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Route Mode

The Route Mode in JITX allows you to manually create and adjust copper routes on your PCB layout. This mode provides precise control over routing paths and offers additional sub-modes for specialized routing tasks such as placing vias, control points, and differential insertion points.

Entering Route Mode

  • Activate: Click the Route Mode icon in the toolbar or press Shift + q to enter manual route mode.
  • Start Routing: Click on a pad, via, control point, or differential insertion point to begin drawing a manual route. Objects that can connect to the starting object will be highlighted. Guide the path by clicking at each point along the desired route path until you reach another connectable object.
  • Routing Constraints: If the final object is an illegal destination, or if there is not enough space to complete the route, the route will not be drawn.

Route Mode Sub-Modes

When in manual route mode, additional sub-modes are available for more specific routing tasks. These sub-modes can be accessed through the icons in the toolbar tray or by using keyboard shortcuts.

1. Via Mode

  • Activate: Click the first icon in the route mode toolbar tray or press and hold 1.

  • Function: In via mode, each click during manual routing drops a via. If the cursor is dragged out from a routable element, then only one via is created. Vias created this way use the active definition in the via dialog. For more information, see the via dialog.

    Figure 1: Manually route in via mode to drop vias at each click.

To automatically place vias around selected elements, see the Auto-Via documentation.

2. Control Point Mode

  • Activate: Click the second icon in the route mode toolbar tray or press and hold 2.

  • Function: In control point mode, you can manually add control points to routes or drag them out from other objects. Control points provide additional flexibility in shaping routes, allowing you to adjust the path more precisely. Clicking on an existing route inserts a new control point, enabling the route to have an additional bend or segment.

    Figure 2: Add control points to an existing route for more precise adjustments.

3. Diff Pair Insertion Mode

  • Activate: Click the third icon in the route mode toolbar tray or press and hold 3.

  • Function: In differential pair insertion mode, you can drag out differential insertion points from a selection. The selection must contain exactly two objects to form a valid differential pair.

    Figure 3: Drag out a differential insertion point from a pair of objects.

To automatically place a differential insertion point, see the Auto Pair Insertion documentation.