P-CAD unsuitable for networks

[Kenneth Porter]

I'm shopping for an inexpensive CAD system for a small startup doing
microprocessor-based servo stuff. I need fine-line multilayer for the
digital stuff, and copper pours and weird copper structures for analog
work.

I asked a buddy about P-CAD (what he uses) and he reports these serious
deficiencies:

You can't save some things in pcad till all of the errors are gone. It
has been that way for a long time and the support people don't seem to
have much of a clue.

It is a real pain if you are making a large library part you can't
stop and save and come back to it later. It also does not always tell
you that the file you just tried to save was to a read only directory
and it did not really do anything. It also trys to reconnect to all of
the files you have used recently so you can't move them. same with
printers, if you remove a printer it has used recently you may not be
able to get it to run. or it will at least take quite a while to
startup....I have seen on the order of more than 10 minutes.

This is of course unacceptable. I'm of the "save-early-save-often" school,
because one can never predict acts of god that clobber one's work. I don't
want to lose hours of work because of this kind of thing.

 

[Gary Crowell / VCP]

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 13:51:48 -0600, Kenneth Porter
<shiva.blacklist@sewingwitch.com> wrote:

I'm shopping for an inexpensive CAD system for a small startup doing
microprocessor-based servo stuff. I need fine-line multilayer for the
digital stuff, and copper pours and weird copper structures for analog
work.

I asked a buddy about P-CAD (what he uses) and he reports these serious
deficiencies:

You can't save some things in pcad till all of the errors are gone. It
has been that way for a long time and the support people don't seem to
have much of a clue.

"Some things" are library components only, and it is possible to save
work-in-progress, and I often make 1500 pin FPGA components with no
problem.

It is a real pain if you are making a large library part you can't
stop and save and come back to it later. It also does not always tell
you that the file you just tried to save was to a read only directory
and it did not really do anything.

Never encountered that, but can't recall that I've tried.

It also trys to reconnect to all of
the files you have used recently so you can't move them.

Thats just the library files that it connects to, and there are simple
library and network management procedures that make this not a
problem.

same with
printers, if you remove a printer it has used recently you may not be
able to get it to run. or it will at least take quite a while to
startup....I have seen on the order of more than 10 minutes.

Never seen this and we have network printers all over the place,
changing all the time. This may have been an issue several years ago,
but is not with current version. PCAD2004 is "in the mail" and I'm
looking forward to it.

This is of course unacceptable. I'm of the "save-early-save-often" school,
because one can never predict acts of god that clobber one's work. I don't
want to lose hours of work because of this kind of thing.

I've got over a dozen PCAD licenses, both networked floating, and node
licenses, and I manage the component library for a couple dozen users.
I don't have a problem with anything you describe. Sounds to me like
your buddy may be the problem.

Of course if you're looking for 'inexpensive', then you're probably
barking up the wrong cad system in the first place.

Gary Crowell
Micron Technology

 

[xxx]

See comments input below

I'm shopping for an inexpensive CAD system for a small startup doing
microprocessor-based servo stuff. I need fine-line multilayer for the
digital stuff, and copper pours and weird copper structures for analog
work.

You get what you pay for: The better ones are

Orcad Layout+capture
Pads
P-CAD "Windows version"
Protel.

I asked a buddy about P-CAD (what he uses) and he reports these serious
deficiencies:

You can't save some things in pcad till all of the errors are gone. It
has been that way for a long time and the support people don't seem to
have much of a clue.

Sounds to me that your buddy is the one that should get a clue.
There is one P-CAD, Called Pcad Master Designer. This was a dos
based product and one of the best pcb tools of all time. There is
a windows version not to be confused with the dos version called P-CAD
its sold by Protel, it used to be sold by accel technologies and
came from Accels Tango pro product.

While the dos version of master designer is no longer sold the windows
version is pretty popular. In both versions you can save pcb's,
schematics, library parts at any time. The system is designed to
protect you from yourself with stringent error checking. This is
to your advantage.

It is a real pain if you are making a large library part you can't
stop and save and come back to it later. It also does not always tell
you that the file you just tried to save was to a read only directory
and it did not really do anything. It also trys to reconnect to all of
the files you have used recently so you can't move them. same with
printers, if you remove a printer it has used recently you may not be
able to get it to run. or it will at least take quite a while to
startup....I have seen on the order of more than 10 minutes.

I have never seen any of the above items you mention. The problems you

indicate are more akin to the operating system than the actual cad
package.Or simple user operator error.

This is of course unacceptable. I'm of the "save-early-save-often" school,
because one can never predict acts of god that clobber one's work. I don't
want to lose hours of work because of this kind of thing.

Are you really looking to purchase a cad tool or are you a sales drone
from a competing cad vendor.

thank You. X711