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Library Managment in Allegro V16.5 & Browsing Packaged Symbols.

ScottCad
I was wondering is there a way to segregate out Package Symbols in their own directory by function and have those package symbols show up in the placement menu "segregated out" instead of just a huge list of all of the packaged symbols.For example I have a folders called THPARTS, SMDPARTS,CONNECTORS each of these folders contain packaged symbols but when I check the library check-box in the placement menu and then select the packaged symbols all of the parts show, so it is just a huge jumble of all parts from all of the libraries.

I just want to be able to browse packaged symbols by function, is there a way to do this ? or by the folder name so it is easier to see whats what.

Thanks Guys... Scott
  • padmaster

    You can go to SETUP > USER PREFERENCES > PATHS > LIBRARY > PSMPATH > click on the value box to the right of the PSMPATH. Check the expand box in the popup. Double click the pathname. Then you can browse to a different folder. But remember this will change the path for footprint search in your env file if you import another netlist. Import will only look in the folder you currently have set as the PSMPATH.

    Or you can click on the new(insert) icon in the popup and add another folder to the default import search path. But unfortunately when you go into placement mode, all footprints, from all folders, will be in one combined list.

    Would be nice if you could have multiple footprint folders AND have placement show the folders seperately, but I don't think you can. Are you listening Cadence? I haven't tested this in 16.6 to see if it is different.

    I have my footprints named in such a way that they are categorized in the placement list.....

    IC_TH_DIP_14

    IC_SMT_TSSOP_24 

  • ScottCad
    Hi padmaster, thanks for the info. I had a friend over here the other day and he laughed at how obtuse library management in Allegro is. Honestly cadence can’t be serious about how they have implemented this, there is just no way. The likes of Altium, Pads and many others are light years ahead in this area. There are even some old MS-Dos pcb tools that are sitll ahead in this area too.What really miffs me is this. The actual allegro tool is pretty good and can create some very complex boards, I like it. But Library management even at a basic level is non-existent, seriously no-existent in Allegro. There is no reason for that other than people at Cadence dropping the ball.The problems are a number fold.1 you got to setup your paths to the libs, Not a big deal. Why can’t you set the paths to the libs in the actual Placement dialog ?, That seems like a logical place to configure libs. Or have a Tab dedicated to this right there in the placement menu.2 When you want to just look at the packaged symbols aka "Footprints" you got to jump through hoops and you can’t look at them outside of the editor. So the process to just browse your packaged symbols is

    A = Click Place Manually
    B = Click the Advanced Settings Tab
    C = Check the Library check box "DO NOT Press the OK Button or you will exit the dialog"
           That one does not make any sense.
    D = Click the PlacementList tab again
    E = Select Packaged Symbols
    F = "FAIL" Enjoy the etch a sketch preview of your footprint.. Honestly that is sad and both funny.
    and sit back and enjoy the very long list of packaged symbols not seperated by function.

    But wait there is more !, Yes there is. When you are finished looking at symbols and you leave the Placement menu, the next time you visit the placement menu and wish to browse some parts you have the pleasure of re-visiting the Advanced tab again to check the "library Box" because the stupid software does not remember it from the last time you did it. I wonder the folks that actually wrote this were they serious ?, I mean it's a joke. That last one with the checkbox should not have even made it out of QA.
    Sorry to rant , but honestly something is seriously wrong with the picture. It is a big deal too because it leads to both a loss of productivity.

    I read in another post that there was plans to support step files in an update to 16.6 for the 3d viewer due out soon. Hard to believe that the 3d viewer is a priority over the wonderful lacking functionality of library management.

    Thanks Scott
  • TH Designs

    ScottCad said:
    I read in another post that there was plans to support step files in an update to 16.6 for the 3d viewer due out soon. Hard to believe that the 3d viewer is a priority over the wonderful lacking functionality of library management.Thanks Scott

    Or useful crossprobing. It is rediculous to not have a part highlight in Capture when selected in PCB Editor AND dehighlight in Capture when you release it in PCB Editor. You end up with multiple highlighted parts in capture and after a while you can't tell what you are looking at without dehighlighting (don't select delightlight all or you will lose any ratsnest colors you have set............)

    Capture and Layout had a very graceful method of crossprobing that I relied heavily on when placing parts. Sure you can place from Capture, but many times you need to move already placed parts and would like to see where they are in the schematic without lighting the whole sheet up.

    Sorry for the rant, back into my hole, carry on..................

    Tom

  • padmaster

    I hear you......I was just ranting to my boss this morning about the pathetic (lack of) interface to skill files.

    Cadence really should pay more attention to some of these "minor" problems. But nooooo, what do they do? They screw around with the route and slide command instead, to the point that it sucks!!!! Now I can't get a diff pair to gather from a pair of vias to save my life.

    Allegro is basically a bastardized Unix program (Telesis). Maybe there are some limitations in that respect but there is a lot Cadence could do to improve the productivity and user interface of the program!!!!

  • ScottCad

    100% Agree tom.

    Crossprobing has gone backwards in functionality not forwards. Layout+Capture did that very very well.

    Thanks Scott

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