Obstacle trace to pad rule 250430

[allenpitts]

Hello Diptrace forum,

Trying to connect to pads with a trace.
Error message appears "Obstacle trace to pad rule".

What is the trace to pad rule?
How do I keep it from blocking the connection
of two pads?

Thanks.

Allen Pitts

PS Am able to complete the routing by deleting and replacing
the pad. In this case replacing the pad still does not allow
the two traces to be connected because of the error
message.

[Alex]

Hello Allen,
Please check design rules. The clearance rules are too strict - 6 to 20 mm. With theses rules interactive router can't even start routing. Once you change the rules to more realistic you will be able to route traces.

[allenpitts]

Hello Alex,
Still getting: 'Obstacle trace to pad rule'
At Verification > Design Rules
changed all values from 20 to 2.

The post in May said
Please check design rules. The clearance rules are too strict - 6 to 20 mm. With theses rules interactive router can't even start routing. Once you change the rules to more realistic you will be able to route traces.

What are realistic rules?

Am I changing them in the right place?

Dead in the water until this can be figured out.

Thanks.

Allen Pitts

[allenpitts]

Hello Alex,

When using the Manual Route tool when a trace is dragged from
a pad to the trace the trace jumps around and will not allow
the trace from the pad to be attached to the existing trace.

Very frustrating.

Thanls.

Allen Pitts

[Alex]

You can't merge (short circuit) two different nets into one net if "push traces" option is on. In that case, the solution is turning off the "push traces" option by pressing "I" hotkey while manual routing.

[allenpitts]

Hello Alex and the DipTrace forum,

Finally got an answer that solved the issue.
Shout out to Alex Mihailenko for help with solving
the Obstacle: Trace-to-pad rule error.

The full answer to the question posted
in late April at the DipTrace form
is copied herewith below.

Thanks again Alex.

Allen Pitts

+++++ Solution to the Obstacle: Trace-to-pad rule error. +++++++
Hello Allen,

The trace-to-pad rule is the clearance between a trace and a pad of different nets.
The clearance should be equal or greater than the rule, otherwise the error is detected.

The message "Obstacle: trace-to-pad rule" is shown in case if you are creating a trace manually and
"push traces" option of interactive router is on and you are attempting to route the trace too close to other net.
The solution is based on the condition of the error occurrence. You can either either turn off push traces option of
interactive router (press I hot key while manual routing) or route the trace further from the pad or decrease value pad-to-trace in design rules.

Notice, you can't merge (short circuit) two different nets into one net regardless of pad-to-trace value if "push traces" option is on.
In other words, changing pad-to-trace value won't help if you want to connect a trace to a pad of a different net (merge nets).
In that case, the only solution is turning off the "push traces" option.

The clearance of 20 mm is too large for low-voltage circuits. The value of clearance between 0.2-0.3 mm is more than
enough for low voltage circuits and appropriate from manufacturing point of view. Sure, more clearance is not bad but
you will get more forbidden areas while routing PCB.

With kind regards
Alex Mihailenko
DipTrace Team

+++++ End of Solution to the Obstacle: Trace-to-pad rule error. +++++++