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STEP Export not working

mmatiasko

Hello, as the title states, the step export is not working for me. So far I am trying just the simple board to test 3D models (as you can see, in 3D Canvas the are working OK). But as soon as I go to step export, I get the message "Completed with warnings/errors". Step file is not processed and log (thru Viewlog option) is empty. I tried to find some solution, but so far nobody is having this issue I guess. Using OrCAD PCB Designer Standard ver. 17.2-2016 S023, Windows 7 64-bit.

  • mmatiasko

    So far I found out that this error is causes by some 3D models :/ I tried different ones, and they work okey. I aquired all models from 3rd party services, however, I don't know,

    how to differentiate bad models from good ones. Is it the step file version?

  • Edichka

    Hello, try to move your project to the place with simple, DOS-similar path-name.

  • mmatiasko

    I chatted with author of the STEP files and he found a solution. I'm attaching our conversation about this issue.

    Fullscreen Messages.txt Download 
    Maros Matiasko
Hello, 
first, let me thank you for amazing models you provided. 
However, I have problem using them. I am using OrCAD PCB Designer, in short, I can not export STEP model of PCB with "some" of your models (export ends with error). I managed to partially solve this, for example I opened STEP model for SMD Tantal A package in FreeCAD, exported it again as STEP an now it works. Unfortunatelly, this also marginally expands the file size of model (for example, from 79kB to 408kB).
Alex Fedorov

Hi, 
It's strange as all the models are done in the same version of the same CAD system. 
Yes, FreeCAD have very inefficient STEP exporter. 
Does OrCAD specify what kind of error it encounters?
Maros Matiasko

Hi, 
I should specify - I assume that all your models are doing this error to me (I tried C1206, R1206, Tantal Caps and some radial resistor - all with same result), I tried some models from different sources and they work fine. Unfortunatelly, OrCAD doesnt not specify any error.
Alex Fedorov
Alex Fedorov 7 days ago Report spam
I will try to investigate the problem. But if it's a STEP exporter problem there nothing I can do to fix the problem, since I can't change the way it works.

Maros Matiasko
Yes, I think you are right. Again, thanks for your models and have a good day :)

Alex Fedorov
I've found the problem by checking conformity to the ISO 10303-21 using NIST's STEP File Analyzer. And sure, it' not fully conforming :) 
It's funny but the actual problem is in the single instruction which describes some mass characteristics which is totally superfluous in EDA designing. Other CAD software just ignore this data but OrCAD STEP converter can't tolerate and just crushes (hence no specific errors are reported). 
FreeCAD don't export such an information and so OrCAD works with FC files well.
Alex Fedorov
I've uploaded some fixed files to the 'passive SMD / conformity_test'. Could you check if the problem solved with these files?

Maros Matiasko
Hi, I will check it right now.

Maros Matiasko
Back at it, It works just fine. Could you please provide me some more details about what causes this error? Or about what you changed? I hope I could send some bug report to Cadence.

Alex Fedorov
1. The main problem is in DERIVED_UNIT record, which defines density unit by deriving from MASS_UNIT and VOLUME_UNIT. By the standard it should point to two DERIVED_UNIT_ELEMENT records, which in turn points to NAMED_UNIT->MASS_UNIT/VOLUME_UNIT, but originally MASS_UNIT record defined omitting this DERIVED_UNIT_ELEMENT, and this triggers an exception in STEP library. 
2. PRODUCT record is incorrect. By the standard it should point to PRODUCT_CONTEXT record, but originally it points to the MECHANICAL_CONTEXT. FreeCAD do exports in the same way, but STEP library tolerate this somehow. 
I believe, that Cadence uses the same library that STEP File Analyzer use, since SFA also crushes when parsing file, but it was designed to recover from such crushes and eventually gives a complete file structure, reporting all the errors encountered. 
Strictly, it is not Cadence problem, as if the file fully conforms to the standard it would work well. 
On the other hand, CAD system I'm using is not a some 'world standard' one, and present STEP exporter as a side feature, which is not updated for years. It is easier to fix files after an export. Those files I fix manually, so I have to figure how to do it programmatically. Recent models are exported by custom batch exporting extension anyway, so I eventually build 'fixing' function into this extension and new models would be published already fixed. Maybe I'd reupload all the existing files in the far future, but there are already so many of these, the effort is huge. 
I've uploaded the patch in to the same directory, which clearly show what was fixed, so you easily can do it by yourself. First hunk is more like a warning, it changes nothing. I've also considering writing some script, which can be used by users to fix the models.

Alex Fedorov
I meant FreeCAD do PRODUCT record in the same way. It not defines density unit at all, hence problem is not rises with FC files.

Maros Matiasko
Thank you for your time and elaboartion. I wrote a macro in FreeCAD which imports step file and then exports it again, so all 400 models I got from you are working for me so far (I don't really need all of them right now, but it would be shame to let it waste after I spent many hours renaming them to my liking).

Alex Fedorov
here is the script to batch fix the files 
passive SMD/conformity_test/conformity.pl 
perl conformity.pl --help to view usage information.

  • PaoloUoB
    in reply to mmatiasko

    Hi Maros,

    I have just incurred in the same issue and, after a quick check, I realized the author of the step files is the same. :)
    By reading your email exchange it looks like you have a script to fix the files so that they can be exported. Any change you could share it?

    Many thanks,

    Paolo

  • Shaheel
    in reply to PaoloUoB

    In allegro 17.2,

    while doing step export i can't do with external traces,it's showing "completed with errors and warnings" then viewlog also not there,i got 3d model,but i need traces also in pcb,when i open that step file on solidworks there is no traces in pcb,

    there is any solution to get a traces on solidworks........

    thanks advance......

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