Importing Board Data

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Maurice Owen
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1 Importing Board Data

3 Table of Contents Import Board Data... 1 Overview... 1 Setting Import Options... 1 Setting the Display Font... 2 Importing Board Data... 3 To import board data:... 3 Viewing Input Files... 5 Saving and Printing Data... 6 Index... 9 iii

5 Import Board Data Overview The Import Tool allows you to import data for a board or Assembly from an external file. Data may be imported from a Mentor Neutral File, an Excel Spreadsheet or a GenCAD Neutral File. You may also use the Import tool to view, edit, print and save an input file or the diagnostics report generated during an import. The GenCAD Neutral File is a format supported by a group of CAD vendors, allowing data import from such CAD systems as: Advanced CAM Technologies, GraphiCode, Inc., Intercept Technology Inc. Mentor Graphics Corporation, OrCAD, Router Solutions, Inc, VeriBest Incorporated, Zuken-Redac, Inc. During the import, the import tool will look for parts base on the part number provided in the import file. The first place the tool will look is in the currently selected project. If the tool does not find the part in the current project, it will look in the Default Project identified on the right side of the tool bar. You can specify which project will be your default. See the Setting Import Options topic for details. Both the Mentor Neutral File Import and the GenCAD Neutral File Import will allow you to create new parts, specifying the type subtype and style as well as allowing you to specify parametrics, during the import. These two tools also provide utilities that provides the capability to update part placement as the design matures, or adjust the part sizes to match the input file, without losing any part data. New parts may also be created during the User Defined Import, but in a much more limited manner, due to the reduced information available. All parts created during the User Defined Import will be categorized as either Resistors, Capacitors or Miscellaneous. In the Options tab of the user defined import, you can specify the style to be used for Capacitors or Resistors generated during the import as well as their Capacitance or Resistance. The parts may then be moved to the appropriate type, subtype and style and their parametrics updated using the capabilities of the Component Data Manager. Setting Import Options The Options menu item of the main menu provides the capability to specify the default project to search for parts if, during import, no matching part is found in the currently active project, or to set the font which is used to display file contents or import diagnostics. 1

6 Importing Board Data The menu currently has two menu items. Selecting the Set Default Project option, or clicking the Set Default Project button ( ) on the toolbar, displays a selection panel of projects. The arrow points at the currently selected default project. Select the project that typically has the parts you would use and press the Ok button. The panel closes and the selection is saved. The selection will now be used by all the import tools (Mentor, GENCAD, User Defined). Setting the Display Font The presentation of file data and diagnostics is tailorable to allow you to select a font which best suit you for easy reading and editing of the data. To select a font select the Set Font item of the Options menu or click on the Set Font button ( dialog is presented. ) on the toolbar. A font 2

7 Import Board Data Select the font, style, size and color that you desire. The settings will be Importing Board Data To import board data: Select Import from the main menu 3

8 Importing Board Data or click on the Import button ( ) on the toolbar. A standard Open File dialog window displays: 1. Select the type of file you want to import by clicking on the down arrow icon of the Files of Type field and selecting the type of file to import. 2. Select the drive, subdirectory, and file that you wish to import and click on the Open button. When importing an Excel file, after a short delay, the User Defined Import Tool windows will be presented. 4

Import Board Data See Using the User-Defined Import Tool When importing a Mentor or GENCAD Neutral File, after a short delay, the Import Tool Window for the format selected will be presented.

Viewing Input Files The file viewing capability of the Import tool, combined with the capability to save and print the contents of the display window, provide you with the capability to review and

9 Import Board Data See Using the User-Defined Import Tool When importing a Mentor or GENCAD Neutral File, after a short delay, the Import Tool Window for the format selected will be presented. See Using the Mentor/GenCAD Import Tool After completion of the Import, any diagnostics or progress message generated will be displayed in the center portion of the Import tool. Viewing Input Files The file viewing capability of the Import tool, combined with the capability to save and print the contents of the display window, provide you with the capability to review and modify ASCII input files as part of the import process. This also allows you to verify things, such as the line on which the data starts, that you can tweak in the specifications of the format (in the User Defined Import tool) prior to importing a new part list, or updating an existing part list. To view a file select File View File from the main menu: alternately you can select the View Files speed button on the tool bar ( ). A standard windows Open File dialog is presented. Navigate to the file of interest and press Open. After a short delay, the file is presented in the display window. 5

Importing Board Data After editing the contents of the file, you can save it back to the same file name or to a new name with the same format extension (such as *.GEN or *.

10 Importing Board Data After editing the contents of the file, you can save it back to the same file name or to a new name with the same format extension (such as *.GEN or *.CAD) and proceed to import the file to ASENT. Saving and Printing Data The data in the display window may be printed or saved to file using the File Save Diagnostics or the File Print Diagnostics options of the main menu. Alternately the Print ( ) and Save ( ) speedbuttons on the toolbar may be used to invoke the same functions. The Print function prints the entire contents of the window (whether visible or not) to the default printer (as specified in Settings Printers from the Start Menu in Windows). If you have specified a font, the printout will use the selected font, if the printer supports it. If the font is not supported, then a near default font is used. The Save function brings up a standard Windows Save File dialog. In addition to the list of import file formats, you will find Rich Text and Plain Text as output options. 6

Import Board Data This also provides you with an easy way to switch file names and format extensions (although the format of the data in the file WILL NOT CHANGE).

11 Import Board Data This also provides you with an easy way to switch file names and format extensions (although the format of the data in the file WILL NOT CHANGE). This also provides you with an easy way to same any problem notes from an import to forward to the ASENT staff for resolution. Both of the text formats are easily insertable in most mail tools, either in the body of the message or as an attachment. 7

13 Index I Importing Board Data... 3 O Overview... 1 S Saving and Printing Data... 6 Setting Import Options... 1 Setting the Display Font... 2 V Viewing Input Files

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From the Insert Tab (1), highlight Picture (2) drop down and finally choose From Computer to insert a new image Inserting Image To make your page more striking visually you can add images. There are three ways of loading images, one from your computer as you edit the page or you can preload them in an image library