Electrical Design > ECAD > Importing ECAD Databases > Using Automatic Layer Assignment
Using Automatic Layer Assignment
When the ecad_comp_layer_map preferences option is set to yes, the import routine creates a new layer for each component name and places each newly created reference designator on the appropriate layer.
If you are referencing an ecad_hint.map file, you can add lines to the file to direct layer creation and part-layer assignment.
New layers are named after the component name, or for .map file references, the mapped name. The syntax is ECAD_<comp name or mapped name>.
If no ecad_hint.map file exists, ECAD automatically creates a separate layer for each component type that is imported and places the component or components on that layer. Components with the same name are placed on the same layer.
Automatic Layer Assignment Example
For a *.emn file containing the following placement record:
PLACEMENT
CC1206-1 151K41000S C1
1200.00000 1550.00000 90.00000 TOP PLACED
CC1206-2 151K31001S C2
1200.00000 550.00000 90.00000 TOP PLACED
CC1206 151K41000S CC1
1900.00000 1000.00000 90.00000 BOTTOM PLACED
RC1206 161F21050S RR1
1200.00000 1000.00000 270.00000 BOTTOM PLACED
SO14 104F50074S U1
1400.00000 1400.00000 0.00000 TOP PLACED
SO14 104C50000S U21400.00000 400.00000 0.00000 TOP PLACED
SO14 104C50004S UU11700.00000 900.00000 0.00000 BOTTOM PLACED
.END_PLACEMENT
This layer configuration is produced:
Layer Name
Components on this layer
ECAD_CC1206-1
CC1206-1
ECAD_CC1206-2
CC1206-2
ECAD_CC1206
CC1206
ECAD_RC1206R
C1206
ECAD_SO14
SO14 (u1, u2, uu1)
Using the ecad_hint.map File
Using the ecad_hint.map file, you can specify an overriding mapping (over the automatic mapping) to produce a new ECAD_<mapped name> layer. The component is placed in that layer.
map_objects_by_name->
ECAD_NAME "eesmb"
ECAD_ALT_NAME "DM7442N"
ECAD_TYPE ""
MCAD_NAME "EESMB_DM7442N"
MCAD_TYPE "part"
MCAD_LAYER "<ANY>"
END