unrouted trace detection  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: vini_i
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2015, 11:28:33 am
content: Does eagle have some type of tool similar to the design rule check that can check if there are any unrouted traces?The way i normally do it is turn off all the layer except for Unrouted and dimension and give the whole board a good look over. Unfortunately the other day i missed a trace and sent a board out. It was nothing that a jumper wire couldn't fix but if i could automate the process it would be wonderful.

author: android
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2015, 11:50:50 am
content: I vaguely recall using a ULP calledzoom-unrouted. I'm not sure if it is the same one. Worth a shot.

author: android
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2015, 11:55:00 am
content: Sorry...screwed the URL. Tryftp://ftp.cadsoft.de/eagle/userfiles/ulp/zoom-unrouted.ulp

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 14, 2015, 12:04:10 pm
content: Yeah, I was just trying to remember the name of the ULP. Pretty sure that's the one.Other tips:Tools - Statistics will tell you if there are airwires, but not help you find themIf you zoom right out until your board disappears, zoom back in one, choose "route manually", then click anywhere in the valid board area (e.g. inside the invisible 8" x 5" window for the freeware-licenced version), it'll chose and start to route the closest airwire - which saves poking around trying to find where the hell they are (or trying to remember what that damned ULP is called).

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2015, 12:05:21 pm
content: You can also generate some text file that shows the trace lengths of the nets.If it is a single point to point net thats unrouted it will show up as length 0 but if it is a multipoint net that is unrouted you are out of luck.

author: H.O
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2015, 12:33:31 pm
content: Simply running the Ratsnest command will tell you how many airwires there is left on the board or, if the board is fully routed, it'll sayNothing to do!. It still doesn't help you find WHERE the airwires are though.

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2015, 06:27:18 pm
content: Quote from: H.O on April 14, 2015, 12:33:31 pmExactly.To find the last, very short, nearly unvisible, airwire, do as follows:Zoom out till your board is just one or a couple of square cm's on your screen.Hit the ROUTE command.Now click in the middle of your board. The new trace will automatically snap to one end of the airwire.Now zoom out.You have found the airwire.

author: MarkL
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 14, 2015, 07:08:00 pm
content: I'll echo that - Definitely always check ratsnest for completion.It can also help to set the Unrouted layer to a higher contrast color than the default dark yellow (or brown, or whatever that's supposed to be). I have mine set to bright red and displayed on a white background the airwires are usually easy to see.But if I still don't see them because they're embedded in copper or another layer, I turn off all the other layers and then look. I Mark the one I want to fix and turn the other layers back on. Repeat.Haven't tried "zoom-unrouted". I'll try that next time.

author: kizzap
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 14, 2015, 11:34:01 pm
content: You can also find them by playing with the layers. Turn off all the layers except 19 Unrouted and it gives you a ballpark of the area you need to look in.

author: vini_i
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 01:17:16 am
content: thank you so much. all excellent tips.

author: Mr.B
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 01:29:30 am
content: zoom-unrouted.ulp is the easiest answer.Turning on and off layers is painful.

author: Christopher
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2015, 07:55:43 pm
content: In my toolbar at the top I have a link to automatically run zoom-unroutedWorks like a champ!!

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2015, 10:22:56 pm
content: I quite often use "display none unrouted" which turns everything off bar the unrolled signals, as boards are small they are easy to zoom into then use "display last" to turn everything back on that was there before.

author: IanJ
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 29, 2015, 06:50:28 pm
content: Quote from: Christopher on April 16, 2015, 07:55:43 pmYup, install Bob Starr's toolbar add-on and then edit it with your own commands n stuff.http://www.bobstarr.net/pages/downloads.htmlIan.