A Big Orcad Project

[Ken]

Hi,

We have completed the schematics for a large orcad project. There are over
60 pages in the schematic split over 5 projects and a main one that uses
heirarcical block for each of the sub-project.

After annotating, the main prject seems ok, we can descend and ascend the
project blocks. If we open the individual projects, however, we see they
are NOT annotated the same way. What's up?

When it comes to printing the big project only one page comes out. We can
print it one page at a time, however.

Is it true to say that Orcad is not suitable for large projects and we
should switch our CAD tool? Is someone from Cadence out there that can tell
us what we are doing wrong, if anything? (The supplied documaentation is
pretty useless when it comes to things like this)

Is there a limit to the number of schematic sheet/nodes that orcad
supports?

Ken

(Please take out the NOSPAM if you are replying to this by email)

 

[Tom Meagher]

Hi Ken,
We have done quite a few rather large projects using OrCAD. 100+ pages when
flattened is not uncommon, with many levels of hierarchy.

While I now consider myself fairly adept with the tool, I can only say I
find it more enduring than endearing, if you know what I mean.

I am assuming you are using Capture 9.2, or the CIS version?

When you view the hierarchy of the design, you must have the root .dsn file
selected. Then you can /Edit/Browse/Parts or Flat Netlist, to quickly check
that everything you think should be in the design actually is.

You must also run the DRC, and fix all the many problems it will point out,
most of which are 'don't cares' due to pin/port mismatches. The DRC matrix
is actually a fairly nice feature that can help here.

Inspect the properties of the hierarchical blocks and be sure that the paths
match.

If you have your project broken into multiple .dsn files, you might try
bringing them all together into one big .dsn file, that is not too hard to
do.

OrCAD is very fussy, slow, cumbersome, and full of bugs. After many years I
now can get decent results out of it.

One big discovery that I recently made, after fruitlessly trying to get the
macro function to work reliably for years, was that it only works in the
upper right quadrant of a schematic page. Fortunately, it's very easy to
switch page sizes back and forth.

Etc., etc., don't give up. It can be made to work, but you will need to
keep your cool.

Good luck
Tom Meagher
Housotn TX




"Ken" <ddreamer_kNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns947EC9EC751EAkenkhannospam@66.185.95.104...

Hi,

We have completed the schematics for a large orcad project. There are over
60 pages in the schematic split over 5 projects and a main one that uses
heirarcical block for each of the sub-project.

After annotating, the main prject seems ok, we can descend and ascend the
project blocks. If we open the individual projects, however, we see they
are NOT annotated the same way. What's up?

When it comes to printing the big project only one page comes out. We can
print it one page at a time, however.

Is it true to say that Orcad is not suitable for large projects and we
should switch our CAD tool? Is someone from Cadence out there that can
tell
us what we are doing wrong, if anything? (The supplied documaentation is
pretty useless when it comes to things like this)

Is there a limit to the number of schematic sheet/nodes that orcad
supports?

Ken

(Please take out the NOSPAM if you are replying to this by email)