Tech Tip: How to Output Total Route Lengths and Via Counts

Engineers sometimes like to know which nets are routed on each conductive layer separately. They also like to know the total trace length and via count for each net for all the conductive layers for the PCB. There is a quick and easy way to do this in CR-8000 Design Force.

The following steps will need to be done:

1. Create an Object Filter in Design Force to select only “Line”

2. Set “Layer Settings” to show only “Active Layer” by checking the box, all other conductive layers can be set to “Not Displayed”.

3. Turn on “Select Only Active Layer”  on the bottom Status Bar.
4. Turn on “Auto Sending” on the bottom Status Bar.
5. Open Constraint Browser and set up as shown below. You will notice I made a custom tab called “Net Layer” this can be done under View->Customize Table Configuration…

6. Make sure “Send Selected”  is turned on.

7. Before you begin “Reconstruct E-net”.
8. Set “View” to Net.
9. After frame Selecting each Active Layer “Update values”
10. The following is an example of Conductor 3 nets displayed in Constraint Browser.

NOTE: If you want to add the “Z” length of the via to the “Total Actual Length” you will need to check the box “Include via length in Z-direction” Under File -> Configuration->Advanced.

The following video will show a quick demonstration of this: