To Orcad or not to Orcad??

[Andrew Beckett]

comp.cad.cadence is not moderated - not sure about sci.electronics.cad (which
was in the cc list). We did discuss the idea some time back to cut down spam,
but actually we don't get that much spam these days...

Andrew.

On Mon, 08 Sep 2003 15:33:17 +0200, eda support guy
<cad_support_at_catena_dot_the_netherlands> wrote:

Humm, Erik,
I think the GNUs are just not there yet. The Oregano project was more
interesting. But the fact that they use guile in gEDA for the
interpreter is interesting in itself.

I'd say a good replacement for schematics+pspice is simetrix
http://www.catena.uk.com
and this is, of course, a completely independent and objective opinion ;-)

BTW, Andrew, is this group moderated ?

Erik Wanta wrote:
http://www.geda.seul.org/
---
Erik

"Jeff Stephens" <jsteve17@tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message news:<vQl6b.13054$Mb2.596618@twister.tampabay.rr.com>...

For inexpensive Pspice go to http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~herniter/ and click
on
"Software -> Upgrade your Pspice Software" and scroll down to "MicroSim
version 8."
Lots of other links here as well.

Regards,
JeffS

"AB" <artky1k@uninets.net> wrote in message
news4uhlvsksplv134elridemjr0frvvoo5tr@4ax.com...

Good day all,

Well, I've been around awhile now and have tried Orcad Capture (ver 9
demo), CircuitMaker, SuperSpice and LTSpice.

I had initially given up on Orcad as being to complex, unnecessarily
detailed and being MUCH TOO EXPENSIVE for small time operators like
me.

When I started out, I just wanted something to draw and save simple
schematics!!!! Until I tried SPICE that is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, Spice is most important.!! Gotta have Spice (after trying it).

After trying all, Orcad has a lot of advantages, I'm doing the self
contained tutorial for the third time. I've seen the light.

I'm wondering if older versions of Orcad are affordable and how much
difference there is between the older versions and the latest
megabucks version.

I've seen Orcad 9 on ebay for $66, but always from a vendor in a
country where copyright laws aren't closely enforced:>: I won't even
give those people my email address!

However, if someone had ver 8 because they upgraded to ver 9, I'm
wondering if I could afford to buy it??? Also, does anyone know if
Cadence will transfer the software license from the old owner to me???

So, is Orcad worth trying again and does buying an older version make
it a cheaper option (remembering that it has to include Spice).

Hackers, password crackers and persons who DO NOT respect intellectual
property rights should not reply.

Thanks,

AB

--
Andrew Beckett
Senior Technical Leader
Custom IC Solutions
Cadence Design Systems Ltd

 

[Jim Thompson]

On Sat, 06 Sep 2003 12:22:05 -0400, AB <artky1k@uninets.net> wrote:

but "OrCAD" includes
PSpice... and I guarantee you that PSpice has models for 1N4148 and
1N914. You are just clueless when it comes to "Search" ;-)



Yes indeed, I am probably clueless Jim!! But.....

I still can't find the 1N914 and the 1N4148. I'm not sure what to say
about the lack of 1N914 and 1N4148 models in Orcad v 9.2. There are
hundreds and hundreds of obscure IC's, stuff I've never heard of
before. It appears to be complete with regard to transistors, although
the 2N3055 power transistor isn't there.

Maybe I'm not looking in the right place, I'll reread the tutorial
about part search again.

But, here's what I'm doing! Let's say I need a 1N4148 diode.

I open up a new design, which (I think that means I'm starting with a
clean slate).

File>open>design.

The project manager for design1 comes up and a blank schematic labeled
"schematic1: page 1" appears.

Place>part.

The place part window comes up.

There are about 30 libraries in the libraries part of the window, they
are selected already so I think that means I can access any parts in
any of those libraries. The DISCRETE library is definitely high
lighted, my 1N4148 is probably in there???

I type '1N4148' into the open window and click OK. Nothing happens.

I click on the 'part search' button.

The part search window comes up with 1N4148 already entered into the
part search window. There are no libraries shown in the Part Search
libraries box, but the path to Orcads Library files is properly shown.

I click on Browse (just in case I need to select a specific library
for Orcad to search). A bunch of libraries in Orcads own Library
folder are shown. However, I can't select any of the libraries by
left/right clicking or shift click or control click. I close the
browse window and the part search window is now shown again.

The libraries part of the part search window remains empty. I am
assuming that I can't add any libraries because they are already
available as shown in the place part window.

I click 'begin search'. Orcad says 'No parts found to match the search
string: 1N4148'.

I close the place part window, no part is found.


Now, it gets even better though.

I can locate and place the 2n2222, the mpsa05, mpf102, 74HC14, 74s00,
4049 and other common parts! I don't even have to search for these! I
just type them into the place part window and they show up right away.
There is no need for me to do a part search at all with these common
parts.


So, am I doing something wrong, or is Orcad missing the 1N4148?? I
can't find the 1N914 either.

Thanks all,

AB (clueless in Maine)

Crippled student version or licensed?

Both diode.lib and ediode.lib contain the model D1N4148

diode.lib contains the model for D1N914

pwrbjt.lib contains the model for Q2N3055

Read the tutorial, particularly how to configure libraries... unless
you define a particular library in the setups, the program will not
know where a part is.

Better still, re-install, choose "Custom", install Schematics and see
how a real schematic entry program works.

(I don't use Capture, refuse to use Capture, and will bail from PSpice
when they cease support of Schematics. PSpice alternatives were under
consideration before Charlie Edmondson's Schematics EOL announcement.)

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.