• Skip to main content
  • Skip to search
  • Skip to footer
Cadence Home
  • This search text may be transcribed, used, stored, or accessed by our third-party service providers per our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.

  1. Community Forums
  2. Allegro X PCB Editor
  3. Net-tie without manually specifying net names

Stats

  • State Verified Answer
  • Replies 8
  • Subscribers 162
  • Views 3420
  • Members are here 0
More Content

Net-tie without manually specifying net names

pertinax
pertinax 6 months ago

I want to create a net-tie in the schematic and layout. I.e., a schematic symbol with two pins and a corresponding footprint with two shorted pins.  See the screenshots below.

I have read this document https://www.parallel-systems.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Netshort_Definition.pdf and also this RAK https://support.cadence.com/apex/ArticleAttachmentPortal?id=a1O0V000007MqM1UAK&pageName=ArticleContent.

Without adding any properties, the shorted footprint causes DRC errors in the layout. In my case I get "SMD Pin to Pin Spacing" DRC. It is possible to add a NET_SHORT property, either to the schematic component as described in the first document or in the layout using the "net short" command. However, this requires either specifying the exact net names in the schematic property or manually performing the net short in the layout.

In the second document above, I read about the PIN_SHORT property. Apparently it can be added to the schematic symbol, giving the names of the pins, and the "packager" will automatically create the NET_SHORT property during packaging. I added the property PIN_SHORT=1:2 to the schematic symbol, with pin names for the pins set to "1" and "2". This did not work.

I read that the packager needs the option "PROCESS_PIN_SHORT_PROP 'ON'" for this to work (page 12 of the RAK). However, I don't know if this is applicable to Orcad X Professional (PCB Editor 23.1), or where to add this said option. According to the document, it needs to be added to the "project cpm file" or "site cpm file".

Thanks for any help!

  • Sign in to reply
  • Cancel
  • pertinax
    0 pertinax 6 months ago in reply to AC202502108327

    Hello, I cannot make this work. I have found one CPM-file in C:\Cadence\SPB_23.1\share\cdssetup\projmgr and it has this option enabled.

    Is the packager and cpm-files used with PCB Editor? When googling and reading configuration options it seems the CPM-files are used by another tool called projmgr or Project Manager. Tried to run this tool and successfully created a project, but when trying to launch design entry it tried to start "Concept HDL" and failed with a license error. Perhaps the PIN_SHORT method is not supported by OrCAD Capture?

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Verify Answer
    • Cancel
  • pertinax
    0 pertinax 6 months ago in reply to excellon1

    Hi again,

    Thanks for your detailed instructions. Apart from solving my problem, the trick how to add properties to the symbol was a real gold nugget. Not really apparent how to do this otherwise.

    I tried a couple of times and finally I got the properties editor window to appear following your instructions. With the added Nodrc_Sym_Same_Pin property I now have a working solution. I can add my nettie part in the schematic and it will create a nettie in the layout without any DRC errors.

    Right now, I will use the nettie to create a sense connection for a current shunt. For this, I created a footprint with two overlapping rectangular pads, having the same width as the sense trace itself. I found that the pads need to be spaced far enough apart in order not to get clearance errors when adding clines, this could be done by offsetting the pad connection point in the padstack editor. 

    Best regards,

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Verify Answer
    • Cancel
  • excellon1
    0 excellon1 6 months ago in reply to pertinax

    Hi, On that gold nugget for accessing the symbol editor properties, as with all things Allegro there is another way to do that too :)

    A hot key is a good solution in this regard. Here is a hot key that you can add to your .env file.

    funckey H "prepopup; property edit; setwindow form.find; FORM find name_type Drawing"

    The hotkey uses the H key. You could modify it to any key you wish to use.

    All the best.

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Verify Answer
    • Cancel
<
Cadence Guidelines

Community Guidelines

The Cadence Design Communities support Cadence users and technologists interacting to exchange ideas, news, technical information, and best practices to solve problems and get the most from Cadence technology. The community is open to everyone, and to provide the most value, we require participants to follow our Community Guidelines that facilitate a quality exchange of ideas and information. By accessing, contributing, using or downloading any materials from the site, you agree to be bound by the full Community Guidelines.

© 2025 Cadence Design Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Cookie Policy
  • US Trademarks
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information