Placing "mil" pins on a metric footprint

[none111]

Ultiboard 10.1

In footprint edit mode I want to place an array of pins (Place->Pins) with 100mil spacing such that pin 1 is centred precisely at a given (metric) location.

Ideally, I'd like to enter the coordinates manually but there's no "*" functionality in FPE mode.

All I seem to be able to do currently is click to place the array roughly, then select each pin in turn and manually set the coordinates. (Very tedious / error prone!)

Moving them as a group fails as the move is based on the selection centre (mil) whereas the centre of pin 1 is metric.

All thoughts gratefully received.

Bob

[JohnMc19]

Hi Bob,

Thank you for posting on this forum. I am currently looking into this issue for you and immediately I think the workaround is to select each pin and manually set the co-ordinates. I am still researching on this and will get back to you with more information.

Many Thanks,

[none111]

Hi John,

Thanks so much for looking at this for me.  I have several more boards to do next month and any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Bob

[stressed_user]

Hi,

An easy wat to place arrays, is to let the wizard work for you:

let it place the part on a grid (metric or mills, whatever), for instance a row of 10 pins on a 2.54 mm distance (100 mills)

run through the wizard, and make everything as correct as you can (row/distances etc..)

finally, if your pins are not centered (the wizard centers the pins...) then put an extra pin on the exact pin 1 location, preferabaly with the same size.

You can enter that position manually, (you might want to reposition your reference point first or later...)

for a correct positioning, make sure your grid settings are small enough, chouse 0.01 mm or less...

Next select all pins (except the new one) and move tuntil pin 1 fits the new pin/pad

that works fine for me...

johan

[stressed_user]

Oh, and don't forget to remove the extra pin!

[none111]

Thanks for that stressed user.  I did try something very similar to that technique.  For some unknown reason UB crashed (my version gets upset quite easily with tiny grids). I'll give it another shot as you've had success with it.

Regards,

Bob