[5.99] Can the corner points in properties be made to reference dx, dy?

Software
1

Can the corner points in properties be made to reference dx, dy as set to zero by the space bar? It would be so helpful.

John

2

What do you mean with:

I just loaded a random footprint in the Footprint Editor, and the space bar resets the dx & dy coordinates as expected.

3

Sorry I didn’t explain fully.

I wanted to make my board outline an even integer in mm.
My grid is in 0.05 because most parts are still in imperial units.
To “tweak” the edge cuts the properties show:

image

I know I can copy the numbers and do the math, but it would be so much easier if I could anchor the dx,dy at one end and modify the other end.

4

I’m sort of standardizing on using (127mm, 127mm) as a “reference” position on my PCB, because it lines up with both normal metric grid and those “other units”. That “reference position” must also be recognizable. It can be a corner of the PCB, center of a mounting hole, location of pin 1 of an important connector, or a fiducial.

There is also no reason whatsoever to do everything on the same grid, and I tend to switch to a suitable grid for the task at hand. I always use a metric grid for the PCB outline and (usually also for) mounting hole placement, and switch to a grid of those other units when placing footprints that are made for those units. Especially the big THT parts. I usually line them up on a 0.1" grid to keep “breadboard” and “matrix board” compatibility for as far as the design allows.

If you (temporary) set your grid to whole mm in metric, then you can just drag endpoints of Edge.Cuts lines to the closest grid point. Not much brain power needed for that.

Using too many different grids will make a bit of a mess of things (although probably nobody but yourself will notice). You can make some notes on one of the User layers on which grids you use for what and why.

But as this is for [5.99], You can change both the origin and the “+” direction for axes in:
Pcbnew / Preferences / Preferences / PCB Editor / Origins & Axes

1 Like
5

But as this is for [5.99], You can change both the origin and the “+” direction for axes in:
Pcbnew / Preferences / Preferences / PCB Editor / Origins & Axes

Thanks Paul… I’ve learned a lot about 5.99 I hadn’t known.

John

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