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Extract and use local library from .dsn and .brd in Orcad Standard 16.6

Grubi

Hi,

I am new into Orcad, but have quite some PCB projects done with Altium and PADS.

Here is my problem - I have *.dsn file with schematics, and *.brd file with the PCB design, but no libraries at all.

From *.brd file it was not a problem to export a library which give me files *.dra, *.pad, *.psm and *.txt

It was not problem to generate netlist and connect schematics and PCB file in a way that Intertoo communication was working and think that was good.

But then when I want to assembly a library from schematics and PCB files, I was almost totally lost.

For example to view a footprint of component in shematics, I try to point the exported library directory
 with adding the directory path into:

C: \ Cadence \ SPB_16.5 \ tools \ capture \ CAPTURE.INI

Dir0 = ... (default)

Dir1 = D: \ PCBlibraryDevelop \ PCB \ Cadence \ RFID \ pcb \ package

 or  adding it into "Environment Editor" under PCB Editor Utilities.

but not which much success.

Well, if I copy all related to a single component files from exported directories to default

C:\Cadence\SPB_16.6\share\pcb\pcb_lib\symbols

footprint is found, but I want to keep separate library directory for each project.

Hope it not sounds very messy, any advice will be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

  • redwire

    Well the good news is that this is easy to deal with.  However it sounds like you need some basics.

    Allegro searches its psmpath and padpath environment variables.  This is managed thru Setup->User Preferences...

    You can have allegro search "symbols" and "padstacks" folders in the local design directory.  Just make sure you create these folders and place symbols and padstacks appropriately in those folders.

    As a future step you might to add another path back to another directory where other/new symbols are located.  Your choice.

    OrCAD libs need to be setup in the .ini file.  You can exclude them all and just add local ones as needed.  You *can* have multiple ini files but knowing how to manage them is in the advanced class :)

  • Grubi

    thanks, @redwire, I am really on learning and complaining "curve" right now.

    So, one thing I am missing is what those *.txt files from extracted library is doing (I guess this the connection and "map" between schematic "decal" and footprint "decal". In /share/pcb/pcb_lib *.txt files are into "devices" directory, and all other files are into "symbols" directory. There are some *.dcl files into "pcb_lib", too. And in tools/capture/library there is mainly *.olb integrated libraries.

    Now if we have DSN file without separate OLB library, and we have extracted library from BRD file, how do we recreate OLB library(or shematics decals) and make connection to the extracted symbols "footprint" library - this way "assembling" complete library, that can be used in future designs.

  • Grubi

    I found little "something"...

    INI file that I try to change path C:\Cadence\SPB_16.6\tools\capture\Capture.ini

    INI file that Capture is using path C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming\SPB_Data\cdssetup\OrCAD_Capture/16.6.0/Capture.ini

    (it is written in Session log down there in Capture...)

    Well, now it is something different, at least I can view footprints. I just wonder if there will be more like these...

  • redwire
    The latest Cadence searches the ini in the path that you discovered. There is an override for this with the "-i" option when starting OrCAD. You can use this to your advantage...In previous versions the "-i" option was in the OrCAD icon and pointed back to the system ini path.
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