ID		Shows the ID name of the OTHER_OUTLINE section.
Mount side		Shows the mount side attribute that is exported to the OTHER_OUTLINE section.
	TOP	The specified ID name that is associated with the top mount side.
	BOTTOM	The specified ID name that is associated with the bottom mount side.
Layer name		The output layer associated with the specified ID.
Drawing		Specifies whether the drawing layer of the specified layer is exported.
	Selected	The drawing layer of the specified layer is exported.
	Not selected	The specified layer is exported.
Thickness		Shows the thickness attribute that is exported to the OTHER_OUTLINE section.

Applies the specified parameters and closes the Edit Parameters dialog.

Cancel

Closes the Edit Parameters dialog without applying parameters.

Note

The following restrictions apply to IDF version 2.0:
In-component holes and in-via holes are not exported.
The mount side attribute cannot be exported to the OTHER_OUTLINE section.
The only IDF file sections that can depict cutouts are BOARD_OUTLINE and OTHER_OUTLINE. When an area fill with a cutout is exported to an IDF section that cannot depict cutouts, the cutout disappears.
The only holes that an IDF file can depict are circles. Slot, and other non-circular holes are not exported to the DRILLED_HOLES section.
Internal layer components and printed components are not exported.
Only a single area that corresponds to a single component can be exported to the ELECTRICAL section in a library file. For a component for which two or more component areas are defined, the outermost rectangle is exported.

Related Topics
Export (IDF) Dialog
Exporting an IDF File