EAGLE Help

VIA


Function
Adds vias to a board.

Syntax
VIA *..
VIA 'signal_name' diameter shape *..

See also SMD, CHANGE, DISPLAY, SET, PAD, Design Rules

When the VIA command is active, a via symbol is attached to the cursor. Pressing the left mouse button places the via at the current position and attaches a new via symbol to the cursor. When vias are added to a signal, a short circuit test is performed. If you try to connect different signals, EAGLE will ask you if you really want to connect them.

Signal name

The signal_name parameter is intended mainly to be used in script files that read in generated data. If a signal_name is given, all subsequent vias will be added to that signal, and no automatic checks will be performed.
This feature should be used with great care because it could result in short circuits, if a via is placed in a way that it would connect wires belonging to different signals. Please run a Design Rule Check after using the VIA command with the signal_name parameter!

Via diameter

Entering a number changes the diameter of the via (in the actual unit) and the value remains in use for further vias. Via diameters can be up to 0.51602 inch (13.1 mm).

The drill diameter of the via is the same as the diameter set for pads. It can be changed with


CHANGE DRILL diameter *
Shape

A via can have one of the following shapes:

Square
Round
Octagon

Vias generate drill symbols in the Drills layer and the solder stop mask in the tStop/bStop layers.

Like the diameter, the via shape can be entered while the VIA command is active, or it can be changed with the CHANGE command. The shape then remains valid for the next vias and pads.

Note that the actual shape and diameter of a via will be determined by the Design Rules of the board the via is used in.


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