Pulsonix question

[Paul S]

All this talk about Pulsonix.... I have questions:

The web site indicates pricing (for PCB layout) with and without the
autorouter. Can someone tell me, A) is that the Specctra autorouter
they're talking about? and B) is there any autorouting ability without
that, and if so, how good is it?

Also, can Pulsonix import Orcad board files? How about Orcad Capture
netlists?

Thx,
Paul

 

[Simon Peacock]

I think a simple answer.. one you already knew... if its specctra then count
how many zeros are after the dollar sign.... no less that 4 and it probably
is (the striped down version) and no less than 6 and its full specctra

"Paul S" <upintahoe999@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:73cf625b.0403151706.62f27702@posting.google.com...

All this talk about Pulsonix.... I have questions:

The web site indicates pricing (for PCB layout) with and without the
autorouter. Can someone tell me, A) is that the Specctra autorouter
they're talking about? and B) is there any autorouting ability without
that, and if so, how good is it?

Also, can Pulsonix import Orcad board files? How about Orcad Capture
netlists?

Thx,
Paul

 

[Don Prescott]

upintahoe999@yahoo.com (Paul S) wrote in message news:<73cf625b.0403151706.62f27702@posting.google.com>...

All this talk about Pulsonix.... I have questions:

The web site indicates pricing (for PCB layout) with and without the
autorouter. Can someone tell me, A) is that the Specctra autorouter
they're talking about? and B) is there any autorouting ability without
that, and if so, how good is it?

Also, can Pulsonix import Orcad board files? How about Orcad Capture
netlists?

Thx,
Paul

It has it's own built-in AutoRouter if you take it "with autorouter".
It's not SPECCTRA. If you buy without then there's no autorouting
capability, but there is also an interface to/from SPECCTRA if you
already have this router.

On imports it accepts OrCAD Layout files and libraries saved in ASCII.
Also, OrCAD Schematics and libraries. It also takes Schematics,
Layouts and libraries from PADS, P-CAD, Cadstar, Protel, Accel,
Ultiboard and on the latest version I noticed Eagle import. It also
accepts OrCAD netlists into PCB.

Don Prescott

 

[Leon Heller]

"Paul S" <upintahoe999@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:73cf625b.0403151706.62f27702@posting.google.com...

All this talk about Pulsonix.... I have questions:

The web site indicates pricing (for PCB layout) with and without the
autorouter. Can someone tell me, A) is that the Specctra autorouter
they're talking about? and B) is there any autorouting ability without
that, and if so, how good is it?

The autorouter is actually the Bartels one. It's quite good, but not in the
same league as Specctra. It can use Specctra, if you can afford it.

Also, can Pulsonix import Orcad board files? How about Orcad Capture
netlists?

It can import Orcad designs (also Eagle, CADStar, Protel, P-CAD, PADS and
Ultimate).

Leon

 

[Paul Burridge]

On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 09:43:33 -0000, "Leon Heller"
<leon_heller@hotmail.com> wrote:

"Paul S" <upintahoe999@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:73cf625b.0403151706.62f27702@posting.google.com...
All this talk about Pulsonix.... I have questions:

The web site indicates pricing (for PCB layout) with and without the
autorouter. Can someone tell me, A) is that the Specctra autorouter
they're talking about? and B) is there any autorouting ability without
that, and if so, how good is it?

The autorouter is actually the Bartels one. It's quite good, but not in the
same league as Specctra. It can use Specctra, if you can afford it.

The Pulsonix autorouter doesn't seem to do much at all from what I've
seen. It only converts a couple of connections to tracks and leaves
the rest! Maybe it's something to do with mine being an evaluation
version, but I'd have expected this limitation to be mentioned in the
spec!
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

 

[Leon Heller]

"Paul Burridge" <pb@osiris1.notthisbit.co.uk> wrote in message
news:rjsd50d31ai7otpt3p0biommql5kprb0tm@4ax.com...

On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 09:43:33 -0000, "Leon Heller"
leon_heller@hotmail.com> wrote:


"Paul S" <upintahoe999@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:73cf625b.0403151706.62f27702@posting.google.com...
All this talk about Pulsonix.... I have questions:

The web site indicates pricing (for PCB layout) with and without the
autorouter. Can someone tell me, A) is that the Specctra autorouter
they're talking about? and B) is there any autorouting ability without
that, and if so, how good is it?

The autorouter is actually the Bartels one. It's quite good, but not in
the
same league as Specctra. It can use Specctra, if you can afford it.

The Pulsonix autorouter doesn't seem to do much at all from what I've
seen. It only converts a couple of connections to tracks and leaves
the rest! Maybe it's something to do with mine being an evaluation
version, but I'd have expected this limitation to be mentioned in the
spec!

Provided it is set up properly and the components are placed sensibly it
generally routes to completion, or something quite close to it. Nothing to
do with it being an evaluation copy. You can't just plonk the parts down,
select any old parameters and expect it to do a good job.

For the price, it's one of the better ones. The Protel DXP one is unusable,
by all accounts.

Leon

 

[Don Prescott]

The Pulsonix autorouter doesn't seem to do much at all from what I've
seen. It only converts a couple of connections to tracks and leaves
the rest! Maybe it's something to do with mine being an evaluation
version, but I'd have expected this limitation to be mentioned in the
spec!

I have Pulsonix. Gimme the board name and I'll try it...

Don Prescott

 

[Paul Burridge]

On 16 Mar 2004 11:03:34 -0800, DMBPrescott@aol.com (Don Prescott)
wrote:

The Pulsonix autorouter doesn't seem to do much at all from what I've
seen. It only converts a couple of connections to tracks and leaves
the rest! Maybe it's something to do with mine being an evaluation
version, but I'd have expected this limitation to be mentioned in the
spec!

I have Pulsonix. Gimme the board name and I'll try it...

Happily. What type of file do I have to generate and post to enable
you to give it a try at your end?
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

 

[Don Prescott]

Paul Burridge <pb@osiris1.notthisbit.co.uk> wrote in message news:<uune50115qvc8p003o5g5964isi4habm2b@4ax.com>...

On 16 Mar 2004 11:03:34 -0800, DMBPrescott@aol.com (Don Prescott)
wrote:

The Pulsonix autorouter doesn't seem to do much at all from what I've
seen. It only converts a couple of connections to tracks and leaves
the rest! Maybe it's something to do with mine being an evaluation
version, but I'd have expected this limitation to be mentioned in the
spec!

I have Pulsonix. Gimme the board name and I'll try it...

Happily. What type of file do I have to generate and post to enable
you to give it a try at your end?

If you have the demo version it doesn't save your designs. So, are
you talking about one of the demo boards that come with Pulsonix or is
this something you put together yourself....? If it's one of the
standard demo boards just send me the name. My email number is at the
top...

Don Prescott

 

[Leon Heller]

"Don Prescott" <DMBPrescott@aol.com> wrote in message
news:7fb54666.0403170200.424e48cc@posting.google.com...

Paul Burridge <pb@osiris1.notthisbit.co.uk> wrote in message
news:<uune50115qvc8p003o5g5964isi4habm2b@4ax.com>...
On 16 Mar 2004 11:03:34 -0800, DMBPrescott@aol.com (Don Prescott)
wrote:

The Pulsonix autorouter doesn't seem to do much at all from what I've
seen. It only converts a couple of connections to tracks and leaves
the rest! Maybe it's something to do with mine being an evaluation
version, but I'd have expected this limitation to be mentioned in the
spec!

I have Pulsonix. Gimme the board name and I'll try it...

Happily. What type of file do I have to generate and post to enable
you to give it a try at your end?

If you have the demo version it doesn't save your designs. So, are
you talking about one of the demo boards that come with Pulsonix or is
this something you put together yourself....? If it's one of the
standard demo boards just send me the name. My email number is at the
top...

The demo will actually save designs having up to 100 pins.

Leon

 

[Paul Burridge]

On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 10:29:05 -0000, "Leon Heller"
<leon_heller@hotmail.com> wrote:

"Don Prescott" <DMBPrescott@aol.com> wrote in message
news:7fb54666.0403170200.424e48cc@posting.google.com...
Paul Burridge <pb@osiris1.notthisbit.co.uk> wrote in message
news:<uune50115qvc8p003o5g5964isi4habm2b@4ax.com>...
On 16 Mar 2004 11:03:34 -0800, DMBPrescott@aol.com (Don Prescott)
wrote:

The Pulsonix autorouter doesn't seem to do much at all from what I've
seen. It only converts a couple of connections to tracks and leaves
the rest! Maybe it's something to do with mine being an evaluation
version, but I'd have expected this limitation to be mentioned in the
spec!

I have Pulsonix. Gimme the board name and I'll try it...

Happily. What type of file do I have to generate and post to enable
you to give it a try at your end?

If you have the demo version it doesn't save your designs. So, are
you talking about one of the demo boards that come with Pulsonix or is
this something you put together yourself....? If it's one of the
standard demo boards just send me the name. My email number is at the
top...


The demo will actually save designs having up to 100 pins.

Yes, it does!
I think what I'll do is post an example of the problem I've been
having to a website. This may take a while if there's no facility to
copy a board in bitmap format to a photo program but I shall see what
can be done...
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

 

[Paul Burridge]

On 17 Mar 2004 02:00:20 -0800, DMBPrescott@aol.com (Don Prescott)
wrote:

Paul Burridge <pb@osiris1.notthisbit.co.uk> wrote in message news:<uune50115qvc8p003o5g5964isi4habm2b@4ax.com>...
On 16 Mar 2004 11:03:34 -0800, DMBPrescott@aol.com (Don Prescott)
wrote:

The Pulsonix autorouter doesn't seem to do much at all from what I've
seen. It only converts a couple of connections to tracks and leaves
the rest! Maybe it's something to do with mine being an evaluation
version, but I'd have expected this limitation to be mentioned in the
spec!

I have Pulsonix. Gimme the board name and I'll try it...

Happily. What type of file do I have to generate and post to enable
you to give it a try at your end?

If you have the demo version it doesn't save your designs. So, are
you talking about one of the demo boards that come with Pulsonix or is
this something you put together yourself....? If it's one of the
standard demo boards just send me the name. My email number is at the
top...

Okay, Don. I believe I've been successful in posting two Pulsonix
files to alt.binaries.schematics.electronics. I hope you can d/load
them from there but if not, let me know and I'll e-mail them to you
direct.
The first is a schematic to use for the test.
The second is a board layout generated from the test circuit just for
showing up the problem. If you examine the board file, you'll see that
some of the connections have not been converted into tracks. In this
instance, the problem is very slight and easily remedied and most of
the connections have been converted to tracks by the autorouter.
However, *usually* when I invoke autorouter, *most* of the connections
remain unconverted and with a larger more complex schematic it's a
pain converting the tracks one by one by hand. I'd just like to know
if incomplete board trace generation is the norm in Pulsonix.
REgards,

paul
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

 

[Leon Heller]

"Paul Burridge" <pb@osiris1.notthisbit.co.uk> wrote in message
news:lltg50luhpm3nuuua2mgk84gak8og7aeia@4ax.com...

Okay, Don. I believe I've been successful in posting two Pulsonix
files to alt.binaries.schematics.electronics. I hope you can d/load
them from there but if not, let me know and I'll e-mail them to you
direct.
The first is a schematic to use for the test.
The second is a board layout generated from the test circuit just for
showing up the problem. If you examine the board file, you'll see that
some of the connections have not been converted into tracks. In this
instance, the problem is very slight and easily remedied and most of
the connections have been converted to tracks by the autorouter.
However, *usually* when I invoke autorouter, *most* of the connections
remain unconverted and with a larger more complex schematic it's a
pain converting the tracks one by one by hand. I'd just like to know
if incomplete board trace generation is the norm in Pulsonix.
REgards,

I've just downloaded your PCB file.

Your problem is that it's a single-sided board with the SM capacitors placed
on the top side, you should have mirrored them so that they are on the
bottom. It should have been obvious to you because the pads aren't visible.
When I mirrored them the pads were visible and the board routed OK.

Most autorouters don't cope very well with single-sided boards, BTW.

Leon

 

[Don Prescott]

Yes, it does!
I think what I'll do is post an example of the problem I've been
having to a website. This may take a while if there's no facility to
copy a board in bitmap format to a photo program but I shall see what
can be done...

No need me old mate. Just email me the board. If this is a 100 pin
board I am pretty nigh certain it will route. I have really quite
complex designs of over 2000 pins that route 100%, so I'd be very
surprised if your's doesn't....

Don Prescott

 

[Paul Burridge]

On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 20:57:38 -0000, "Leon Heller"
<leon_heller@hotmail.com> wrote:

I've just downloaded your PCB file.

Your problem is that it's a single-sided board with the SM capacitors placed
on the top side,

I didn't place them on *either* side. The autoplace/cluster did that
straight from the schematic.

you should have mirrored them so that they are on the
bottom. It should have been obvious to you because the pads aren't visible.

Well it wasn't. How was I supposed to know that?

When I mirrored them the pads were visible and the board routed OK.

Thanks, I'll try it. :-|
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

 

[Leon Heller]

"Paul Burridge" <pb@osiris1.notthisbit.co.uk> wrote in message
news:seoh50tult9kl9udqvbv19q0cpn3j4eq6i@4ax.com...

On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 20:57:38 -0000, "Leon Heller"
leon_heller@hotmail.com> wrote:


I've just downloaded your PCB file.

Your problem is that it's a single-sided board with the SM capacitors
placed
on the top side,

I didn't place them on *either* side. The autoplace/cluster did that
straight from the schematic.

you should have mirrored them so that they are on the
bottom. It should have been obvious to you because the pads aren't
visible.

Well it wasn't. How was I supposed to know that?

It would be a good idea to design a few PCBs manually before using an
autorouter, errors like that will be obvious as you can't connect to pads
that aren't there. Always run the Net Completion Report after routing the
board. BTW, you have an error in the schematic - run the Electrical Rules
Check.

When I mirrored them the pads were visible and the board routed OK.

Thanks, I'll try it. :-|

Use 'M' to mirror parts.

Leon

 

[Paul Burridge]

On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 03:06:21 -0000, "Leon Heller"
<leon_heller@hotmail.com> wrote:

Use 'M' to mirror parts.

Okay, Leon. Problem sorted now. Nice program!
Thanks.
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.

 

[Leon Heller]

"Paul Burridge" <pb@osiris1.notthisbit.co.uk> wrote in message
news92j50d8175o770vj00kjevf00p5jmed33@4ax.com...

On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 03:06:21 -0000, "Leon Heller"
leon_heller@hotmail.com> wrote:

Use 'M' to mirror parts.

Okay, Leon. Problem sorted now. Nice program!

Download the new version - lots of nice goodies!

Leon

 

[Paul Burridge]

On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 11:43:22 -0000, "Leon Heller"
<leon_heller@hotmail.com> wrote:

"Paul Burridge" <pb@osiris1.notthisbit.co.uk> wrote in message
news92j50d8175o770vj00kjevf00p5jmed33@4ax.com...
On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 03:06:21 -0000, "Leon Heller"
leon_heller@hotmail.com> wrote:

Use 'M' to mirror parts.

Okay, Leon. Problem sorted now. Nice program!

Download the new version - lots of nice goodies!

Are you kidding? It took me a good 3 weeks to get this one!
--

The BBC: Licensed at public expense to spread lies.