# Orcad Layout # Web Update 3 # for Layout Engineer's Edition 9.2.3 # August 2002 ## Installing Web Update 3 ### Use this web update with these versions of Layout This web update works with the following version of Orcad Layout Layout Engineer's Edition 9.2.3 This release may be installed in conjunction with any other web updates that were created for the above version of Orcad Layout. ### To install the web update: Download the ee3_923.ZIP file from the Cadence web site. Unzip the file onto your hard disk. Close all running copies of Layout. Double click the ee3_923.EXE file. At the prompt, click the Yes button to install. The web update automatically locates Layout and installs the update. ### To remove all web updates: It is only possible to remove all web updates from your system. Please note that it is not possible to selectively remove a single web update. Close all running copies of Layout. Locate the Layout install directory. The default install directory for Layout 9.2.3 is C:/Cadence/PSD_14.2/tools/Layout. The default install directory for Orcad Unison is C:/Cadence/Orcad_9.2.3/tools/Layout In the Layout install directory, double click UNPATCH.BAT. The removal utility opens a command prompt and begins the removal process. At the Overwrite prompt, press the A key to fully remove the update. This process removes all installed web updates. Layout is restored to the default version that was originally installed. ## What's included in this Web Update This web update contains many new and improved features for Orcad Layout. A catalog tool has been added to catalog and print Layout library files. AutoECO functionality has also been greatly improved with the addition of two dialog boxes. ### The Catalog Tool This tool helps you create and print catalog files of your Layout library files. Catalog files are basically Layout MAX files that are divided into printable pages. After their creation, catalog files can be edited and customized before being printed. #### To create a catalog file Open the Layout session window From the Tools menu, point to Catalog and choose Create. The Create Catalog dialog box appears. In the Input text box, enter the filename and path to the file to catalog, or click the Browse button to locate the file. You can use a library (LLB) or board (MAX) file to create a catalog. In the Output text box, enter a name for the catalog, or accept the default name. In the Component Name Location area, choose where you want the component name to display. Enter text that you want at the top of each page into the Page Label text box. Note that each page label automatically includes a page number. Choose a location option for the page label. Choose a paper size and orientation. Click the Additional Options button. Enter any spacing, sorting or margin setting in the Additional Options dialog box and click OK. For detailed information about each option, open the Catalog tool help file by pressing the help button. Click OK to create the catalog file. In this catalog file example, components are sorted with the "width then height" option checked in the Additional Options dialog box. To print the individual pages of a catalog file, you must use the catalog print tool. #### To print a catalog file Open the Layout session window. From the Tools menu, point to Catalog and choose Print. The Print Catalog dialog box appears. In the Input Catalog File text box, enter the filename and path to the catalog file, or click the Browse button to locate the file. Only enter a MAX file that was created as a catalog file. Other board files cannot be printed with this tool. In Options area, choose any print options that you require. For detailed information about each option, open the Catalog tool help file by pressing the Help button. Click Print. The Windows Print Manager appears. Set any options necessary for your printer and click Print. If you have a very large printer or plotter, you can use the normal Print command in Layout to print an entire catalog MAX file on one sheet. The Print command in Layout prints the catalog file as if it were a typical MAX file. ### AutoECO improvements The AutoECO utility now has a new easy to understand interface, and a number of Product Change Requests relating to the AutoECO utility have been addressed. The new features of AutoECO make it easier to understand the effects of each ECO on your board. Two new dialog boxes have been added. The first dialog contains all of the AutoECO options displayed logically so that changes can be made easily. Notable features of the new dialog box: In the Options area, after an AutoECO type is selected, a detailed description of that ECO is displayed. This feature helps you determine the ECO type that most accurately addresses your needs. The Most Recently Used (MRU) arrows allow you to page through recently used files to quickly select an Input MAX file. Custom switches from Cadence Customer support can be easily entered into the dialog box, eliminating the need to launch the ECO process from a command prompt. The other new dialog box appears after the AutoECO has been completed, but not applied. This dialog displays the AutoECO report and error files created during the ECO process. The output .LIS and .ERR files can still be opened from the output directory if desired. If the ECO did not complete satisfactorily, it can easily be discarded by choosing the Discard this ECO button. ### Product Change Requests (PCRs) addressed in Web Update 3 No new PCRs are addressed in Web Update 3. ### Product Change Requests (PCRs) addressed in Web Update 2 Web Update 2 is included in Web Update 3. Web Update 2 addressed a number of issues with AutoECO. The following PCRs were addressed in Web Update 2. #### PCR 320851 & 361464 - AutoECO sets the MINWIDTH property to the Layout default value In prior versions of Layout, if the minimum width property was not assigned to a net in Capture, then the AutoECO utility would reset the MINWIDTH property to the default Layout value. AutoECO Override Attrs and AutoECO Override All both functioned this way. In this release, if a net does not have a minimum width set in Capture, then the MINWIDTH property is retained even when AutoECO Override Attrs or AutoECO Override All is selected. #### PCR 321336 - Capture properties are required to be in upper case for translation into Layout In this release, the component part name, component value, and value string for properties imported from Capture retain their case as defined in the netlist. Names and values are no longer converted to all upper case. The names of objects like the Footprint name, Padstack name, and Reference Designator are still converted to uppercase. #### PCR 326569 - AutoECO adds test points and free vias to some boards Test points and free vias are added to some boards during AutoECO when the original vias and test points are overlapping and not placed on the routing grid. This problem has been fixed in this release of Layout. AutoECO now supports gridless routing. #### PCR 361276 - AutoECO Override Attrs causes net colors to be lost When overriding attributes with AutoECO Override Attrs, colors assigned to nets are reset to the default Layout colors. In this release, net colors are retained even when overriding attributes. #### PCR 386630 - Creating a board with AutoECO can lose some net connections When pin names for a part in Capture do not match the pin numbers for a footprint in Layout, the AutoECO utility can create boards that do not contain the appropriate net connections. AutoECO will now warn you if the issue cannot be resolved automatically. #### PCR 412061 & 412209 - AutoECO shrinks the size of some boards The AutoECO utility can shrink the size of some metric boards. This problem can also cause Layout to close unexpectedly when changing workspace settings. These issues have been resolved in this release. #### PCR 418595 - AutoECO removes connections to parts and pins marked Not in Netlist In this release, all AutoECO types retain non-electric parts and connections to those parts. Any ratsnest lines to parts and pins marked Not in Netlist are retained after the AutoECO has been applied. Previously, only AutoECO Add Only and AutoECO Add Override retained all ratsnest lines to non-electric parts. ### Product Change Requests (PCRs) addressed in Web Update 1 Web Update 1 is included in Web Update 2. Web Update 1 contained a number of fixes to the gridded maze router in Layout. The following PCRs were addressed in Web Update 1. #### PCR 429383 - Layout closes unexpectedly during manual routing while using the Zoom command While routing a trace in Edit Segment mode, and zooming in or out, in some instances Layout can close unexpectedly. This is no longer an issue with web update 1. #### PCR 431642 - Autorouting is slow in Layout 9.2.3, and some traces are misrouted that create shorts With some board files, the autorouter in Layout 9.2.3 can take a very long time to successfully route the board. The routed boards could also contain misrouted traces that create shorts. Web update 1 speeds up routing time, and successfully routes all traces without creating shorts. #### PCR 433258 - Moving a group of fanout vias can cause ratsnest lines to display incorrectly Moving a group of fanout vias with the manual routing tools can cause "ghost" ratsnest lines to be left behind at the old via location. While the new ratsnest lines display correctly, these old "ghost" lines can cause confusion. Web update 1 fixes this issue, and all ratsnest lines display properly. #### PCR 433264 - Relocating a via can sometimes cause it to disappear On some boards, when a via is moved during manual routing, the via can disappear after being placed. Web update 1 fixes this potential problem in Layout 9.2.3. ## For More Information To check for web updates, read technical notes from Cadence engineers and participate in discussions with other Orcad users visit the Orcad community site www.orcadpcb.com.