Using the Toolbar in Flux PCB Editor

The toolbar is a context-aware interface that appears automatically when you select a node in the PCB editor. It provides a quick and intuitive way to modify layout properties of the selected node without having to navigate through menus or set up manual layout rules.

Accessing the Toolbar

To access the toolbar:

1. Open your PCB design in the PCB editor
2. Select any object in your PCB layout (such as the layout itself, a footprint, trace, via, etc.)
3. The toolbar will automatically appear near the selected object
4. The available options in the toolbar will change based on the type of object you've selected

Available Properties

The toolbar dynamically adjusts the available options based on the type of node you've selected. Here are some of the properties you can modify using the toolbar:

Layout Properties

• Size - change the layout dimensions
• Corner Radius - adjust the roundness of layout corners
• Board Shape - switch between rectangular and circular board shapes

Component Properties

• Position - adjust X, Y coordinates
• Rotation - rotate components on the board
• Size - scale component dimensions

Trace Properties

• Position - adjust trace location
• Trace Width - modify trace thickness
• Rotation - rotate trace segments

Via Properties

• Position - adjust via location
• Hole Size - modify via hole diameter
• Via Options - configure via types and connections

Text Properties

• Position - adjust text location
• Font Size - change text size
• Rotation - rotate text elements

Advantages Over Manual Rule Setup

The toolbar offers several advantages over the traditional manual rule setup:

• Immediate Access: No need to navigate through menus or panels
• Context-Aware: Only shows relevant options for the selected object
• Real-Time Updates: See changes immediately as you adjust properties
• Efficient Workflow: Make multiple adjustments quickly without switching contexts

For more complex rule configurations or rules that need to apply to multiple objects simultaneously, you may still need to use the selector-based layout rules.