Cracking ExpressSCH format

[John Nagle]

Has anyone been able to crack ExpressSCh's proprietary
schematic format? We have some designs trapped in that
format and we want them out. We need them in OrCAD or
Protel.

If we could extract a standard netlist, that would
be enough.

John Nagle
Team Overbot

 

[Stuart Brorson]

I can't help you with the crack, but if you want to use a free,
open-source schematic capture and layout package, why not use gEDA:

http://www.geda.seul.org/

One of its main features is that *all* file formats are cleartext
ASCII. That way, you're never locked in to any vendor's proprietary
format. Later, if you want to use a different tool, conversion would
be a piece of cake.

FWIW: you can create layout netlists for Protel & other commercial
tools from a gEDA/gschem schematic using currently-implemted functions,
so you are already afforded a lot of options with the gEDA suite.

Stuart


John Nagle <nagle@animats.com> wrote:
: Has anyone been able to crack ExpressSCh's proprietary
: schematic format? We have some designs trapped in that
: format and we want them out. We need them in OrCAD or
: Protel.

: If we could extract a standard netlist, that would
: be enough.

: John Nagle
: Team Overbot