Hello,
I have an existing board design consisting of two analog channels that are inputs to an A/D to a microcontroller. These analog channels consists of 6 SMT IC's with about 45 SMT discrete components (resistors, capacitors, diodes). Channel 1 is placed at right edge of tha board and Channel 2 is placed directly below Channel 1. The key is that both channels must have the same routing and placement for the board to operate properly. I would like to use the Design Reuse function to simplify the task of manually placing and routing Channel 2, the same as Channel 1. I have created the channels on the schematic as hierarchical blocks that connect externally to other signals on the board. The netlist has been checked thoroughly for connectivity between the Channel Blocks and the rest of the board. My next step was to create a new schematic just of the Channel nets, components. Then place the parts and route the signals. This file will be called Design_Reuse.MAX. I have stripped off the existing Channels 1 and 2 of my existing layout and saved it under the name Board-CH12.MAX. I would like to read in the new netlist into the complete board file (Board-CH12.MAX) and then bring in the Design_Reuse.MAX and place it twice at the far right edge with Channel 1 on top, with Channel 2 underneath. When I use the Auto - Design Resuse tab in Layout and browse for SOURCE MAX FILE, (enter Design_Resuse.MAX and click OK), I receive the message "The design has no reuseable elements" and nothing comes in. When I view the entire board I do notice all parts of Channel 1 and 2 are there basically with Channel 2 directly on top of Channel1. There is no routing and this is not the placement of parts that i have created in the Channel ax file Design_Resuse.MAX.
Could anyone give me some insight of how to handle the task of having 2 identical channels placed onto an existing board. I would appreciate any help, through this forum or even a phone call. I can be reached at 216-271-6000 x333 from 8:30am - 5:00pm EST.
Thank you.
Dave Fulmer,
PCB Designer
You will need to take a look at the chapter on Design REeuse in the Layout Users Guide, lay_ug.pdf in the doc\lay_ug directory of teh installation.
It sounds like you are looking to do what is called "external reuse", you could do "internal reuse", it sounds like the design needs to be annotated for Layout Reuse through Tools>Annotate but you probably want to work through the documentation before getting to handy with re-annotating the design.