Witing 'negative image' text on copper areas?

[Dalmation]

Hello,

I am having trouble with text on copper areas.

I was wanting to write in the copper area- but with the text being taken way from the copper (negative image). I dont want the box around the text.

I have attached 2 pictures- one is what I have- the other is what I want.

Is there any way of doing this?

Thanks

[lacy]

I tried what you have and you are correct. It looks like your first picture. I cannot seem to get rid of this. It is almost like it won't let you change the colors for some reason. Maybe Nestor has something that can be done, because I have tried changing the colors to no avail.

It doesn't seem to let you change the background collor around the text either.

Just so Nestor has all the information, I believe this was done in a copper top power plane. If I am wrong Dalmation, please correct this information.

Sorry I wasn't any help, but on this one I just don't know what can be done.

Message Edited by lacy on 10-06-2007 06:34 PM

[Dalmation]

Yeah- its on the copper top powerplane.

Maybe I need to import a picture. I'll mess around.

Would be really good to find a solution. I'm just at the final check and tidy stage with this board- be nice to get it finished.

-Dal,

[lacy]

I tried importing a picture and I couldn't get it to work right for me. You may have better luck with that than I did. Let me know if that works for you.

Message Edited by lacy on 10-06-2007 07:53 PM

[GarretF]

Hi Dalmation:

You can get the desired behaviour, but you may need to adjust the colours in the bitmap. Ultiboard chooses one colour from the bitmap that becomes copper and all of the other colours are voids. Without the actual bitmap I can't predict how to get your desired result, so I can only suggest try changing the colours (try black and white).

[lacy]

Just so you'll know, I tried a bitmap and it didn't work. Granted I may not have done this correctly. What I did was to place Text into MS Paint and then save it as a monochrome image (just like you would do on the silkscreen) and then place it. It did not show up through the powerplane on my tests. I also reversed this image and tried it again and it wouldn't do it either. This technique works as long as there is no power plane on the board.

If this is wrong, please let us know.

[GarretF]

I think I see what you are doing. Placing a picture is placing copper, so you don't need a power plane. If there is a power place, you are essentially placing copper on top of copper, which just gives you combined. You can't 'subtract' the picture from the power plane, but if you turn the power place into a copper area, you can remove the area that has the picture. (To turn a power plan into a copper area, use the polygon splitter. When you remove the area, the power plane becomes a copper area.)

[lacy]

Thanks Garret, That works pretty good, but it is a difficult procedure to get it looking correct and then you have to fill in the gap in the powerplane/copper area created by the splitter. Maybe this could be a feature requests. Being able to place text and graphics more easily onto a powerplane.

[Dalmation]

Thanks guys- I'll play around and see if I can get it looking the way I want.

Appreciated.

-Dalmation

[GarretF]

I've added two requests based on this thread:

1. Be able to control which colour(s) do not become copper.
2. Be able to subtract a graphic from a power plane.

These are how I think it would be easiest to get the desired behaviour, but you have other ideas, please post them and I'll append them to the feature request.