Eagle Names

Im using Eagle 5.3 and when i place a wire pad on the grid (through hole I hope) it has the name included with it but I can’t get it to line up the way i want it even after rotating it. I was hoping to leave the name blank and add my own text but it says a name with “” already exhists.!?

stevo:
Im using Eagle 5.3 and when i place a wire pad on the grid (through hole I hope) it has the name included with it but I can’t get it to line up the way i want it even after rotating it. I was hoping to leave the name blank and add my own text but it says a name with “” already exhists.!?

Are you having problems creating a library part, or problems placing the part on a board?

-Dave Pollum

Im using the standard items from the library. After you drop them on the grid you can set the properties of the object such as its name…It won’t align the name next to the object the way i want so i figured i would leave the name blank and just put my own text next to it but its not working.

stevo:
Im using the standard items from the library. After you drop them on the grid you can set the properties of the object such as its name…It won’t align the name next to the object the way i want so i figured i would leave the name blank and just put my own text next to it but its not working.

You can use the SMASH command to separate the part’s Name and the part’s Value from the part. Then you can put them where ever you want. SMASH works in both the schematic editor and the PCB layout editor.

Thanks that worked i was also wondering if the items had to be lined up on the grid line? If I use the alt key to to move the lettering exactly where I want it will they still be able to print the board or will everything have to be lined up exactly on the grid?

stevo:
Thanks that worked i was also wondering if the items had to be lined up on the grid line? If I use the alt key to to move the lettering exactly where I want it will they still be able to print the board or will everything have to be lined up exactly on the grid?

No, the lettering does not have to be on the grid. Put it where you think it looks the best.

-Dave Pollum

One last question when creating routes do you say run a route from your GND to an led to a pin to something else etc. Or should you run separate routes to different components for instance im running the ground to the microchip and then to the gnd on my nrf24lo1. Essentially there is no redundancy so i dont know if thats a bad idea and i should just run independent routes?

If you’re using an nRF24 (or any RF type chip), do yourself a favor and follow the manufacturer’s reference design and PCB layout EXACTLY (unless you really do know better). RF is very sensitive to the littlest of things.

The only time I run redundant routes is if I think the other routes will not be able to handle the amount of current on a particular trace. In my most recent project, I had one Vcc trace that went under a TQFP chip to power that chip, but then the trace continued on to power the rest of the board. To prevent that trace from heating up, I ran a redundant trace from before that chip to the power traces after it.

I’ve burned up a few traces in the past because they couldn’t handle the power requirements. It’s better to make sure your power traces are as heavy as you can make them and still pass the DRC check.