gEDA-user: Test pads in PCB

[sdb@xxxxxxxxxx (Stuart Brorson)]

As long as people are discussing vias in PCB, I'll raise a different
question which occurred to me recently.

Modern electronic manufacturing methods often include a testing step
in which the stuffed board is checked for connectivitiy using either a
"bed of nails" test fixture, or with a "flying probe" robotic
probe.  These tests are totally automated, and are performed by very
expensive machines manufactured specifically for testing PCBs.  Both
types of test use little brass probes which look like pogo sticks 
to touch little round pads you attach to each and every track.  These
round pads are maybe 30 -- 50 mils in diameter.  The pads live only on
the surface metal layers, and the soldermask is cleared away from the
pad so that the probe may make contact.  Using these pads and your
netlist, the machines can verify that your newly assembled PCB doesn't
have any shorts, connections are correct, etc.  [1]

So my question:  Has anybody here tried placing test pads on their
PCBs?   I have a feeling most people using PCB are doing so for
hobby/student projects.  However, professional-level boards destined
for mass manufacture need this feature.  I suppose one could just
create a "testpad" element in PCB to place & hook to every
net.  However, since the test pad doesn't appear in the netlist, PCB
will complain every time you refresh the netlist, and it will make DRC
checking a real PITA.  Therefore, I have a feeling that any testpad
element needs to be recognized as a special structure by PCB. 

Any thoughts?  Has anybody tried to place testpads for manufacturing
test?  

Stuart

[1]  Note:  The test pads I am talking about are *not* test points
which you place in your circuit to hang scope probes off of.  They are
used more or less exclusively by your PCB assembly house for ICT -- in
circuit testing.