Applied Parameters: NetColorIndex=n (where n is in the range 1 to 7)
Summary
This command is used to highlight a chosen net using the indicated color. Color highlighting of nets provides for easy viewing and review of your schematics and PCB design. You can highlight multiple nets, differentiate different nets with different colors, and push highlighting from the schematic to the PCB, and vice versa.
Access
The related indexed commands are accessed from the Schematic Editor:
- From the View » Set Net Colors sub-menu.
- From the menu associated to the Net Colors button (
) on the Wiring toolbar.
Seven indexed commands are available from the menus, catering for the following predefined coloring: Blue, Light Green, Light Blue, Red, Fuchsia, Yellow, and Dark Green. To use your own custom coloring, use the Custom command available from the same menus.
Use
After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will be prompted to select the net that you want to highlight. Position the cursor over a net object belonging to the net you want to highlight then click or press Enter. The entire net will be highlighted in the chosen color.
Continue highlighting further nets using the same color, or right-click or press Esc to exit.
Tips
- To see the net color highlighting, you need to have the Net Color Override feature enabled. If you attempt to apply net highlighting with this feature disabled, the Net Color Override dialog will appear - click Yes to enable the feature. The feature can also be toggled by using the Show Net Color Override command (F5), or by enabling/disabling the Net Color Override option on the Schematic - Graphical Editing page of the Preferences dialog.
- When synchronizing the source schematics with the target PCB design, net color highlighting can be passed to the PCB (and received back from the PCB) through the applicable Engineering Change Order (ECO). Differences are detected by including the Changed Net Colors comparison type on the Comparator tab of the Project Options dialog. Modifications are included in an ECO by including the Change Net Colors modification action on the ECO Generation tab of that same dialog.
- Click on the perimeter of a Blanket directive to highlight all wire and bus segments associated to nets covered by the Blanket directive. Nets formed through direct pin-to-pin connection of components (e.g., two series resistors) or through direct component pin-to-power port connections (e.g., capacitor to GND) will not be highlighted.
- When highlighting a bus, all associated bus entries will also become highlighted.
- Color highlighting can be removed on a per net basis using the Clear Net Color command, or for all nets using the Clear All Net Colors command.