Capture Symbol Property Configuartion

Are you using CIS with a database?  If so, the part fields that match the CIS database fields will be checked by Part manager and red-flagged if found to have been altered. 

There are pros and cons with locking a user out from editing a symbol and OrCAD has always given the user the utmost in flexibility...CIS allows users to generate temporary parts and the librarian can "catch up later" while the engineer continues to do work.  Part Manager will alert you if a part is still in temporary status when the checks are run.

I would recommend injecting properties from CIS instead of via other methods.  That should require a simple database edit and CIS config file change...  But if I remember correctly, OrCAD has always had a "property import" feature that allows one to add properties to symbols from an external control file.  I don't use that feature so hopefully someone else can chime in.  

Hi Matt,

Regarding question, "Is there a way for have a default property added to all symbols which are placed on schematic without it existing in the library?".

Yes, you can do it. Right click on the .dsn file in the hierarchy tree and select Edit Object properties. This will open property editor window with all the parts present in your design. Click on new property and specify the property name, this should add property to all the parts of your design, you can accordingly specify the value to the property for the parts.

Hi Rads,

Yes this would work but I am looking for a more permanent solution in which the property doesn't need to be added at the beginning of each schematic design or if new parts are added halfway through.

Hi Matt,

What kind of property do you want to add?

Secondly you can define the property for parts either at the library level or at the schematic level. You mentioned that you don't want it to be driven from the library level.

So it has to come from the schematic, right?

Now, if the property is going to be same for all the designs then the recommended approach is to add it at the library level. Otherwise to add it at the schematic level you need to do add it manually using Edit Object properties as already discussed.

Are you looking for some automation in this?If yes, then please elaborate more on how part.

Any ways you will have to tell the tool what property do want to add for all the parts of the design, right?

Hi Rads,

So I would like to add the "Max_Power_Dissipation" property to all parts.  However I don't want the value stored in the library as we intend to use this property as the max power the part will dissipate in the circuits configuration (design by design depended).  Thus I would like the property to exist on the schematic when the part is placed from CIS but not have a value in it until the EE enters the desired value.  We are then passing this property down stream to third party thermal simulation tools. This is why I don't want the property to be manually created at the schematic level as it would require the correct spelling each time or the property will not pass down stream.

I can see us using this same type of thing for other properties such as a part comment property which can be used to pass extra information about a part for the placement & routing.