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  3. Can you please provide some means of freely viewing old...

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Can you please provide some means of freely viewing old .brd files?

GM202601306333
GM202601306333 16 days ago

I'm working on a new hardware design (not in your tools, sorry...)

With a couple of the IC's I'm using, the manufacturers' evaluation board PCB design is only provided as an Allegro .brd file. It'd be nice if they provided gerbers at least, but they don't.

Unfortunately the current 25.1 PCB viewer won't open them, throwing a "this was last saved using 16.5 and must be updated using DB Doctor" error, and of course you don't provide DB Doctor as part of the viewer. And you don't have earlier versions of the viewer available for download anymore.

So now my options are:

  • Drop several thousand dollars on the paid tools to update the file (ain't gonna happen...)
  • Try and get the IC manufacturer to update their .brd file or provide gerbers (tried already, they won't)
  • Try and find someone with the paid tools to upgrade the board files for me (any volunteers?)
  • Since you don't provide the old viewers anymore, download an earlier version of the viewer in a .RAR file from a sketchy website and infect my computer with malware.

Skimming the forum, there's plenty of other people with the same issue, and it looks like some have been helped on an individual basis. I'd definitely appreciate it if you'd help me somehow.

But I think the electronics design community as a whole would greatly appreciate it if you'd either provide the earlier viewer version, or include DB Doctor or whatever with the free viewer.

Thanks!

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  • Elecguy
    0 Elecguy 15 days ago

    You might want to change the tone of your post. Just a friendly advice. Take into account that we are a community but Cadence is a company after all. You can make suggestions but don't make it sound as if they have an obligation :P 

    That said, if you need help translating the files, shoot me a message and I can share an email where you can send these files. 

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  • Elecguy
    0 Elecguy 15 days ago

    You might want to change the tone of your post. Just a friendly advice. Take into account that we are a community but Cadence is a company after all. You can make suggestions but don't make it sound as if they have an obligation :P 

    That said, if you need help translating the files, shoot me a message and I can share an email where you can send these files. 

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