Inverted (negative) fonts

Making PCB Layouts, Manual routing, Auto-routing, Copper pouring, Updating from Schematic, Manufacturing Output
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gpsmart
Posts: 1
Joined: 25 Jul 2017, 22:23

Inverted (negative) fonts

#1 Post by gpsmart » 25 Jul 2017, 23:24

Hello!
How can I write inverted fonts to top layer?
If I write a font in route keepout layer, than I place copper pour on it, it doesn't work, it will make a square instead of negative font.

Tomg
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Posts: 2028
Joined: 20 Jun 2015, 07:39

Re: Inverted (negative) fonts

#2 Post by Tomg » 27 Jul 2017, 04:30

As far as I know, you will need to create a separate/smaller copper pour, create a temporary layer, convert the text into Route Keepout polylines, change the new copper pour's settings and update all copper pours. If you don't mind slogging through a 17-step procedure, here is how to do it...

Create the template
1) Create a new copper pour just large enough to accomodate the new text, place it in the desired location inside of and on the same layer as the main copper pour using the default settings, then update all copper pours.
2) In the Main Menu click on Route, choose Layer Setup... in the drop-down menu, under the [Non-Signal] tab in the Layers dialog window select Add, enter the new layer name "negative" and click on the Color: box.
3) In the Color dialog window select a color (e.g. white) and click on OK, select OK in the Add Layer dialog window and then select Close in the Layers dialog window.
4) Place the new text (Vector font of size 5 or greater) on the new layer named "negative", inside the new copper pour.

Convert to polylines
5) Click on File in the Main Menu, choose Export in the drop-down menu and select DXF... in the fly-out menu.
6) In the Export DXF dialog window, highlight the layer named "negative", set Units: (same as the PCB units), enable the [X]Use Design Origin option and click on the [Export] button.
7) In the Save As dialog window enter the File name: "negative", navigate to the desktop folder and click on the [Save] button.
8) Delete the new text on the negative layer, select File in the Main Menu, choose Import in the drop-down menu and click on DXF... in the fly-out menu.
9) In the Open dialog window navigate to and select the new file named "negative.dxf" and click on the [Open] button.
10) In the Import DXF dialog window set DXF Units: (same as PCB units), Import Mode: Add, Convert to: negative, disable all options and select Import.

Invert, refine, merge and clean up
11) Select/highlight all of the imported text polylines, right-click on one of them and choose Properties... in the pop-up menu.
12) Select Route Keepout in the Type: drop-down list of the Shape Properties dialog window and click on OK.
13) Right-click on the outline of the new copper pour and select Properties in the pop-up menu.
14) In the Copper Pour Properties dialog window under the [Pouring] tab set Clearance: 0.01mm, Line Width: 0.1mm, Line Spacing: 0.1mm, Pour Priority: (same as main copper pour) and disable all options.
15) Under the [Connectivity] tab, select the same net in the Connect to Net: drop-down list to which the main copper pour is connected, disable all options and choose OK.
16) Deselect all objects (right-click in an empty area), update all copper pours, delete the layer named "negative" and resave the PCB.
17) Finally, delete the file on the desktop named "negative.dxf".

The reasons for a separate/smaller copper pour are...
1) Reduces placement and pouring time when using the extra fine settings needed for text definition. The larger the pour, the longer it will take. If extra fine settings are used for the larger main pour, pouring could take several minutes.
2) Retains the original settings for the main copper pour.

Good luck.
Tom

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KevinA
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Joined: 18 Dec 2015, 08:35

Re: Inverted (negative) fonts

#3 Post by KevinA » 28 Jul 2017, 02:20

Step 12 was the only one I found different, no OK to click. My first pass through failed with itty-bitty (tiny) text being imported because I zoomed pass the Units on Export and even though the drawing is in mm that export Units box was set to inches, I would call that a bug or more evidence DipTrace is Imperial centric. :o
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Tomg
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Joined: 20 Jun 2015, 07:39

Re: Inverted (negative) fonts

#4 Post by Tomg » 28 Jul 2017, 04:01

I could not duplicate the missing OK in step 12, but I did post a bug report about the default Units setting for the DXF import/export dialog windows.
Tom

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KevinA
Posts: 639
Joined: 18 Dec 2015, 08:35

Re: Inverted (negative) fonts

#5 Post by KevinA » 28 Jul 2017, 05:17

I realized I screwed up again:
choose Layer Setup..
There is an OK button. My first go around I used the Right Menu Layers to create the Negative layer and set it to Non-Signal hence the no OK button.

mredd
Posts: 5
Joined: 21 Sep 2020, 04:52

Re: Inverted (negative) fonts

#6 Post by mredd » 01 Oct 2020, 09:02

I've tried these steps several times. It almost works, but the "island" space inside of 'O', 'D', etc. is not filled. Am I missing anything?

Tomg
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Posts: 2028
Joined: 20 Jun 2015, 07:39

Re: Inverted (negative) fonts

#7 Post by Tomg » 02 Oct 2020, 01:13

It's an easy process if you have version 4. Simply place the desired text on the Signal layer, enable the [x]Invert Text option in the Text Properties dialog window, move the inverted text into a copper pour area and repour that particular copper pour.
Tom

mredd
Posts: 5
Joined: 21 Sep 2020, 04:52

Re: Inverted (negative) fonts

#8 Post by mredd » 02 Oct 2020, 04:44

What?! That was easy. Wish I'd asked sooner... Thanks!!

Aliya77
Posts: 2
Joined: 05 May 2023, 22:17

Re: Inverted (negative) fonts

#9 Post by Aliya77 » 16 Jul 2023, 04:35

KevinA wrote: 28 Jul 2017, 02:20 Step 12 was the only one I found different, no OK to click. My first pass through failed with itty-bitty (tiny) text being imported because I zoomed pass the Units on Export and even though the drawing is in mm that export Units box was set to inches, I would call that a bug or more evidence DipTrace is Imperial centric. :o
Image
Hi guys
It seems like Step 12 was the only step that posed a challenge. The absence of an "OK" button to click on may have caused some confusion. Additionally, overlooking the Units setting during the export process resulted in tiny text being imported due to a mismatch with the drawing's millimeter scale.

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