Hi Richard, I guess you just have the dominant "programmer" gene! I'll just use it to run Allegro scripts, functions etc. So, I'm a little confused about the set up of the x-keys: is there a three keystroke sequence limit or not? Does this limit only apply if you are using the built in memory instead of a file on the computer? Thanks for the replies, I can't wait to get it and set it up! Regards, Gary E. MacIndoe PCB Design Engineer Advanced Micro Devices Longmont, Colorado _____ From: icu-pcb-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:icu-pcb-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of richard moffat Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 4:51 PM To: icu-pcb-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [PCB_FORUM] Re: X-Keys 20 key, any good? Hi Gary I use Skill because I think it's a cleaner way, not just faster. Large boards will definitely take longer, and I guess slow graphics just irritate me! It may seem compicated the first time you do it; after that, it's a copy-and-paste for other combinations - Top-Copper, Bottom-Copper, Top-and-Bottom, Assy-1, Assy-2, Top-Paste, etc, etc. You can still have 'ts' as a registry, ie axlCmdRegister("ts" 'top_silk ?cmdType "general") . Yes, you can have the 'Enter' key as part of the X-Key. To it, Enter is just another key. Whatever way you program X-Keys, it's a zillion times better than not having them. Cheers, Richard >>> gary.macindoe@xxxxxxx 26/04/2006 10:22 a.m. >>> Richard, Thanks for the involved response! Wow, that sure seems complicated just to turn on some layers that make up Top Silk. So the reason you do it this way is that its faster than just having it run an Allegro script? When I run my ts script for Top Silk, it takes just about a second to run. Seems reasonable to me! Anyhow, thanks again. Regards, Gary E. MacIndoe PCB Design Engineer Advanced Micro Devices Longmont, Colorado _____ From: icu-pcb-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:icu-pcb-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of richard moffat Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 3:55 PM To: icu-pcb-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [PCB_FORUM] Re: X-Keys 20 key, any good? Hi This was one of the first things I did in Allegro - set up layer combinations onto function keys, and later on, X-Keys. I use the 58 key version - now I wouldn't work without it. With X-Keys, I normally run scripts (macros and Skill) through aliases. I find it may give a little more control. Try Skill commands instead of script replays where you can. They will be faster. Examples: Here's a template of how I named the keys: # xk11 xk12 xk13 xk14 xk15 xk16 xk17 xk18 xk19 # xk110 xk111 xk112 xk113 xk114 xk115 xk116 xk117 xk118 # xk21 xk22 xk31 xk32 xk33 xk34 xk41 xk42 # xk23 xk24 xk35 xk36 xk37 xk38 xk43 xk44 # xk25 xk26 xk39 xk310 xk311 xk312 xk45 xk46 # xk27 xk28 xk313 xk314 xk315 xk316 xk47 xk48 # xk29 xk210 xk317 xk318 xk319 xk320 xk49 xk410 Here are a couple of lines from my env files: alias xk14 replay 'k:'\allegro'\util'\allegro_scripts'\grid_eq_1.scr' alias xk21 top silk Expanding on the "Top Silk" bit... Somewhere along the lines, 'top silk' is registered on boot (could be done in different places): axlCmdRegister("top silk" 'top_silk ?cmdType "general") And what the 'top_silk.il" consists of (loaded on boot as well): procedure( top_silk() axlVisibleDesign(nil) axlVisibleLayer("ref des/silkscreen_top" t) axlVisibleLayer("package geometry/silkscreen_top" t) axlVisibleLayer("board geometry/silk_box_top" t) axlVisibleLayer("board geometry/brd_id_silk_top" t) axlVisibleLayer("via class/soldermask_top" t) axlVisibleLayer("via class/soldermask_bottom" t) axlVisibleLayer("pin/soldermask_top" t) axlVisibleLayer("board geometry/outline" t) axlVisibleLayer("board geometry/silkscreen_top" t) axlVisibleLayer("board geometry/soldermask_top" t) axlVisibleLayer("package geometry/soldermask_top" t) axlVisibleLayer("route keepin/all" t) axlVisibleLayer("DRC ERROR CLASS/PACKAGE_TOP" t) axlVisibleUpdate(t) ) Just some more ideas - there's no right or wrong way to set them up. Hope it helps. Cheers, Richard __________________________ Richard Moffat PCB CAD Manager Allied Telesis Labs ph. +64 (3) 3393000 richard.moffat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >>> gary.macindoe@xxxxxxx 25/04/2006 8:06 a.m. >>> Thanks for the response David. I was mainly wondering if it is worth getting (easy to set up, reliable etc.). One of the scripts I use is t.scr which turns on only top pads, etch assemblies etc. I have replay t aliased to t, so when I type t, Enter it runs the t script. So, can the X-Key keyboard be set up to perform both t and the Enter? That would be great to hit one key and have the script run! Hmmm, maybe I should think about the 58 key instead of the 20 key. Sure, Im always open to ideas for scripts. I have lots of them to set up the initial database depending on a standard format (i.e. pci, lpc, atx, mini itx etc.) and layer count (4, 6, 8, 10). I also have several to change views, grids etc. I just had to bang on all of the set up scripts for them to manual place format symbols since we went to 15.5. Regards, Gary E. MacIndoe PCB Design Engineer Advanced Micro Devices Longmont, Colorado _____ From: icu-pcb-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:icu-pcb-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Greig Sent: Monday, April 24, 2006 1:24 PM To: icu-pcb-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [PCB_FORUM] Re: X-Keys 20 key, any good? Using the ~56 key one. Got some scripts if you want ideas on setting it up. Also use another for C programming and spice - fewer syntax errors that way. Best Regards David Greig ______________________________ GigaDyne Ltd Buchan House Carnegie Campus Dunfermline KY11 8PL United Kingdom t: +44 (0)1383 624 975 www.gigadyne.co.uk <http://www.gigadyne.co.uk/> ______________________________ _____ From: icu-pcb-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:icu-pcb-forum-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Gary MacIndoe Sent: 24 April 2006 20:08 To: icu-pcb-forum@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [PCB_FORUM] X-Keys 20 key, any good? Hey again, So heres another one. Anybody use the Pi Engineering X-Keys 20 key programmable supplemental keyboard? Is it easy to program, works well? Thanks for any input. Gary E. MacIndoe PCB Design Engineer Advanced Micro Devices Longmont, Colorado -- Virus scanned by Lumison. NOTICE: This message contains privileged and confidential information intended only for the use of the addressee named above. 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