Part connection array

A manual layout-creating method has been introduced in which a layout is created by selecting a design and then dragging across an area. The selected design is automatically populated across the rectangular area that is formed between the starting and end points of the dragging.

To create layout through connecting parts

1. Insert the 1up from which you want to create an array.

DESIGN NOTES: Two cases are possible:

• To distribute the 1up indefinitely across the space and then add a sheet to the formed array.
• To set borders for the array by setting a 1up to start from and a 1up to end with. In this case, the connected array ends before the end 1up and is distributed in the area between the starting and the end 1ups.

2. Do any of the following:

• On the Layout toolbar, click the New Layout Drawing .
• On the Layout menu, click New Layout Drawing.
• Press CTRL+N.

3. On the Layout toolbar, click Part Connection Array .

   NOTE: This button is in a group with the button Rectangular array . If it is not visible, click the Rectangular Array button, and then drag downward to see it.

A contextual edit bar appears above the graphical area.

Row count Sets how many rows there will be in the array. Max means that the greatest possible count will be arrayed.

Min H Gap Sets the minimum gap between the 1ups in the array in the left-to-right direction.

Col Count Sets how many columns there will be in the array. Max means that the greatest possible count will be arrayed.

Min V Gap Sets the minimum gap between the 1ups in the array in the top-to-bottom direction.

Align Type Sets how the 1ups will be aligned in the array:

• Cutting align The 1ups are aligned relative to the farthest cut knife.
• Bond box align The 1ups are aligned with respect to their bounding boxes.

3. In the graphical area, select the 1up that you want to distribute across the layout space.
4. Start dragging horizontally and then vertically across the layout space.

As you are dragging, the array area starts to populate with 1ups. While the mode is active, in the contextual edit bar you can fix the number of 1ups, their gaps and align type, or arrange the array by sight.

5. Click to complete the outlining of the rectangular area.

The selected 1up is multiplied automatically across the rectangular area, filling it full.