Applied Parameters: Orientation=3|S=GND|Style=4|Repeat=True
Summary
This command is used to place a predefined GND power port onto the active document. A power port is an electrical design primitive. It is a special schematic object used to define a power or ground net. Power ports allow the designer to conveniently indicate a power net at any location in the design, which can then be connected to pins or wires.
For detailed information about this object type, see
Power Port.
Access
This command can be accessed in the Schematic Editor by:
- Locating and using the Place GND power port command () on the Active Bar.
If the command has been recently used from the Active Bar, it will become the active/visible button. Where other commands are available, this is indicated by a triangle at the bottom-right corner of the button. Click and hold on the active button to access a menu of all associated commands for that grouping.
- Choosing the Place GND power port entry, on the Power Sources drop-down () of the Utilities toolbar.
- Clicking the button on the Wiring toolbar.
Use
After launching the command, the cursor will change to a cross-hair and you will enter power port placement mode. A power port symbol will appear "floating" on the cursor.
- Position the object and click or press Enter to effect placement.
- Continue placing further power ports, or right-click or press Esc to exit placement mode.
Additional actions that can be performed during placement are:
- Press the Tab key to access the Properties panel, from where properties for the power port can be changed on-the-fly.
Pressing Tab pauses placement, allowing you to interact with the panel (or other area of the software) directly. To resume, click the pause symbol that appears over the workspace.
- Press the Alt key to constrain the direction of movement to the horizontal or vertical axis, depending on the initial direction of movement.
- Press the Spacebar to rotate the power port counterclockwise or Shift+Spacebar for clockwise rotation. Rotation is in steps of 90°.
- Press the X or Y keys to mirror the power port along the X-axis or Y-axis respectively.
Tips
- The graphical symbol selected for a power port does not determine which net it is assigned to. The net name must be explicitly set.
- Power nets of the same name automatically connect throughout the design. There is one exception to this rule, if a Power Port is specifically wired to a Port object then that power net becomes local to that sheet - net connections beyond the sheet must then be defined by the wiring of the Port/Sheet Entry combination.
- While attributes can be modified during placement (Tab to bring up the Properties panel), bear in mind that these will become the default settings for further placement unless the Permanent option on the Schematic - Defaults page of the Preferences dialog is enabled. When this option is enabled, changes made will affect only the object being placed and subsequent objects placed during the same placement session.