Eagle auto router keeps routing on the bottom layer

Using Arduino Microcontrollers
1

I must have screwed up a setting in EAGLE. It keeps routing on the bottom layer with vias instead of making a simple top-layer trace:

My settings didn't prefer bottom over top, I think and via costs something, not nothing. I get these vias all over my board.

2

I didn't give a routing preferred direction for either layer. I used * for both layers. I now forced it to do - on top layer and | on bottom layer. I don't think it's the final solution. If my top trace is supposed to be vertical then the autorouter may still want to do the routing on the bottom layer.

3

I am very new to Eagle and not qualified to offer assistance, but it looks like the autorouter is routing around a value? Did you make that part and accidentally put the value on the top layer?

4

That wasn't the case. The value is on silk screen layer.

5

You might get a quicker answer in the Eagle support forums.

6

srnet:
You might get a quicker answer in the Eagle support forums.

It's the version that will get them laughing. They're on EAGLE 9.x with subscription and I'm on EAGLE 6.6.0 perpetual license. Will try though. Thanks.