P-CAD is a CAD (Computer Aided Design) program for Printed Circuit Board design. The P-CAD 2006 freeware viewer is for viewing PCB files. It works with P-CAD Schematic and PCB file versions from PCAD 2000 to PCAD 2006. The program can also open ACCEL EDA V15 Schematic and PCB files.
For Altium projects, I've been exporting all projects to PCAD format so that I can check al PCB layouts very easily using PCAD viewer. It's a a very simple and effective viewer for checking anytime the PCB layout. You can select/highlight nets, components, to make measurements, etc.without starting the "big" software Altium.
The tools will run in "demo" or lite mode without a license and work exactly the same (except you can't save or output data). If you have a licensed version then you may need to adjust the CDS_LIC_FILE so that it is not set then when you start Capture it runs in demo mode. For PCB Edtior make sure you start allegro with a -orcad (start -> run ->allegro -orcad) and without a license it will run in demo mode.
Hi Matt,
The Allegro PDF Publisher might be what you want although it's not free to publish your schematics in intellegent PDF.
I saw a demo at CDNLive earlier this month and the pdf files produced are every bit as useful as any free viewer.
I think it's overpriced at the rumoured list price.
It's available in 15.7
Cheers, Dave
I have looked at that. Pretty useful tool, and I agree, WAY overpriced. But hey, its Cadence ;-)
The functionality that would be missing would be the ability to cross probe. Select or highight a net in the schematic and the same net is highlighed in the layout.
Matt
Agreed. The PDF Design Publisher is a worthy upgrade but, as Matt said, it is severely overpriced It is NO substitute for a viewer as it is missing the critical feature that a viewer should have - cross-probing.
Many [most, in fact] other major EDA vendors have functionally complete but feature-reduced viewers: Protel, P-CAD, Altium, PADS, and CADSTAR. Not having a cross-probing viewer for EITHER the Concept/Allegro or Capture/Layout Plus suites is an amazing omission from a company that should be leading the way in EDA. It makes the availability of the Allegro Physical Viewer essentially worthless to my company. I can think of lots of uses for a viewer, and as there's an Allegro Physical Viewer from Cadence and viewers from the companies/packages listed above, there is an obvious need for a viewer by Cadence's customers.
Maybe sometime, delayed by many years, and for an outrageous amount of money we can see a Concept viewer from Cadence. I'm not holding my breath, but hey, Vista is only days away from being released so anything is possible.
C'mon Cadence: it's now 2007 - GET WITH THE PROGRAM!!
As a new user transitioning from PCAD to Allegro/Orcad I was very disappointed in the functionality of the viewer. The absence of being able to do cross-probing at all is por. I have looked at many other packages and this is standard. Does anyone know of other options for indivduals that only require view capabilities, but need cross probing?
You are absolutely right my friend. Cadence has really dropped the ball by forcing their customers to pay for the PDF Publisher, which has some nice bonuses over a 'dumb' PDF file, but it is in no way comparable to a 'real' viewer that should be FREE. The lack of crossprobing/highligting (which doesn't even work correctly in the full version of SPB) and a totally unfamiliar schematic environment give Cadence a grade of 'F' on the viewer front.
P-CAD has the total package for viewers and Cadence would do well to emulate what P-CAD offered. Isn't it sad that the benchmark we've discussed is nearly a decade old and discontinued while Cadence has stuck their head in the sand and left their users with empty pockets and no decent viewer. It's truly sad and unforgiveable.
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What strategies did you use to develop a relationship between the artwork and the viewer?
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I'm interested to know if there are many others who would be interested in a Multisim viewer. I'm hoping engineering see's this and it pricks their design creativity. In my business, it would be very handy to have a low-cost viewer that our techs could use as they trouble-shoot the board. It's not cost effective for us to buy complete licenses for techs that will only view, but not change the schematic. Right now we print out the schematics, but not every value is available (it would be too crowded on the schematic) and the comments are hidden. Plus you can't zoom in on printed paper. The competition (read Mentor Graphics) have free viewers available.
I want to add my support for this idea. We have an internal department that does circuit design and testing for prototypes and we currently have to either print out the circuit diagrams or huddle around a computer with a license of Multisim. We simply do not have the budget to buy extra full licenses of Multisim to discuss board layouts.
Having a Multisim Viewer would be a great value-added feature for designers using Multisim because it would allow for better dialog with their clients during the design phase. SolidWorks has done something along these lines. I have used their viewer when working with mechanical designers and its been a great asset. In the SolidWorks viewer, you can add comments, make measurements and mark-up the design to communicate issues and revisions to the design.
Your idea of installing MultiSim and then letting it time out was a good one, but unfortunately, it didn't work. I'm afraid we will still have to wait for National Instruments to develop a viewer. Again, I encourage anyone interested in this to let them know that a viewer is a much needed tool.
PCB design is an essential aspect of electronic engineering. It involves the creation of printed circuit boards that are used to connect and control electronic components. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of PCB design software, such as PCAD, to streamline the design process and improve accuracy.
PCAD is a popular PCB design software that is used by engineers and designers to create complex circuit boards. It offers a range of features, including schematic capture, layout design, and design rule checking. The software is user-friendly and provides a comprehensive set of tools to help designers create high-quality PCBs. With PCAD, designers can quickly and easily create schematics and layouts, and the software will automatically check for errors and ensure that the design meets industry standards.
PCAD PCB Design is a software tool used to design printed circuit boards (PCBs). It is developed by Altium and is a popular choice among engineers and designers for its ease of use and comprehensive features. PCAD PCB Design is a powerful tool that allows users to create complex designs and layouts for PCBs.
The software offers a wide range of features, including schematic capture, PCB layout, and 3D visualization. It also supports various file formats, making it easy to import and export designs. With PCAD PCB Design, users can create professional-grade PCBs quickly and efficiently.
PCAD PCB Design offers a powerful schematic capture tool that allows users to create and edit schematics quickly and easily. The tool provides a wide range of features, including hierarchical design, multi-sheet schematics, and support for complex components such as programmable logic devices and microcontrollers. The schematic editor also includes a built-in library of commonly used components, which can be easily customized and expanded as needed.
PCAD PCB Design includes a powerful design validation tool that allows users to simulate and analyze their designs before sending them to production. The tool provides a range of simulation options, including signal integrity analysis, power analysis, and thermal analysis. The simulation results are displayed in an easy-to-understand format, allowing users to quickly identify and correct any design issues. The tool also includes a built-in design rule checker, which helps ensure that the final design meets all necessary specifications.
In summary, PCAD PCB Design offers a comprehensive set of features for schematic capture, layout design, and design validation. The tool is designed to help users create high-quality PCB designs quickly and efficiently, while ensuring that the final design meets all necessary specifications.
To start a new project in PCAD, click on File > New > Project. Give your project a name and select the location where you want to save it. You can also choose the type of project, such as a single-sided or double-sided board. Once your project is created, you can start working on the schematic design.
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