I need a way to narrow down the number of matches when I perform a 'replace' in the variant manager. I cannot use the part name as a match condition since there are parts with different part names that needs to be exchangeable, e.g. 'RM0603' needs to be replaceable with 'P0603' (both are SMD resistors with 0603 shape but different tolerances etc.) so for now the library partition is set up as match condition meaning if I want to replace a resistor I get thousands of matches. This is rendering the repalce function more or less useless at the moment.
My Idea to solve this is to match on the cell name as well. If two parts are replaceable on a PCB they will use the same cell in most cases. Does this mean that I will have to incorporate the cell information as a property in DxDatabook in order to be able to use it as a match condition in VM?
Does this property have to be separated from the property 'cell name' that is added when I place a part from DxDatabook and choose another cell than the default one (I guess 'cell name' is the property that is updated if cell info is annotated from Expedition PCB as well)?
If so, how do you suggest I get the data from the central library into DxDatabook? I'm guessing I will have to export the data from the central library into our part database and then load it from their into DxDatabook, but I'm not sure how I would export the cell info.
Pleas feel free to suggest other approaches to narrowing down the number of matches as well. Ideally I would like to match on the part name, but beeing able to change the part name like when you load a component into DxDatabook and replace one of the conditions to match another part.
I'm running the EE7.9.5 flow.
/Björn