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Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2013 14:04:29 -0400
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From: DJ Delorie <dj AT delorie DOT com>
To: geda-help AT delorie DOT com
In-reply-to: <51E97735.5010005@videotron.ca> (message from Ian Chapman on Fri,
	19 Jul 2013 13:28:21 -0400)
Subject: Re: [geda-help] Toporouter and vias
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> Please pardon my ignorance.  I've used pcb a few times over the past
> 10 years including the autorouter. What is Toprouter and teardrops?
> Is this a new pcb feature?  Ian.

The built-in router is a "gridless" router, but still rectilinear.
The toporouter is a topological autorouter based on triangles instead
of rectangles.  Like all of pcb's autorouters (current and
historical), it works for some boards and not for others.  If any
geometry majors want to own them, speak up :-)

Teardrops is a simple (ha!) plugin that adds fillets at the
intersections of traces and pins/vias.  For examples, see
http://www.delorie.com/pcb/teardrops/