Is it possible to automate selection filter settings through automation? I'd like to set keybindings to quickly change the filter.
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Selection Filter Automation
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Dynamically Populated Userform
Is there a way to add control object to a Userform using VBS? For example, I have a blank form that I would like to populate with control objects such as text or buttons based on the results of some code execution during initialization. I have done something like this in Excel VBA, with the statement Set chkBox = UserFormSelectPlan.Controls.Add("Forms.Label.1", "Label", True). I can't seem to find a VBS equivalent version of this.
Essentially what I'm trying to do is interrogate the design, return a list of changes that could be made, have the user select which changes he/she desires, and apply those changes to the design. My plan was to have that list of changes populated in a form, with check boxes that the users can select. If there is a smarter way of doing this without using forms, please let me know as well.
Thanks!
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HCELL selection for LVS
HCELL selection can be a controversial topic. I would like to describe a few different techniques, the rationale behind those techniques, and hopefully generate some discussion based on your experiences.
One technique focuses on performance. In the interest of fastest turnaround time, we can choose cells based strictly on the potential time savings that choosing any particular cell may bring. Any cell containing just a few devices, and then placed just a few times, would offer little value from the standpoint of performance. On the other hand, a cell that contains several thousand devices, and placed multiple times, is a good candidate for the hcell list. Calibre Interactive can help create an hcell list of this nature. From the command line, it can be invoked with "calibre -gui -lvs". Several fields will need to be filled in for netlist names, top cell names etc. The process is described in the "Calibre Interactive User's Manual" in the section titled "Performing Hcell Analysis in LVS". A high performance hcell list may have a surprisingly small number of hcells... Possibly less than 10 or 20 cell names. While the performance aspect of this method seems clear enough, I do sometimes wonder if the small number of hcells ever has a negative side effect of increased difficulty for LVS debug.
Another technique focuses on "design methodology" instead of performance. Some people use hcells as a means of enforcing a design methodology where hundreds or thousands of cells with the same name in the layout and source are expected to match at the cell level. The "-automatch" switch, or an exhaustive hcell list of practically all the layout and source cells may be used for this method. It's not necessarily best for performance, and can lead to nuisance errors in many cases, but many people use this method. I would be interested to hear your opinions related to this method.
A third technique begins with listing all the standard cells, and adding certain other cells based on some criteria. I presume that familiarity with the design is necessary for this method. I haven't used this method myself so I'm a little vague on the details. If you have had good or bad experiences with this third method, please share.
I have often wondered if Calibre could offer a simple and automatic hcell selection option that gives optimum performance, avoids false errors and promotes easy debug. Maybe our collective discussions will lead to the answer.
I will collect and summarize replies for this thread into a document we can refer to. Here's a link to that document: HCELL selection methods
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Is there anyone have idea how to check this kind of rule using Calibre?
Dear All,
Refer to the attached picture, could we feedback the current flow on the net which using the text layer on the metal and calculate the maximum width of the metal for checking?
Andrew
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Downloading older versions of mentor graphics with expired support
I currently have a license server set up and discovered that my installation media is corrupt.
Is there anywhere I can download PADS2007.2 without needing an active support through supportnet?
- note, I noticed these types of requests are typically dealt with on an individual level, hence the post.
Thanks!
Regards,
Steve
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New Blog: "Molded Body Parts - CAD Library Series: Part 1"
John McMillan's latest post on the PADS Blog covers the first installment of Mentor's new white paper series dedicated to CAD library quality. You can read the post and the access the white paper here: PADS Blog: "Molded Body Parts - CAD Library Series: Part 1"
If you have any feedback about the paper—whether it's questions, suggestions, or a quick note to let us know if it was useful—please feel free to comment in this thread!
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Calibre view setup, magnify parameter set to 1 still produces schematics with overlap instances
Schematics produced after running Calibre PEX places instances that overlap. I understand you could modify this by setting the magnify parameter. I have magnify=1 and still getting instance overlap. I'm forced to created arrayed views, but this is not the ideal. Please help.
Wilfredo
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Custom action to update connector Short description.
Hello,
We are on Capital 2012.1 SP1406.
Is there are custom plug-in available on community to update\synchronize connector short description on harness design with the OTI in project.
Regards,
Nilesh
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testpoint in xPCB
Back in the old 'BoardStation' times, there was a tool called the "TestPoint Manager". As the name implies it was a tool to generate and manage testpoints.
One of the options of this tool was to 'flood' the design with testpoint.
In other words, it added testpoints on every possible location it could find. Discarding any setting about the number of testpoints required.
After adding the required testpoints you would use this flood option to mark all the possible extra testpoint locations. This enables the Test Engineer to take in
account the testpoint density.
Has anyone come up with a usable way to accomplish this Expedition PCB?
Regards, Charles
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X,Y coordinates of a Cell in GDS
All,
I have a GDS II open in Calibre DesignRev. Now I want to get the x,y coordinates of a particular cell in a die. Also, Is it possible to get x,y coordinates of all the cells or particular type (like AND gates) or to Highlight / Select all the cells of a particular type in complete layout.
Regards
M. Ali Akhtar
ICDT Lab, Portland State University
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Script Examples - AATK
Just a reminder that AATK has hundreds of scripting examples. Most are vbs or forms but there are C#, JScript, TCL examples as well. AATK is not just for Expedition, it has examples for CellEditor, Drawing Editor, Dx, Fablink, HyperLynx, HyperLynx DRC, Library Manger, PathFinder, Quiet Expert, CES....
It is inteded as a template for creating you own menus, icons... It has a general AATK section for slicing and dicing a design or creating automated output files and a specialized FlipChp section for more advanced features like importing and exporting data, data manipulation, net shorting...
Currently we are updating AATK to make sure everything works with the new VX release. The only gotchas we have seen are scripts that deal with the display control since it is a new interface and scripts where we took advange of some Win32 functions that are not available on the 64bit build. I think we have crossed all those hurdles and if you want the VX build I could probably release a new build of AATK soon that will work from 2004.x through VX.x.
You can download the toolkit off of the OpenSource website SourceForge. All the scripts have source code and should be used at your own peril. SInce we give you the source code, if something doesn't work, you can fix it to work yourself and then send me your fix and I will update AATK. Our standard discalimer is we, especially Me, My team of contributers and Mentor Graphics are not held liable for anything whacky happening to your database! We are really just trying to help so don't blame us for a delay or crash, these scripts are meant to help you do your job faster and better.
You can donload AATK from here:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/uwtoolbox/
' Acceptable Usage Policy
'
' This software is NOT officially supported by Mentor Graphics.
'
' ####################################################################
' ####################################################################
' ## The following software is "freeware" which Mentor Graphics ##
' ## Corporation provides as a courtesy to our users. "Freeware" ##
' ## is provided "as is" and Mentor Graphics makes no warranties ##
' ## with respect to "freeware", either expressed or implied, ##
' ## including any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness ##
' ## for a particular purpose. ##
' ####################################################################
' ###################################################################
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Welcome to the HyperLynx Analog community on SPICE
HyperLynx Analog (HLA) is your gateway to simulation through xDX Designer. With a powerful embedded simulator and an optional upgrade to the worlds most powerful SPICE simulator, Eldo, analog designs can be tested before the design is committed to copper. This community will encourage design links, tools on SPICE modeling, and video links on simulating with HyperLynx Analog.
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Copying User properties from one library to another
I have a library with some User properties added in the "Property definition editor". Is it possible to carry over all the user properties to another library? Please reply.
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Net Obstruct
Using Expedition. Trying to figure out a way to define an area on the surface of a pcb to allow gnd routing but not allow routing of other nets!?
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Can i export pads netlist (.net) file from DxDesigner?
Hi all,
I am using DxDesigner and Expedition PCB.
Can i export pads netlist (.net) file from DxDesigner?
Regards,
Murali Bala
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Please give me a reason to keep sticking with PADS
Ok, I'm a little bit stressed out in here. I'm running basically a one man engineering office. I have PADS LS Suite and use mostly Logic and PADS Layout - only occasionally PADS Router but no DxDesigner at all.
With the new design where I need to apply SDRAM or even DDR, it would help alot to have length control for routing the bus. A signal integrity check would be nice feature as well and for few times I have missed differential routing rules that are not included in PADS Router in LS suite.
These features I can get my upgrading my PADS to ES Suite, but it does cost money. Plus to this, my annual subscription would double. So, I've started to look for other options as well... And one is Altium Designer, that is half the price of ES Suite, but about the same in cost of LS -> ES upgrade. I have evaluated Altium now a little bit and it does look like a nice tool. I probably does have its flaws as well, but features are many and from my point of view most what I would use are quite capable doing what they were designed to do. Absolutely welcome features are things like gerber tools (I can view gerbers I made, I can do panelizing) or generating STEP models from my boards (I have had requests from my clients for this and IDF is NOT an solution unless I want to ask for my clients each time to buy a IDF importer plugin for their MCAD just for importing this one object to their system, that's plain silly).
The schematic capture is also quite nice looking although it will take time to get used to it. I guess DxDesigner comes close to it in features such as reusability and blocking your repeatable parts of your design but there is a learning curve as well thus no matter what route I go I need to familiarize myself with the new tool. Altium also offers lots of ready made library components that can be used to build your own library quicker (saves tons of time for new components, like MCU's). Also trainings are either free (when under subscription) or at least very, very reasonable priced. I can't help but feel that Altium offers more bang for a buck. I'm starting to feeling like I'm a too small user for Mentor Graphics for it to be the supplier for my EDA software.
I don't know, I'm pulling my hair off while I'm trying to make the decision between these two options. Then again I have also a third option: just to try going on with the current tools even if it is not the perfect choice.
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Property for Connector Cavity in the Capital Library
Hello!
Is there way how to define a Property for the Connector Cavity in the Capital Library?
Thanks!
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PartQuest for PADS is Almost Here!
PADS users will soon be able to use PartQuest with xDX Designer and PADS Layout! The integration of PADS and PartQuest will be available with the PADS VX.1 release, currently scheduled for April 2015.
PartQuest is a new website (partquest.com) by Mentor Graphics that is tightly integrated with DigiKey’s full catalog of parts. You will be able to search, research, and purchase the parts needed for your new design. In addition, over 360,000 of these parts have been populated with schematic symbols and PCB footprints, which will be downloaded directly into your xDX Designer and PADS Layout libraries for immediate use in your design, minimizing library development time. (by the way – you don’t have to purchase the part before you download the library data!)
PartQuest with PADS initially supports PADS net list projects with and without the use of xDX Databook, our component management system. If xDX Databook is in use, the
parametric part information will be downloaded for use.
Partquest.com is live now, so feel free to browse the site and learn more about it. There are a couple of videos posted which will provide an overview. And as always, be sure to tell us what you think of PartQuest in this forum!
Jim
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DxDesigner Navigator Folders
Hi!
In DxDesigner 7.9.5, there is a window called "Navigator". In this window, I have a tab called "Project". In this tab, I can see my boards, schematic pages and blocks.
Schematic pages can be expanded in this window which reveals a Symbols and a Nets folder. When the schematic page is open and you select a net or symbol, these folders are expanded automatically. I almost never want these folder expended because they takeup a lot of space. I use this window to browse through my sheets.
My question is: Is there a way to disable this behaviour?
Hope I was clear enough, thanks in advance for the help!
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is it possible to export one layer file from the CAM ??
Hi everyone, i need to export one layer file from CAM output.is it possible to take ?? while doing export all the files are exporting from cam output.for example i need to export the silkTOp and bottom instead of that from Top layer to Bottom layer exporting from cam files
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