Dim Net Names with Color 213

The net name GPIO_PWR_0 shown in the snippet below has no other connections on page or off page in the schematic. 

 

Displaying Net Names which have no other connections can frustrate Technicians and Engineers who have to troubleshoot boards because they will waste time trying to find other non-existent connections for the nets.

Net Names on wires were traditionally used to indicate there are other connections on the same page in the schematic.

So, why would you assign a Net Names to wires when no other connection exists?

Actually there are some useful reasons, during layout it is convenient to know what signals you are routing.  Would you prefer to know you are routing NetR105_2 or GPIO_PWR_0.

Altium has nice feature in layout.  When you are zoomed in the net name is displayed right on the vias and traces.

The PCB Designer may need to create design rules based on Net Names.  Assigning rules to net names like GPIO_PWR_0 is more intuitive than NetR105_2.

One possible solution is to Dim the Net Names.

In the Schematic Change the Single Point Net Name's color to light gray (color 213) or another off white color.

When printed the light colored Net Name in the schematic will not be barely visible in the printed copy.

Now, we have a faint reminder in the schematic that we have an assigned Net Name and in Layout we can  route and use rules based on Net Names.

Underscore characters are commonly used and required to create Differential Pairs and to identify Address Bus Bits. Therefore it is not practical to eliminate the use of underscore characters in Net Names.