X-Authentication-Warning: delorie.com: mail set sender to geda-user-bounces using -f X-Recipient: geda-user AT delorie DOT com Message-ID: <1485607260.3072.77.camel@linetec> Subject: [geda-user] PCB antenna question From: "Richard Rasker (rasker AT linetec DOT nl) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com]" To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2017 13:41:00 +0100 Organization: Linetec Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="=-hEhkGny7IdHqFAdfWvYr" X-Mailer: Evolution 3.10.4-0ubuntu2 Mime-Version: 1.0 Reply-To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com --=-hEhkGny7IdHqFAdfWvYr Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello, Lately, I started on projects involving Bluetooth and UHF RF, and for simplicity and cost, I'd like to use PCB antennas. While doing this, I ran into a question: how can I 'properly' define PCB antenna elements/footprints? When I draw a loop antenna and convert it into an element, things get problematic: each line segment is designated a separate pad number, which produces error messages as soon as the element is entered in a netlist (also see attached example). I tried redefining these lines in several ways using a text editor (by changing the pad numbers(*)), but PCB insists on treating the whole thing as a collection of shorted nets -- which of course is technically correct, but not what is desired. Simply said: Is there a way to create a 'shorted' element that isn't treated as a short circuit by PCB? *: A related question: when defining connector footprints, I usually define all mechanical metal parts as pin/pad 0. Would it be possible in principle to modify PCB's behaviour to treat these zero pins/pads as 'floating', so that they don't produce error messages when connected to an arbitrary net, or, alternatively, are left unconnected? Or would that raise other problems? Thanks already, Best regards, Richard Rasker Linetec -- Linetec Translation and Technology Services Vleerkottelanden 14 7542 MJ Enschede The Netherlands +31-53-4350834 http://www.linetec.nl/ e-mail: rasker AT linetec DOT nl --=-hEhkGny7IdHqFAdfWvYr Content-Type: application/x-pcb-footprint; name="ANT_LOOP_TEST_1" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="ANT_LOOP_TEST_1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Element["" "" "" "" 76.0000mm 47.0000mm 0.0000 0.0000 0 100 ""] ( Pad[1.0000mm -7.0000mm 1.0000mm 0.0000 10.00mil 20.00mil 0.0000 "" "1" ""] Pad[1.0000mm -7.0000mm 23.0000mm -7.0000mm 10.00mil 20.00mil 0.0000 "" "2" "edge2"] Pad[23.0000mm -7.0000mm 23.0000mm 18.0000mm 10.00mil 20.00mil 0.0000 "" "3" ""] Pad[1.0000mm 18.0000mm 23.0000mm 18.0000mm 10.00mil 20.00mil 0.0000 "" "4" "edge2"] Pad[1.0000mm 12.0000mm 1.0000mm 18.0000mm 10.00mil 20.00mil 0.0000 "" "5" "edge2"] Pad[-1.0000mm 0.0000 1.0000mm 0.0000 2.0000mm 20.00mil 2.2540mm "1" "6" "square"] Pad[-1.0000mm 12.0000mm 1.0000mm 12.0000mm 2.0000mm 20.00mil 2.2540mm "2" "7" "square"] ) --=-hEhkGny7IdHqFAdfWvYr--