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Convert *.sch from old version of OrCAD

Hello all!

I have found a lot of sch. files, made in very old version of OrCAD - v1.25 (1985-1987 years). Also I have this version OrCAD with all libraries, and all work fine under DosBox emulator. I have two question:

1) Is it possible to convert from sch OrCAD v1.25 into any other modern file format?

2) I can write my own file convertor if will know the structure of .sch and .lib files in OrCAD v1.25. May be possible found somewere this information?

  • There is no need to write your own converter, "any" Windows version of OrCAD Capture will open and convert the design files. You need the SDT.CFG from your DOS installation but, if you have a working file structure for the DOS schematics, you should be able to use File>Open>Design, change the "files of type" to "SDT Schematic (*.sch)" and open the schematic page, or root page for multiple pages / hierarchy, and the libraries and schematics will be converted and a DSN file created. The process will convert the original 16-bit DOS data to 32-bit DOS data and then to the Windows format for OrCAD Capture.

  • Thank you for your reply! 

    I installed OrCAD Capture 16.2 Demo Edition and tried to open Schematic files like you wrote above. And it didn't work right (fig. below). 

    After Opening old file

     

    I tried to open .lib file, and got this error:

    >============== 

    ********************************************************************************

    *

    *  Translating SDT Library to Capture.

    *

    ********************************************************************************

     

         *** Translating Library 'D:\ORCAD\LIB\RF.LIB' ***

    Decompiling 16-bit library 'D:\ORCAD\LIB\RF.LIB' to text file 'C:\USERS\TARKUS\APPDATA\LOCAL\TEMP\RF.SRC'...

    ERROR [D160004] File Error  Library header is incorrect for 'D:\ORCAD\LIB\RF.LIB'.

    Errors encountered during decompilation.

     

    ERROR [XLT0020]   Decompiling the SDT/IV library file failed.

    ERROR [XLT0016]   Translation of library 'D:\ORCAD\LIB\RF.LIB' failed.

    ERROR [XLT0016]   Translation of library 'D:\ORCAD\LIB\RF.LIB' failed.

    ERROR [XLT0070]   Translation failed.

    ERROR [XLT0071] Translation Notice  Error(s) encountered. Please check the Session Log.

     

    >============== END LOG

     

    I think, that is very early version of OrCAD, with own, incompatible file format. I tried to open my files in late MS-DOS OrCAD version 3, and got error "incompatible file format". Attach some screenshots with my OrCAD (splash screen and draft) 

     Splash screen

    Draft 

  • I am using Orcad version 7.01. I tried converting old sch* files to it and it comes up with a message that says: Error encountered, please check the session log. I checked the session log but there is nothing busefull there. Here is what it says.

     

    ORCAD.doc
  • Hi...I have some old orcad.sch files that I want (need to repare an old UPS) to visualize....It seems that you have the older version installed...Can you tell me if I can have acces to your instalation files? I can show you my mail and maybe you will send me the complete files by mail...thanks a lot.....Jazzing.
  • I don't have any instalation files of these types.  zip,tar,gz,jpg,png,gif,html,il,ils,txt,doc,pdf. All my old files are sch.

    Wade Stewart

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