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<p>
Node: <a name="Line%20Objects">Line Objects</a>,
Next: <a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="Arc-Objects.html#Arc%20Objects">Arc Objects</a>,
Previous: <a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="Layer-Objects.html#Layer%20Objects">Layer Objects</a>,
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<h3 class="section">Lines</h3>
<p>Lines are used to draw tracks on the pc board.
When in the line mode, each <em>Btn1</em>
press establishes one end of a line.
Once the second point is defined, the line is drawn
and a new line started where the first one ended.
You can abandon the new starting point in favor
of another by pressing <em>Ctrl-Btn1</em>, or
<em>Btn3</em>, but don't use <em>Btn2</em>.
The undo function (<em>U</em> key or <code>undo last operation</code>
from the <b>Edit</b> menu) will take you back
point by point if you use it while in the line mode. If you drag
the pointer out of the Layout area while drawing a line, the
display will auto-scroll (assuming sufficient zoom for scrolling).
To stop auto-scroll, simply pass the pointer over the panner control.
<p>New lines can be restricted to 45 degree angles if desired. You can toggle this
restriction on and off while creating lines by pressing the <em>period</em> key.
If the 45 degree restriction is turned on, then the <em>/</em> (forward slash) key
can be used to cycle through three different modes of 45 degree line creation.
One mode just creates a single line forced to the nearest 45 degree vector. The next
mode creates two lines from the start to end points such that the first line leaves the
start point at a 90 degree vector, and the second line enters the end point on a 45
degree vector. The last mode creates two lines such that the first line leaves the
start point on a 45 degree vector and arrives at the end point on a 90 degree vector.
You can temporarily swap between the last two modes by holding the <em>Shift</em> key down.
<p>It is simple to edit a line object by breaking it into pieces (insert point mode),
moving an end point or the whole line (<em>Arrow tool</em>),
or changing the layer it resides on (<em>M</em> key moves the line under the pointer
to the active layer).
In the case when two line segments meet at exactly the same
point you can delete the intermediate point, otherwise the delete tool removes an entire line.
Feel free to experiment
since <code>Pcb</code> will allow you to undo and redo anything that materially affects your work.
If you switch active layers in the midst of placing lines a via will automatically be
placed, when necessary, in order to continue the connection.
<p>If you draw a line inside a polygon, it will either plow through the
polygon creating a clearance, or touch the polygon. This behavior is
selectable in the <b>Settings</b> menu for new lines. To change the
behavior of an existing line, hit the <em>J</em> key with the cross hair
over the line. You can increase the size of the clearance by 2 mils on
each edge with the with the
<em>K</em> key. <em>Shift-K</em> will decrease the clearance by 2 mils.
The increment may be changed from 2 mils through the application
resource file.
The clearance can be also increased, decreased and set
by the <em>ChangeClearSize</em> action.
<p>Lines do not need to intersect the center of a pin, pad, via, or other
line for <code>Pcb</code> to understand that they make electrical connection.
If the connection is too tenuous, running the design rule checker will report
that the connection may break if the line width shrinks slightly.
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