GroupPrimitives

Created: July 28, 2017 | Updated: April 15, 2020 | Applies to versions: 18.0, 18.1, 19.0, 19.1, 20.0, 20.1 and 20.2

The following pre-packaged resources, derived from this base command, are available:

Applied Parameters: Action=Explode | Object=Component

Summary

This command is used to convert a Component object back to its original set of primitive parts.

Access

This command is accessed from the PCB Editor by choosing the Tools » Convert » Explode Component to Free Primitives command from the main menus.

Use

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter component explode mode. Position the cursor over the component you wish to explode then click or press Enter. A confirmation dialog will appear - click Yes to proceed. An exploded component is no longer a component, so the designator and comment will be removed and the component will revert to the various primitives from which it was made.

Explode is a one-way process, there is no command to regroup an exploded component.

Continue converting further components to their free primitives or right-click or press Esc to exit component explode mode.

Tips

Explode has no effect on the footprint model stored in the applicable source library, only on the converted instance(s) of the component(s) placed on the PCB document.
Although there is no actual command to regroup an exploded component, you can use the Undo command to achieve this.
The Explode command should not be used to modify the properties of a component. The primitives in a component can be edited by unlocking the component primitives, editing them as required, then re-locking the primitives. Refer to the Primitives section on the Component Properties page for information on how to do this.

Explode Component to Free Primitives (Context Sensitive)

Applied Parameters: Action=Explode | Object=Component|ContextObject=Component

Summary

This command is used to convert one or more Component objects back to their original sets of primitive parts.

Access

This command is accessed in the PCB Editor, by:

Right-clicking over a placed component (not selected) then choosing the Component Actions » Explode Component To Free Primitives command from the context menu.
Right-clicking over a selected component (or a component that is part of a group of selected components) then choosing the Component Actions » Explode Selected Components To Free Primitives command from the context menu.

Use

After launching the command, a confirmation dialog will appear - click Yes to proceed. An exploded component is no longer a component, so the designator and comment will be removed and the component will revert to the various primitives from which it was made.

Explode is a one-way process, there is no command to regroup an exploded component.

Tips

Explode has no effect on the footprint model stored in the applicable source library, only on the converted instance(s) of the component(s) placed on the PCB document.
Although there is no actual command to regroup an exploded component, you can use the Undo command to achieve this.
The Explode command should not be used to modify the properties of a component. The primitives in a component can be edited by unlocking the component primitives, editing them as required, then re-locking the primitives. Refer to the Primitives section on the Component Properties page for information on how to do this.

Explode Dimension to Free Primitives

Applied Parameters: Action=Explode | Object=Dimension

Summary

This command is used to convert a Dimension object back to its original set of primitive parts.

A dimension object can be one of the following types: Angular, Linear, Ordinate, Original, and Radial.

Access

This command is accessed from the PCB Editor by choosing the Tools » Convert » Explode Dimension to Free Primitives command from the main menus.

Use

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter dimension explode mode. Position the cursor over the dimension you wish to explode then click or press Enter. A confirmation dialog will appear - click Yes to proceed. The dimension will revert to the various primitives from which it was made.

Continue converting further dimensions to their free primitives or right-click or press Esc to exit dimension explode mode.

Tips

Although there is no actual command to regroup an exploded dimension, you can use the Undo command to achieve this.

Explode Polygon to Free Primitives

Applied Parameters: Action=Explode | Object=Polygon

Summary

This command is used for converting a Polygon Pour object back to its original set of primitive parts.

Access

This command is accessed from the PCB Editor by choosing the Tools » Convert » Explode Polygon to Free Primitives command from the main menus.

Use

After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter polygon pour explode mode. Position the cursor over the polygon pour you wish to explode then click or press Enter. A confirmation dialog will appear - click Yes to proceed. The polygon pour will revert to the various primitives from which it was made.

Continue converting further polygon pours to their free primitives or right-click or press Esc to exit polygon pour explode mode.

Tips

Although there is no actual command to regroup an exploded polygon pour, you can use the Undo command to achieve this.

Explode Polygon to Free Primitives (Context Sensitive)

Applied Parameters: Action=Explode | Object=Polygon|ContextObject=Polygon

Summary

This command is used to convert one or more Polygon Pour objects back to their original sets of primitive parts.

Access

This command is accessed in the PCB Editor, by:

Right-clicking over a placed polygon pour (not selected) then choosing the Polygon Actions » Explode Polygon To Free Primitives command from the context menu.
Right-clicking over a selected polygon pour (or a polygon pour that is part of a group of selected polygon pours) then choosing the Polygon Actions » Explode Selected Polygons To Free Primitives command from the context menu.

Use

After launching the command, a confirmation dialog will appear - click Yes to proceed. Each polygon pour will revert to the various primitives from which it was made.

Tips

Although there is no actual command to regroup an exploded component, you can use the Undo command to achieve this.

Add Selected Primitives to Component

Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to add new primitive design objects to a Component object when graphically modifying the shape of the component directly within the PCB Editor.

Access

This command is accessed from the PCB Editor by choosing the Tools » Convert » Add Selected Primitives to Component command from the main menus.

Use

First, place new primitives as required in the workspace then select these new primitives and launch the command. The cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will be prompted to choose a component. Position the cursor over the component that you want to add the selected primitives to and click or press Enter.

A confirmation dialog will appear asking whether you wish to go ahead and add the selected primitives to the component. Clicking YES will mean that the new primitives will be recognized as part of the single component object and may be used in conjunction with the component's original primitives to edit the shape of the component as required.

Tips

The target component must have its primitives unlocked to carry out this operation, otherwise a dialog will appear alerting you to this fact and the action will be aborted. You can unlock the primitives that make up the component while viewing the properties for the selected component in the Properties panel. Click the padlock button () to the right of the Primitives option at the bottom of the Properties section of the panel.
The properties of component pads can be modified without unlocking the primitives.