creating a PCB for use with a card-edge connector?

[Friendly_Mr_Circuity]

Hello
first, I'm new here (hi!) and I'm stumbling through the schematic and layout editors, learning as I go.

One question, I want my board to plug into an off-board card-edge connector. How do I indicate this on the schematic? The connector won't be part of the board itself, but I need some way of telling the schematic here is the I/O, that in the layout forms the card edge. Do I use a port? (I'm having some trouble using that function too).

I can use any guidance you can provide.
thank you

[Sal Hernandez]

If you are going to have edge connector fingers on your board you may want to represent those fingers on your schematic and layout. You will need to create two footprints and two symbol for the edge fingers. One symbol/footprint pair for the top layer and another for the bottom layer fingers. The parts creation tutorial linked below will walk you through making the parts.

PCB Parts Creation Tutorial


Once you create the edge connector fingers for both sides of the board place both on your design. Move the fingers for the top layer into position. Next right click on the footprint for the bottom side fingers and select Opposite Side. This will mirror the footprint and place the pads on the bottom layer of the board. You can then move the pads into position.

Here is a link to another forum post that explains working with port.

Working With Ports