I have been drawing connections to the opposing prongs of a tactile switch on the EAGLE schematic but today I realized that it will make routing easier if I didn't. Since they're already internally connected in the switch I can make routing easier by not manually drawing connections between them. Does anyone think this would be a good/bad idea? Thanks.
I have the same thought on this. But, not too sure whether it affects the switch (reliability maybe?).
With those wires removed, I could run a couple traces through the middle of these buggers but with the wires I can't. Maybe we just worried too much. Let me force one of them open, I'm sure the two prongs are one piece.
No electronics guru, but I think it is a good idea. However you should double check the soldering of the switch now as bad soldering of one pin can cause unexpected behaviour at other components.
This is a bit late, but I too was bothered by the amount of board space used by those switches.
My solution was to switch hardware to something like http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=679-2452-ND. Smaller footprint as well as only two prongs.
FWIW,
Brad.
That is what I buy. cheap.
AFIAK the legs are connected internally, there's no reason to connect them externally as well accept in some high-reliability situation where you were worried about a dry joint on one of the legs or something. (in which case you wouldn't use those switches anyway :))
Rob
I guess it's ok to remove those PCB traces for one 12-pcs run when I run out of my current anything and see if the board still works. Should be but I'm afraid of changes 
These little guys work well also.
Somewhere I picked up 2-pin switches, not sure where tho.
The Omron 10-xx eagle footprint shows the sides connected, confirm with a multimeter and then only connect 1 pin in the eagle schematic so it doesn't complain about airwires when you try & leave them out.
There's no need to connect them but I would just put down an isolated pad to make sure they have a mechanical fixing.
I have even used switches like this to form a hidden link for the continuation of a ground when doing single sided boards.
Grumpy_Mike:
There's no need to connect them but I would just put down an isolated pad to make sure they have a mechanical fixing.
I have even used switches like this to form a hidden link for the continuation of a ground when doing single sided boards.
The limited 3rd dimension or second layer. Smart!I think removing the unnecessary link will make my boards have less vias. Will do this when any of my board run low in stock;)