Plugin help

[How959]

Hello,

I am working on a plugin. I'd like to highlight an entire net, then blink the net at one second intervals.

1) For the <NET> xml, does SELECTED only apply if you click on a routed trace? If I highlight the net using the design manager it does not seem to get exported as selected
2) What if I wanted to just modify a selected segment?
3) Can the plug-in remain open, and update the layout file multiple times, or are the changes only committed once the plugin closes?

Thanks
Howard

[How959]

Any insights? Thanks

[Alex]

Blinking an entire net with one second intervals using a plugin is not good idea as it requires periodic reading and overwriting a file thus it loads SSD or HDD significantly.
1) Using the design manager a net is highlighted but not selected.
2) What exactly do you want to do with a selected segment?
3) Changes are applied after plugin execution, i.e. after its closing.

[How959]

For initial part placement with large number of nets and a large board, It is helpful to see certain nets for pre planning purposes. I regularly do board with mixed analog / digital, and 8 or more voltage domains. So, pre planning where my current return paths will be is critical. To see the entire board I often have to be at 75% zoom or less.

Currently, I click on a net which highlights in red all pads on the associated net. The eye is very good at seeing color change, but after a few seconds (esp when zoomed out) you can no longer easily see the related nets. I usually have to try to go back and forth between two nets to get it to "Blink".

Try loading a very large board (12" or larger) that is high density, zoom out, and it is easy to see what I mean. Highlighting does not really help, as this is at the unrouted trace stage and you are zoomed out....

Thanks