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Componentname with "-"

Question asked by Bernd Knab on Sep 16, 2010
Latest reply on Sep 17, 2010 by Mark Larson

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Hi,

we are using CW to import IDF files from PADS.

In PADS some of our Components are named with a "-" eg. ERNI-973063.

When I import the part ERNI-973063.SLDPRT in the Component Bibliothek CW create a new component with ERNI as Componentname and 973063 as Componentnumber.

When I now import the IDF file CW will not found the part and create a new one.

Why is this limitation in CW, that Componentnames are splitted or shortend if there are one or more "-" inside the Componentname?

How do you handle this limitation in CW? Do you always modify the the componentname afterwards by editing?

regards

Bernd

Mark Larson Sep 16, 2010 11:08 AM

Correct Answer

First a few definitions, to make sure you understand properly:

In PADS

Decal = footprint, this would be the X & Y axes of the part as you look down on the board. The Z is height and usually is an attribute of the decal.

PART TYPE = this is a specific part, it specifies what Decal (footprint) is used along with other info specific to the part

a Decal can be used for many different Part Types

In CircuitWorks the IDF from PADS becomes in SolidWorks:

Component Name = the PADS Decal

Part Number = the PADS Part Type

sadly, you are correct, your part type with - in the name is divided incorrectly by CircuitWorks

however, you could use that to your advantage by calling your model:

Decal-Part Type

but since you already have a naming convention in PADS, you will have to manually edit the CircuitWorks Library (Biblioteca)

open your ECAD file and Library (Biblioteca) in seperate Windows side by side

this is painful

highlight a component in the ECAD file and RMB-Properties

highlight and RMB-Edit Component the same component in Library (Biblioteca)

copy and paste Component Name & Part Number from ECAD file to Library

the good news is you only have to do this once for each part in the library the first time you use it

This is what I have had to do to get it to work.

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Mark Larson Sep 16, 2010 11:08 AM

First a few definitions, to make sure you understand properly:

In PADS

Decal = footprint, this would be the X & Y axes of the part as you look down on the board. The Z is height and usually is an attribute of the decal.

PART TYPE = this is a specific part, it specifies what Decal (footprint) is used along with other info specific to the part

a Decal can be used for many different Part Types

In CircuitWorks the IDF from PADS becomes in SolidWorks:

Component Name = the PADS Decal

Part Number = the PADS Part Type

sadly, you are correct, your part type with - in the name is divided incorrectly by CircuitWorks

however, you could use that to your advantage by calling your model:

Decal-Part Type

but since you already have a naming convention in PADS, you will have to manually edit the CircuitWorks Library (Biblioteca)

open your ECAD file and Library (Biblioteca) in seperate Windows side by side

this is painful

highlight a component in the ECAD file and RMB-Properties

highlight and RMB-Edit Component the same component in Library (Biblioteca)

copy and paste Component Name & Part Number from ECAD file to Library

the good news is you only have to do this once for each part in the library the first time you use it

This is what I have had to do to get it to work.

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Mark Larson @ Mark Larson on Sep 16, 2010 11:15 AM

to be clear:

if you name your SW models Decal-Part Type

where Decal is your PADS Decal name

and Part Type is your PADS Part Type name

but the Part Type name cannot, as you and I have both found, contain - (I have hundreds!)

your IDF will match your Library and the manual editting will not have to be done

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Bernd Knab @ Mark Larson on Sep 17, 2010 2:44 AM

Hi Mark,

you said:

sadly, you are correct, your part type with - in the name is divided incorrectly by CircuitWorks

Do you know if this is confirmed by Solidworks and is there an existing SPR for this?

Till now, I exported the component library and modified in Excel all component names and afterwards re-imported the modified file. This is ok for doing it once but not for everyday work.

I have the problem that we get a lot of IDF files or board layouts from our customers not only from our PADS system. Because of this there are no naming rules inside ecad system.

I checked different options inside CircuitWorks and found out that I need the "-" inside the componentname.

regards

Bernd

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Mark Larson @ Bernd Knab on Sep 17, 2010 11:06 AM

Bernd:

sorry, I have not checked, I gave up filing and looking at progress of SPR's about 10 years ago.

There may be another way, perhaps a setting in CircuitWorks, that doesn't involve editting, but in trying to get something done, the method in the previous post is what I use and it works, perhaps when I have more time I will develop or find a better way. As I mentioned, you only have to do it once for each part in your SW CircuitWorks Library, so I am over the hump and usually have a small number to do with each board.

But I can understand your problem if you are getting boards from customers, no doubt customers uses different names for their parts in PADS, requiring much more editting than I have to do.

Mark

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4 Replies

Mark Larson Sep 16, 2010 11:08 AM
Unmark Correct
Correct Answer
First a few definitions, to make sure you understand properly:

In PADS
Decal = footprint, this would be the X & Y axes of the part as you look down on the board. The Z is height and usually is an attribute of the decal.
PART TYPE = this is a specific part, it specifies what Decal (footprint) is used along with other info specific to the part
a Decal can be used for many different Part Types

In CircuitWorks the IDF from PADS becomes in SolidWorks:
Component Name = the PADS Decal
Part Number = the PADS Part Type

sadly, you are correct, your part type with - in the name is divided incorrectly by CircuitWorks
however, you could use that to your advantage by calling your model:
Decal-Part Type
but since you already have a naming convention in PADS, you will have to manually edit the CircuitWorks Library (Biblioteca)

open your ECAD file and Library (Biblioteca) in seperate Windows side by side
this is painful
highlight a component in the ECAD file and RMB-Properties
highlight and RMB-Edit Component the same component in Library (Biblioteca)
copy and paste Component Name & Part Number from ECAD file to Library

the good news is you only have to do this once for each part in the library the first time you use it

This is what I have had to do to get it to work.
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- Mark Larson @ Mark Larson on Sep 16, 2010 11:15 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  to be clear:
  if you name your SW models Decal-Part Type
  where Decal is your PADS Decal name
  and Part Type is your PADS Part Type name
  but the Part Type name cannot, as you and I have both found, contain - (I have hundreds!)
  
  your IDF will match your Library and the manual editting will not have to be done
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
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- Bernd Knab @ Mark Larson on Sep 17, 2010 2:44 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Hi Mark,
  
  you said:
  sadly, you are correct, your part type with - in the name is divided incorrectly by CircuitWorks
  
  Do you know if this is confirmed by Solidworks and is there an existing SPR for this?
  
  Till now, I exported the component library and modified in Excel all component names and afterwards re-imported the modified file. This is ok for doing it once but not for everyday work.
  
  I have the problem that we get a lot of IDF files or board layouts from our customers not only from our PADS system. Because of this there are no naming rules inside ecad system.
  I checked different options inside CircuitWorks and found out that I need the "-" inside the componentname.
  
  regards
  Bernd
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  - Mark Larson @ Bernd Knab on Sep 17, 2010 11:06 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Bernd:
    
    sorry, I have not checked, I gave up filing and looking at progress of SPR's about 10 years ago.
    
    There may be another way, perhaps a setting in CircuitWorks, that doesn't involve editting, but in trying to get something done, the method in the previous post is what I use and it works, perhaps when I have more time I will develop or find a better way. As I mentioned, you only have to do it once for each part in your SW CircuitWorks Library, so I am over the hump and usually have a small number to do with each board.
    
    But I can understand your problem if you are getting boards from customers, no doubt customers uses different names for their parts in PADS, requiring much more editting than I have to do.
    
    Mark
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Componentname with "-"

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