Draw Tool
The Draw Tool lets you add geometry directly to Gerber and Excellon layers. Use it to add missing features, place fiducials, draw board outlines, or insert drill holes without leaving the viewer.
Activating the tool
Select the Draw tool from the canvas toolbar. The draw editor bar appears at the top of the canvas with layer selection, shape tools, and configuration options.
Target layer
Choose which layer to draw on using the Layer dropdown. Each layer shows its color swatch and file name. The available shape tools adjust based on the layer type:
- Gerber layers – Line, Rectangle, Circle, Text
- Excellon (drill) layers – Drill
Shape tools
Line
Click and drag to draw a line segment. The stroke width is configurable.
Rectangle
Click and drag to draw a rectangle. Toggle between Fill (solid region) and Stroke (outline only). In stroke mode the width is configurable.
Circle
Click and drag to draw a circle defined by center and radius. Supports fill and stroke modes.
Text
Click to place text on the layer. Enter the text content and height (mm) in the toolbar before clicking.
Drill
Available on Excellon layers. Click to place a drill hit. Set the diameter (mm) in the toolbar before clicking.
Fill and stroke
For Gerber shapes (Line, Rectangle, Circle), toggle between:
- Fill – draws a solid Gerber region
- Stroke – draws an outline with configurable width (mm)
Snap system
Toggle Snap in the toolbar to enable snapping. Two snap modes work together:
- Grid snap (green indicator) – snaps to the configured grid spacing
- Object snap (yellow indicator) – snaps to existing pad centers, endpoints, and geometry centers on visible layers
A snap indicator with a label appears at the cursor when snapping is active.
Precise mode
Enable Precise in the toolbar to enter exact dimensions before placing a shape:
- Rectangle – enter width and height (mm), then click to place
- Circle – enter radius (mm), then click to place
- Line – enter length (mm), then click to place
The preview shows a ghost outline at the cursor so you can verify the size before committing.
Quick placement
Two preset buttons provide one-click placement of common features:
- Fiducial – places a 1 mm copper dot with a 3 mm solder mask clear and a 2 mm paste mask opening, matching the standard fiducial specification
- BC (Barcode) – places a barcode box outline with configurable size
Dimension labels
While drawing, live dimension labels show the size of the shape being created (width, height, radius, or length in mm). Dimensions smaller than 1 mm are displayed in micrometers.
Undo
Press Escape while not actively drawing to undo the last committed shape. You can also press Escape during a drag operation to cancel the current shape without committing it.