pcb layout questions (pcb express)

[dubs]

Hi all,
In regards to pcb express-
What track width do you guys find good for pcb layouts?
What pad size of components?How can you change this ?  Is there any way to change the track size  and pad size of the entire layout or do you have to do each one individually??

[niftydog]

I use Protel, so can't help you with specifics about that program... but;

I use 1mm tracks wherever I can, nice compromise between being large but also being compact. But, basically use as big as is practical!

Drop to 0.8mm, or even 0.4mm to get inbetween pins on a DIP package. For high power, and ground tracks, use a big as you can fit.

Pads, I use a bare minimum radius of twice the lead diameter. ie; leads of 0.254mm in diameter, I would use approximately a 2mm diameter pad with about a 0.3mm hole.

consider using oval shaped pads for IC packages.

Again, bigger the better, but it's harder to fit everything compactly when everythings HUGE!

Just imagine yourself soldering the part onto the pad. Say we have a 2mm pad with a 0.3 hole, that means there's a ring of copper there that's 0.85mm thick. Is it easy to solder to that much copper?!?! Perhaps for me, because I do it all day every day... but someone else might want something bigger!

[bwanasonic]

Hi all,
In regards to pcb express-
Is there any way to change the track size  and pad size of the entire layout or do you have to do each one individually??

You can click-drag and select all the traces, then shift-right-click to select trace properties to change all traces at once. For pads, place a pad the size you want for all, and then click-drag to select all pads. If you shift-right-click on the pad you placed, the desired pad size will be selected in the pull-down menu. OK it to change all the pads.