I placed 1-pin footprint on my layout. When I right-clicked on it, I got:
Pad 1 of TP1 on All copper layers
Footprint TP1 on F.Cu
I examined attentively its footprint on “Footprint Editor”. I couldn’t find any sign/entry that says the footprint is on F.Cu (or on any other one).
My question is:
Since I look to order 1-layer PCB (B.Cu), how could I set the copper layer on which a footprint, mainly as this 1-pin, will be? Obviously now, I can change the layer of the pins on my layout, one after another, manually.
(Note: Number of layers cannot be set to be 1, right?)
Thank you. I forgot this hotkey.
I copied this pin from the official library. No matter how I edit it, the features of its footprint on the PCB layout are different. For example, I changed its F.Fab entries to F.SilkS but they show up on the layout as being on F.Fab.
I have the impression that copying an official 1-pin is not a very good idea After all, it is just 1 pin.
I don’t understand what you are trying to do. Official test point footprints are just fine. I’m assuming you are using a through hole variant since you say it’s pad is on all copper layers.
Why are you trying to change f.fab to f.silk? If you need something on silk just draw it on silk. And update the footprint on the board if you modify library footprint.
It happens that, unlike all other footprints, it cannot be selected!
The workaround, I did, is to update it with “Update Footprints from library” and using its identifier.
The labels on F.Fab are now gone but I still need to flip it since as the message on it says: Footprint on F.Cu.
The first thing I did was what you say now… As I mentioned earlier: It seems, I have to update every 1-pin footprint manually so that the footprint will be on B.Cu instead of F.Cu.
Then, you were kind to let me remember the “f” hotkey which is much faster.
I will create, from scratch, 1-pin footprint and see if the program forces it to be on F.Cu.
Added:
I got the same result.
Now I wonder… If I forgot to flip the footprint, will the copper of this pin exit on the bottom layer?
Time will tell
After all this could be checked, after I finish my first project on v5, with Gerber Viewer.
By default all footprints are on F.Cu until you flip them. You can however draw everything you need on the back side since you use through hole pad and it won’t be any different from the footprint being on B.Cu.
It is easy to understand that there are tracks on top and bottom.
Now, I wonder what is the real difference that a footprint is said to be on F.Cu instead of B.Cu.
Does a footprint has copper surfaces other than of its pads?!
Edit:
I guess I got it at last
In this case, F.Cu means simply the Front Layer. Obviously, for 1-layer PCB with thru holes, the components (not footprint ) are placed on the top layer.
It can have copper drawings or other things that are only on the front or only on the back. The point of having footprint orientation is to not force you to create 2 identical footprints that are mirror images of each other. Draw just one and flip it when needed.
Also footprint layer affects 3d model orientation.
This concept won’t actually work. Consider a SMD part used on both sides of a 2 layer board. The Footprint must be the same when either side is up/front. A TH part installed on the wrong side of the board as the Footprint will have all of it’s electrical connections flipped; and will probably let the magic smoke out.
@qu1ck Thanks for jumping into this thread and starting the conversation with the OP’s questions.
Sure it will, it’s just very cumbersome. Just make “front” and “back” version of the footprints for your smd part, choose correct version in cvpcb and never flip it. Disregarding 3d model placement this will work just fine.
It is impossible to foresee which side you will place all components before you even begin routing the board though (for complex board) so this is pure hypothetical.
After all, it is just 1 pin.
) are placed on the top layer.
