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Text File | 1994-01-18 | 18.7 KB | 430 lines

Advanced PCB Design System Version 2.0 - README.TXT file This file covers the following products: Basic 32-bit PCB 2.0 design system, plus Advanced PCB option; Advanced Place option; Advanced Route option. Note: When using this README file, please refer also to your Advanced PCB User Guide, Advanced PCB Reference and to the On-line Help system. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright Notice Software, documentation and related materials: Copyright (c) 1992-93 Protel Technology Inc Copyright (c) 1991-92 Protel Technology Pty Ltd All rights reserved. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Advanced PCB version 2.0 New features list (For more detailed descriptions of these commands/options refer to online help) Performance upgrades and other enhancements 1. Split plane support. Place unfilled polygons on internal plane layers to define split planes with full DRC support 2. Shape-based autorouting option (Advanced SB Route) 3. Status bar includes "progress" box that shows completion of complex processes 4. Support for PADS 2000 (.ASC format) design files 5. PCAD file handling support user layer assignments 6. Load and update PCB from PADS ECO file 7. Generates .ECO report files as you edit 8. Pad Stack support 9. Cross Probing to and from Advanced Schematic 10. Full forward annotation when updated netlist is loaded 11. Protel 2 netlist support includes net design rules, topology, priority 12. Re-annotate options have been expanded to include right-to-left 13. PCB net/connection information can be graphically edited 14. Placed primitives inherit net assignments from "touching" primitives 15. Polygon planes can now be fully edited, including shape and layer assignments 16. Polygon planes can now be moved, rotated, flipped, copied, cut, pasted or deleted 17. Polygon planes can be poured using area fills 18. Polygon planes can be poured over existing "same net" primitives 19. Polygon perimeters can include arc segments 20. Array placement now allows use of negative offsets (e.g. -100.5) 21. Selections of Track can be replaced with area fills 22. Hidden free primitives are not included in selections (e.g. Select- Inside Area, etc.) 23. Edit-Jump-Design Rule Violations will step through all uncorrected errors 24. Auto-Route Manual re-routes previously routed track segments with loop removal 25. Advanced Route Maze passes can be used to route individual connections 26. Advanced Route includes Fan Out for SMDs 27. Advanced Route includes corner mitering (45s) and user defined radii 28. Advanced Route is faster and generates higher completion rates 29. Advanced Route recognizes Route Priority filed in Protel 2 netlist 30. Advanced Route automatically minimizes cell map size, irrespective of current origin 31. Advanced Route supports fractional routing grids (32-bit resolution) 32. Auto Route-Manual will remove partially routed connection for re- routing 33. On-line Clearance Violations displays primitive+clearance zone 34. Edit-Net, Un-Route-Net and Route-Net commands list "available" nets 35. Info-Measure Distance command displays point-to-point, x and y distance 36. DRC and LOG report files include setup information 37. Pick and Place report file support programming of auto insertion equipment 38. Jump Pad command prompts for component-pin combination 39. Library (component) capacity increased to 2000 footprints 40. Aperture file capacity increased to 1000 apertures 41. Auto Place works with both Top and Bottom layer components 42. CSV and Protel report file editors launch automatically when reports are generated 43. Free strings can include up to 255 characters 44. Components highlight when their designators or comments are moved 45. Design Rule Check accuracy is improved 46. Power plane, solder and paste mask layers display pad/pin site attributes New commands 47. File-Output Options command (sets-up layer display/printing) 48. File-Shape Based Router commands (provides links to Advanced SB Route) 49. File-Run Schematic Capture command (launches Advanced Schematic) 50. File-Reports-Pick and Place command (generates Pick and Place support file) 51. Edit-Select-Off Grid Pads (convenient selection of any pads which are off the current snap grid) 52. Edit-Toggle Selection-Polygons (selects/deselects polygon planes) 53. Edit-Delete-Polygon (deletes selected polygon plane) 54. Edit-Change-Edit Polygon Vertices (moves, adds or deletes polygon plane vertices) 55. Edit-Place-Outline Selected Items (places tracks/arcs around a selection) 56. Edit-Change-Convert Selections to Fills (converts selected primitives into area fills) 57. Edit-Move-Polygon (moves polygon plane as a single entity and repours in the new location) 58. Edit-Reset Origin command (changes origin back to absolute 0,0) 59. Edit-Cross Probe Part On Schematic (displays corresponding schematic part) 60. Edit-Cross Probe Pin On Schematic (displays corresponding part/pin in schematic) 61. Edit-Cross Probe Net (displays corresponding net identifier in schematic) 62. Netlist-Add Nodes (adds component pads to a net) 63. Netlist-Delete Nodes (removes component pads from a net) 64. Netlist-Add/Modify Connections (adds or modifies connections to a net) 65. Netlist-Delete Connections (removes connections from a net) 66. Netlist-Add Nets (adds new nets to the PCB netlist) 67. Netlist-Run ECO File (updates PCB from ECO file) 68. Netlist-Clearance Check (displays any clearance violations in PCB) 69. Netlist-Reset DRC Error Markers (clears DRC Errors display) 70. Auto-Auto Route-Advanced Route Connections (Maze passes on single connections) 71. Auto-Placement Tools-Align Components (Aligns components interactively) New dialog box options 72. File-Save As include Protel Text (Version 1.12) option 73. File-Re-Annotate includes two new positional schemes 74. File-Gerber Setup includes 2:4 and 2:5 numeric format options 75. File-Gerber/Print/Pen Plot Output Options dialogs include Plot Unconnected Pads option. (if Off Mid Layer plots won't include pads not connected on those layers) 76. Edit-Change-Component global options include Wildcard search field 77. Edit-Change-Pad includes independent Shape/Size attributes for Top/Mid/Bottom layers 78. Edit-Change-Fill includes Net assignment and matching field 79. Edit-Change-Track/Arc include Net assignment and matching field 80. Edit-Place-Polygon Plane includes Pour Over Same Net option 81. Edit-Place-Polygon Plane includes Fills/Tracks option for copper pour 82. Edit-Place-Polygon Plane includes Layer assignment/re-assignment 83. Library-Components includes Place Whole Library option 84. Library-Pads includes Pad Placement Variables (increment and initial name) 85. Library-Apertures includes Maximum Aperture Size field 86. Library-Apertures includes Generate Relief Shapes option 87. Netlist-Edit Net includes Class Number (support Advanced SB Route) 88. Netlist-Edit Net includes Source/Terminator Nodes for Optimization Method 89. Netlist-Edit Net Optimize Methods includes Star Point and Manual 90. Auto-Setup Auto Route includes Via Hole Size option 91. Auto-Setup Auto Route includes SMD Fan Out pass option 92. Auto-Setup Auto Route includes Smooth Any (includes manual routes) option 93. Auto-Setup Auto Route includes Miter (corners) and miter radius options 94. Auto-Setup Auto Route includes Shape Based (Advanced SB Route) setups option 95. Options-Preferences includes Clean Redraw (slower but always WYSIWIG) option 96. Options-Preferences includes Rotation Step Size (for Spacebar shortcut) option 97. Options-Preferences includes ECO File setups and Active option 98. Options-Preferences includes CSV and Protel Format editor (application) assignment 99. Options-Display includes All (primitives) display mode option 100. Options-Display includes Draft Tracks Threshold (single pixel rendering) option 101. Info-Board Status includes DRC violation count New productivity shortcuts 102. DeSelect-All, Manual Route, Add Connections and Align Components tool buttons added to the toolbar 103. Press "TAB" to open Current menu options for primitive being placed 104. Press "D" to access Options-Display dialog box during place or edit 105. Press "A" to convert polygon perimeter track to arc 106. Press "A" to toggle polygon perimiter arc direction (left/right) 107. Press "T" to convert polygon perimeter arc to track 108. Press "S" to swap component layer when moving or placing 109. Press "T" (Top), "B" (Bottom), "L" (Left side), "R" (Right side), "V" (Vertical center) or "H" (Horizontal center) to set placement mode when using the Auto-Placement Tools-Align Component command 110. Press CRTL-L for Options Layers Dialog Box while Editing or Placing 111. CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT MOUSE to break track at cursor location 112. Rotation increment (Spacebar) is user-definable (Options-Preferences) 113. Press "Ins" to add or "Del" to delete polygon vertices while editing Additional new features 114. Netlist-Compare command reports differences between two netlists 115. Memory monitor (Options-Memory Monitor command) tracks memory use 116. Options-Preferences includes Select Visible Primitives Only option which limits selections to "un-hidden" items only (default=off) 117. Preview mode operates when Current Layer Only option is chosen (speeds redraw by minimizing display information) 118. Edit-Change-Convert Selected Vias To Pads commands supports conversion of PADS-PCB and PADS 2000 files 119. Dynamic Re-connect option guides user to nearest pad (in net) when manually routing (Options-Preferences) 120. Loop Removal (Options-Preferences) removed un-used track when re-routing connections (Auto-Route-Manual Route command) 121. Automatic Report Editor, designates applications for viewing/editing CSV and Protel text reports (BOM, etc.) 122. New Hot Keys for Auto-Manual Route command: V places a via, P places a pad (Pad inherits power plane assignment of current net) 123. During track placement and Manual Routing: "P" will place a pad which inherits the pwr/gnd connection from the net it belongs to. "V" will place a Test Via without swapping layers. See On-line Help for further information regarding these new commands, options and improvements. Release Notes for Version 2.0 Software Protection system If upgrading from verson 1.12 or earlier, please note that PCB version 2.0 requires a new access code. If upgrading from version 1.5, no new access code is required. See the Environment Guide for further information. Hardlock .CDE files In previous versions of Advanced PCB the access codes for each software module were stored in a file called PFW.CDE located in the Windows directory. In version 1.12 access codes were stored in seperate files for each hardlock. This file was identified by the Advanced PCB serial number, e.g. S1000999.CDE, etc. Hardlock access codes are now stored in ONE file "access.cde". Access codes for multiple hardlocks can be stored in the same file and activated automatically. NEW FEATURES Please refer to the On-Line Help system (Run Advanced PCB, then press F1) for a description of features that have been added (or modified) since the User Guide and Reference were printed: Split Plane feature Version 2.0 allows users to define split power planes, with full preservation of design rule checking and net integrity. To define a split plane: 1. Make a power plane layer the current active layer. 2. Choose the Edit-Place-Polygon command. 3. Define the polygon for one part of the split plane. When the Polygon Plane dialog box opens, disable both the Horizontal and Vertical Hatching options so that an un-filled plane (outline) will be generated. 4. Assign the desired net to the plane. 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to define polygons for all other nets to be connected on this split plane layer. Ideally, the entire plane will be divided into two or more unfilled polygon planes. This assures that all connected/relieved pins will be inside a polygon. One polygon may be enclosed inside another. Polygon perimeters must not overlap (or cross). 6. Once all polygons have been defined, direct connections or thermal reliefs can be created for each pin connected to the plane. This is done when nets are assiged to the plane layer or when editing the plane connections for individual pins. This feature is supported by clearance and DRC checking. Preview Mode display This mode is invoked from the Options-Layers dialog box by choosing the Current Layer Only or All Layers Off button. When active, this option displays one layer at a time. When toggling layers (*, + or - key) only the current layer is displayed, with the following exceptions: Signal layers include the Multi-layer (through pads visible). Mechanical Layers are included with the current layer if they have been specified in the Output Options dialog box. Preview mode greatly speeds up screen redraw. Hot Key shortcuts for Auto pan and Zoom If you are using Auto pan (for example, while dragging a component), holding down the shift key will pan the display at 4X the normal rate. When using Pgup and Pgdn to zoom, holding down the shift key will zoom at .1 unit the normal rate (slow zoom). Press the Q key to toggle between metric and imperial units at any time. Automatic aperture file generation If Advanced PCB is used to automatically generate an aperture table, this should be done AFTER setting all output options and Gerber setup parameters. Gerber layer naming conventions The following extensions are automatically used when generating Gerber files. The format is <filename>.GTL (for the top layer, etc): Top (component side) layer .GTL Mid (signal) layers 1-14 .G1 (-14) Bottom (solder side) layer .GBL Top Overlay (silkscreen) .GTO Bottom Overlay (silkscreen) .GBO Top Paste mask layer .GTP Bottom Paste mask layer .GBP Top Solder mask layer .GTS Bottom Solder mask layer .GBS Internal Power Planes 1-4 .GP1 (2,3,4) Drill Guide Top/Bottom pair .GG1 Drill Guide Top/Mid1 pair .GG2 Drill Guide Mid2/Mid3 pair .GG3 Drill Guide Mid4/Mid5 pair .GG4 Drill Guide Mid6/Mid7 pair .GG5 Drill Guide Mid8/Mid9 pair .GG6 Drill Guide Mid10/Mid11 pair .GG7 Drill Guide Mid12/Mid13 pair .GG8 Drill Guide Mid14/Bottom pair .GG9 Keep Out layer .GKO Mechanical (fab & assy) layers 1-4 .GM1 (2,3,4) Drill Drawing Top/Bottom pair .GD1 Drill Drawing Top/Mid1 pair .GD2 Drill Drawing Mid2/Mid3 pair .GD3 Drill Drawing Mid4/Mid5 pair .GD4 Drill Drawing Mid6/Mid7 pair .GD5 Drill Drawing Mid8/Mid9 pair .GD6 Drill Drawing Mid10/Mid11 pair .GD7 Drill Drawing Mid12/Mid13 pair .GD8 Drill Drawing Mid14/Bottom pair .GD9 Pad Master .GPM Autotrax Moire and Target pad and aperture types If you load and Autotrax board which has a moire or target pad then these pads will be converted to free primitives of arcs and tracks. These primitives will be draw as seperate primitives when generating Gerber plots and not be converted back into special moire or target apertures. Loading of library and pad files When Advanced PCB is started, old library files *.PAD (containing pad descriptions) and *.LIB (footprint library) are automatically loaded and converted to the current format. You can re-name a custom library and this will become the (automatically loaded) default. Thermal Reliefs Thermal reliefs on PFW are drawn with the gaps in the arcs at 45 degree angles rather then horizontal and vertically. Unless you are using 45 degree oriented components, this will keep gaps as isolated as possible from one pad to the next. Manual routing If you use the Auto Manual Route command, the size of the tracks and vias used will be those set in the Auto Setup Auto Route dialog box, (unless overridden for a particular net), not the settings in the Current menu. You can backtrack from the current routed position by pressing the backspace key as you route. Each press of backspace will remove one segment, restoring the ratsnest for that connection. Pre-Router pass This pass now recognizes and properly handles partially routed nets. Previous versions would route over completed connections because the Pre-Router could not re-optimize the connections in partially routed nets. Router improvments (Advanced Route v 2.0) Advanced route features significant improvement when routing SMD or single sided boards. Fractional grids are now supported. User can specify grids of x.75, x.67, x.50, x.33 and x.25 in the Setup AutoRoute dialog box. You can also type any other fractional values. See page 202 of the Reference Manual for details. Hint: Maze Router pass will run much faster if the routing grid is always equal to (or greater then) the routing track width + clearance. Notes on Unrouting (Advanced PCB) You cannot use the Auto Un-route command to remove placed tracks from the board unless they were routed from the current netlist (routed using the autorouter or Auto Manual Route command). If you load Autotrax boards, they cannot be unrouted until a Pre-Route pass has been completed. Even then, Unroute Connection still won't have enough information to work. Loading PADS-PCB files Users may experience problems loading some PADS-PCB files. This is due to ambiguities in the .ASC format that cannot be resolved by Advanced PCB. For example, Advanced PCB cannot translate PAD-PCB files that contain numeric net labels of four or less characters, because there is no inherent identification of these strings as net labels. PADS-PCB provides the user with many options when generating files in PADS .ASC format. Some of these options may yield a file that is incomplete or otherwise unreadable to Advanced PCB. If you experience difficulty in loading PADS-PCB files, try re- generating the file using the PADS default (include all) output options. rev 1/16/94 (end)