In the Stackup, we can have a layer defined as “Power Plane”.
My question is:
How this king of layer is different from “Signal” type in terms of assigning Power Nets, since we still have to define a zone for the Power Plane ?
For instance, in other tools (not to name them), when a layer is defined as “Power Plane”, we only need to assign Net Name(s) to this layer, no need to create cuts or zone at this moment. If only one net is defined, the layer becomes a negative plane for this Net. If more than one net is assigned, then later on we need to define the cuts. But in the mean time, vias will automatically connect to this plane and rastnet disappear (if via net name is the same as the one(s) assigned to this plane of course).
Copper layers can be designated as signal, power plane, mixed, or jumper in the Board Editor Layers section. This designation is intended as a guide for the user only. Tracks and zones can be routed on any copper layer, no matter what the type is configured to in this dialog.
Actually it has one more use: it’s also exported to the Specctra autorouter interchange format to guide autorouting.
I think the suggestion is that if the Layer is defined as Power Plane then simply the act of assigning a net to it will draw the Filled Zone for you . . . saving you 10 seconds
As I remember Protel 3 (from 1997) instruction than not ‘draw’ but only ‘define’ without drawing. Any track routed at Power Plane was interpreted inverted - not a copper, but a break in copper.
I have never used it as first 4 layer PCB I defined after I moved to KiCad.
