DFA Audit

Ken,

You need more than the Dfa_Bound_Top outlines defined in your footprints in order for the DFA Checks to work.

Here are the prerequisites:
1. Library symbols with Dfa_Bound_Top defined and if not present defaults to Place_Bound_Top.
2. DFA_DEV_CLASS Property in your library symbols to group the different types of components and if not present than you will have to defined the component classifications at the layout (.brd) level.
3. Define the DFA Spreadsheet at the layout (.brd) level which indicates what clearance is required when the to Components Classification come in contact with each other.
4. Set the "DFA Package to Package constraints" to "On" at the top of the DFA Constraints Spreadsheet form.
Thats it.

Note: You will only get real time DFA checks when using Move while in Place Manually..(place manual -h) but you will not see any real time DFA Checks when using the standard Move command (Edit > Move)

Hope this helps,
Mike Catrambone
UTStarcom, Inc.

Mike,
Thanks for your help though I am a bit lost.
This DFA Spreadsheet you speak of...where is it? I'm not familiar with it.
Also, do I just set all parts to have a DFA_DEV_CLASS property of "1" ?
Thanks
Ken

There is some initial training and a movie on the DFA capabilities on Sourcelink. From the left hand side under "Platform Specific Information" Select "Silicon-Package-Board >". The next page:

http://sourcelink.cadence.com/en/infomgmt/DisplayStaticLink.jhtml?/docs/files/Bulletins/SPBRL1.html

select:

SPB 15.5 Update Training

Select "Allegro PCB Editor" from the pulldown and there will be a listing of the topics.

To answer your specific question "This DFA Spreadsheet you speak of...where is it? I'm not familiar with it."

Use Setup >DFA Constraints spreadsheet. You need an XL or GXL license for the feature.

I have no such menu item, I wonder if I need to add a module to Allegro...
Thanks for your help, the link helps alot.
Ken

Ken,

You need to have an XL or GXL license checked out. DFA isn't available using performance or lower tiers. If you are checking out an XL or GXL license and still don't have the menu you may want to get in touch with Cadence support. The first thing I would look for if that scenario is true would be to close all Allegro editing sessions, temp rename your ~pcbenv directory and restart Allegro.