BoardSurfers: Installation Know-How: Download Manager – Better than Ever Before

The Download Manager user interface has been revamped in 17.4-2019 HotFix 019, with various new features for an enhanced user experience and efficiency. The modern UI architecture of Download Manager offers a simplified user interface to download and manage updates for multiple releases. A real-time dashboard provides a singular view of the key information. This blog outlines the most promising features that are new in the Download Manager UI.

Ability to Locate and Maintain Multiple Releases

To help you manage multiple releases, the Download Manager provides the ability to simultaneously install and update releases. The available releases are categorized under Installed Products and Available Products.

For each package, all the supported versions are available in a drop-down menu. The first option is the latest version available for download. To install or update any package, simply select a version and click Install or Update.

You can view all the information and manage downloads within a single UI. There is no need to go back and forth across different tabs to manage multiple releases. The new user interface makes it simpler to find, install, and maintain a release.

Monitor Install Status and Download Progress in the Same UI

Another improvement is to display install status and downloading progress. You can now keep track of the availability of the latest releases, installation status, and download progress in a single UI.

Intuitive User Interface

The upgraded user interface is more responsive and enables you to download faster with greater ease. Some of the key updates are:

• A combination of colors is used to indicate release status making the textual indicators stand out.

• Clicking ellipses for a release display additional menu options to perform common tasks.

• Option available to customize Download Manager settings based on your requirements.

Install and Uninstall Options

Often additional space is required to work efficiently on your system, and it is necessary to uninstall or update the version of the installed software. Menu options like Modify, Repair, and Uninstall have been added and made accessible through a single click to uninstall or update. You no longer need to hunt for the installer to modify or repair a software version.

Scheduling Updates

You can configure Download Manager to automate the download of any updates available for the installed releases. Scheduling updates saves time and increases productivity. To schedule the download of an update:

• Click the user icon and choose Settings.

• In the Update Mode section in the Settings dialog, select the scheduling option, time, day, and frequency and click OK. These settings are applied to all the releases installed on your system.

Automatic Disk Cleanup

Frequently updating installed releases consumes a lot of disk space. With each new release or update, the entire media gets downloaded at the location specified as Local Cache Path. Prior to this release, you had to manually clean up the disk to free up system space. The new Clear Local Cache option deletes the cached data to recover large disk space and saves you the manual effort of cleaning up disk space. 

Upgrade to the Latest Version

If you are an existing user and wondering how to access the new Download Manager, look no further. Just launch Download Manager from the Start Menu. The update starts automatically and the new Download Manager UI is displayed. 

The Cadence Downloads website provides links to download the latest version of Download Manager. New users who are installing Cadence OrCAD and Allegro releases for the first time on Windows can download it from this link.

To know the version of the Download Manager instance installed on your system, go to Settings and click About. Knowing the version helps you request enhancements or ask for troubleshooting help.

Wrapping Up

This post is all about Download Manager’s new and easy-to-use GUI and options. If you have any additional questions about the new Download Manager UI or want more information, you can view the Download Manager documentation here.

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