I wouldn't usually make them part of another component, either - I was just trying to respond to the wording you used in your original post: "I have a component with some SMD pads. Will be covered by solder mask, protecting against any excess solder from the pad flowing onto the test point. The rectangular-pad-converted-to-shapeĬonnecting the pad and test point doesn't have an opening drawn for it on the solder mask layer, so it (being a shape, not a pad) doesn't get auto-generated paste. Here is the view of the part placed on the board, showing the paste as well. PCB symbols (and for designs you create that will utilize this component) if the Design Technology settingsįor these doesn't already include these layers. You will need to add Top Solder Mask and Bottom Solder Mask layers to your Design Technology settings for So right click the shape again, choose Properties, and check the Filled box to make it filled. When converting a pad to a shape (by right-click -> change shape type) the shape will be unfilled by default. Here is a sample PCB symbol for a part with three pads (which will get paste) and a test point (also part of the symbol) connected to one of them:
You can still create and use the component, just expect some design rule check errors which you just have to ignore when you use it. To add points within a component definition is more problematic, because there isn't a way to assign a shape within a component to a net. You can add the shape (on copper) to a net, so you don't get any design rule violations from using this technique. If not as part of a component, I use a shape (not pad) on copper for test points, and place a corresponding shape on the solder mask layer to create the opening, so the point isn't covered by solder mask.