PADS Professional how to change the way the layout is panned - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Dave_PT
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 02:36:44 pm
content: Hello everybody .I changed jobs and joined a new company that works with PADS Professional.I was quite used to working with ORCAD (Cadence), Altium, etc..., but PADs is not a very "popular" tool when it comes to tutorials.One thing that drives me completely crazy is how to pan the layout. I have to click the middle mouse wheel and then drag smoothly (it doesn't grab like a hand). This is turning out to be a horror movie for me(in the last company I used ORCAD and could route using the mouse and navigating the layout with the arrow keys on the keyboard).I've already looked in all the obvious places for some configuration that would allow me to change this function, or ideally, be able to pan with the arrows.It is possible to pan with the arrows in the PADS Designer (schematic) but the same is not possible in the PADS Professional Layout.I hope I can find someone here who has mastered the tool and can help me.PS: I'm using this vacation week to try to evolve a little more with this tool.Thanks!

author: Evan.Cornell
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 03:45:45 pm
content: I would take the time to go through Siemens' support tutorials on how to use PADS, which Ithinkyou'll have access to, since if you don't pay for support, the program stops working. I had to learn PADS after coming from OrCAD last year, and it wasn't fun. I much prefer OrCAD.

author: Feynman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 28, 2021, 09:43:42 pm
content: Maybe you have more luck when searching for material for Xpedition instead of PADS Professional since PADS Prof. is essentially "Xpedition light".

author: Dave_PT
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 02:30:16 pm
content: Quote from: Evan.Cornell on December 28, 2021, 03:45:45 pmSo, just to be sure, can you work with the mouse wheel button to pan the layout while you are routing?For me this "feature" (and the fact that apparently cannot be changed) is the most stupid thing I saw in PADS...Quote from: Feynman on December 28, 2021, 09:43:42 pmA good introductory tutorial is needed...Right now I found some videos about Xpedition, and like you said, the interface is quite similarI'm watching this one right now.

author: Evan.Cornell
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 02:38:07 pm
content: Quote from: Dave_PT on December 29, 2021, 02:30:16 pmI'm not sure if that exact function is possible, but there is like 3 different options to set Pan / Zoom style as I recall. I don't have access to PADS anymore (went back to an OrCAD shop pretty quickly) to check exactly where option is set.

author: AndersJ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 03:23:45 pm
content: I’m not sure what ”pan the layout” means.But,if you put the cursor on a section of interest on the board,and press the Insert key, INS,that section moves (pans?) to the screen center.

author: Dave_PT
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 05:16:06 pm
content: They call "pan" to the act of navigating through the layout.Let's imagine that you are seeing a part of your layout with a certain amount of zoom. Without zoom out, you must be able to navigate right, left, up or down.The problem is that, to achieve this, I would prefer to use the keyboard arrows and not the middle wheel mouse button.I tested the INSERT key, and nothing happens.There is another shortcut list beyond the showed on the constraint manager -> setup -> shortcuts?I know that ctrl+B fits the board on the screen, but I do not find more useful shortcuts...Its impossible to route and, at the same time, moving the design with the mouse.When you reach the end of the screen, the design/layout does not move, so you need to use the middle wheel mouse button to move the design, but then you will pass over other traces. It's not very practical...Thanks for your time!

author: AndersJ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 07:30:22 pm
content: My mistake.My INS comment concerns PADS standard.It did not occur to me that such basic functionality might differ.

author: Dave_PT
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 30, 2021, 05:55:52 pm
content: Related to all other questions can anyone give some more help?I know that the new year is coming and I would love to start it without these doubtsThank you all

author: Dave_PT
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2022, 10:56:57 am
content: I see that PADS its a very popular EDA SW

author: AndersJ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2022, 11:13:03 am
content: Try asking in the PADS user group.https://groups.io/g/padsusergroup

author: AndersJ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2022, 07:11:53 pm
content: https://support.sw.siemens.com/en-US/product/852852098/knowledge-base/MG617551?pid=resource&pid_context=Related&audience=external