Protel: How to fill inside a cloed polygon

line clearance inside polygon

Hi all,

Two questions about protel DXP or other protel versions:

I was wondering how to fill inside a closed shape (this closed shape consists of some straight lines and an arc).

Second, How to subtract two shapes. (boolean functions: as we do in HFSS or ADS)

Many thanks in advance.

poly_from_sel_prims

There are several ways of doing this, depending on what version of Protel/Altium software you are using.

In the newer versions of Altium Designer 6.8-6.9, you could select the outline you want to fill with a polygon pour, then use the menu command "Tools>>Polygon Pours>>Define from Selected Objects". To make a cutout in the pour, you would use "Place>>Polygon Pour Cutout".

In older versions of Protel/Altium, you could make your polygon outline a keepout and pour over the keepout region. The polygon fill would stop at the keepout with whatever clearance you had set in the design rules.

polygon rules dxp

Thank you very much for your reply.
I have protel DXp, I draw my polygon (a closed one) and then I select the entire shape and after that what should I do? I didn't get what you mean.

There are many versions of DXP beginning with DXP2002 and going through DXP2004SP4. The newer versions are called Altium Designer, and the newest one is Version 6.9.

I'm going to assume you have one of the older versions of DXP2002-DXP2004. This is a hidden process in DXP that you can use:

1. Go into design rules and temporarily disable your electrical clearance rule.
2. Select the outline that you want to use for your polygon.
3. Go to DXP on the menu bar, and select "Run Process".
4. Type in "PCB:RunScissors" without the quotes in the Process box.
5. Type in "Mode=Poly_From_Sel_Prims" without the quotes in the Parameters box.
6. Hit the "OK" button.
7. Double click inside the polygon outline and change the polygon type to "solid".

You should now see a polygon fill of the exact shape of your outline. Don't forget to turn your electrical clearance rule back on for any routing and placement you intend to do. Don't repour the polygon you just made with the clearance rule on, or it will shrink the polygon to clear the outline by whatever distance the rule is set to.

P*otel: How to fill inside a cloed polygon

Dear House_Cat:
Thank you very much indeed. I just did what you said. But when I double click inside the polygon outline, the "polygon plane" pops up. and in there, there's no "solid" option as you said in line 7.
I have DXP 2004. (Build 8.0.4)
Your 2nd line: I am working on the "top layer" and since you said: select the outline. I select the polygon and it would be highlighted. Am I wrong?
Thank you very much again for your time and consideration.

You said in your first post that you had a closed shape consisting of some straight lines and an arc that you wanted to fill. Select those lines and arcs, then use the method that I outlined to create the polygon fill. DON'T use the place polygon command at all - the method that I outlined will make a polygon for you from the lines and arcs as long as they form a completely closed boundary.

Once you have created the polygon, you will get the dialog pictured below when you double click on it. This is from DXP Version 8.4.03.3664. That is DXP2004 with Sevice Pack 4 installed.

Thank you very much for your prompt reply,

I did just as you said but unfortunately in the last step, when I double click inside the closed shape, I get this result: (I have attached the picture)

My DXP version is: 2004 (built: 8.0.4.1272)

I think I am doing wrong somewhere.
Anyway Thank you very much again.

Your version and build number tell me that you have the original DXP2004 without any updates installed. Solid polygons were introduced in DXP2004 service pack 2. That means you can't use solid polygons, so you will have to adjust the spacing and line width to get a solid surface from hatched polygons.

You should consider updating your software. There were many problems with the early versions of DXP2004. Your old license will work with SP1, but you have to request a new license to run SP2 or above.

Let me know if you're still having problems, and I'll see if I can work out some other approach for you.

P*otel: How to fill inside a cloed polygon

Dear house_Cat:
Thank you very much indeed for your help. It certainly helps me alot. I think I should upgrade my DXP.
Best,
Masoud.