Introduction
The Navigator pane displays all open designs and provides rapid access to all of the design's resources, attributes and editing tools.
Below the navigator pane are the Browser and Properties windows. These windows always display an image or the properties of the currently selected entity, allowing easy identification and selection.
The main editing area shows the artwork and schematic editors of the same design open simultaneously.
For users with dual screens, the artwork can be undocked and moved onto the second screen.
Multiple designs and editors can be open at the same time for ease of data transfer.
Schematic Capture
Hierarchical and multi-sheet schematics can be designed with ease. Parts are "dragged and dropped" from the easily accessible tray, master libraries or other designs. New parts which represent individual devices or further circuitry can be created from the schematic sheet.
Adding connections is easy, with orthogonal locking and snap to pin, tie dots being added as required. Buses are defined automatically; simply select the terminals required, then pull the bus into position.
The design engineer can control all aspects of critical connections from the schematic, to allow EMC checking in the artwork.
User-defined attributes can be assigned to pins, parts and connections in order to perform design rule checking, or to extract information such as bill of materials, simulator files, etc.
Parts / Wiring List Editors
With the parts list open in the Navigator, selecting a part reveals it's full entry in the parts list, whilst also allowing the part to be found in the schematic or artwork editors.
Once found, pop-up windows provide full information about the part. Icons within the pop-ups allow easy access to other editors where the part is used.
Libraries
Extensive device and footprint libraries are supplied which can be duplicated and/or modified quickly and easily.
As well as standard pad shapes, specialist pad shapes with multiple or offset drilled holes can be defined and added to the library.
Board Layout
Once the schematic has been created, the artwork is ready to be designed. Parts can be positioned interactively or using the auto-placement routine, connections stretching and automatically displaying the shortest path between connected pins.
Automatic back-annotation to the schematic is performed when gate & pin swapping or part renumbering.
Critical signals can be hand routed and fixed in position to stop the auto-routers from altering them.
The connections can be routed with either our own auto-router or the optional integrated Electra or Specctra Auto-Routers. The auto-router can be interrupted during its cycle and results saved or abandoned.
Manual track modification is easy with the on-line DRC, visible clearance requirements and EMC rules to ensure your designs meet European standards.
Internal power and split power planes are visible and created automatically.
Once complete, full artwork checking against the schematic is performed to ensure there are no errors.
Outputs
A selection of outputs are provided as standard, including Gerber (RS-274X), NC Drilling and routing, DXF, IDF 3.0, ASCII, etc.
Batch files make life easier by saving common output requirements.
