What's New
QIR refers to Quarterly Incremental Release which delivers new OrCAD features in-between major releases. This accelerated release process was introduced in the 16.6 release. QIR updates are available to all customers on maintenance.
OrCAD Library Builder - 16.6-2015
- Redesigned the Library Builder User Interface (UI) to simplify and improve user interaction
- Added a Schematic Symbol Creation Assistant to help guide users through the symbol creation process
- Prior to committing PDF data to the ScratchPad table, users can now preview, dynamically, the selected data and confirm content
- The new Symbol view, Validate Data command, allows users to preview warning and error messages. Current values are displayed and corrective actions suggested. User can accept, reject or change values to individual line items or the group.
- Combined Symbol Builder and Footprint Builder into one menu
- Users can now select Symbol or Package with the File Open command
- Added new ICONs and movable Toolbars
- Window command now allows cascading views and view selection
- Modified Library Builder’s unique Library Name repositories to Project/Directory based library locations
- Enhanced and renamed Symbol and Footprint xml files to .esym and .efpt respectively
- PDF files used to create a symbol are now stored as a pdfFilePath entry in the part xml (esym) file
- The pdf view now utilizes the scroll wheel to zoom in and out as well as the middle mouse button (MMB) to drag pan
- A click of the right mouse button (RMB) in a view, now lists the actionable items
- The Select Area command requires the user to define the PDF type, table/diagram, BGA, BGA Quadrant or Define Boundary prior to selecting the pdf data
- The Select Area command now remains active after Extract allowing users to change pdf pages without having to select the Define Table again
- Actions like move, add or delete cut lines remain active while in the Define Table mode
- A new Pin Number and Pin Name Fill command was added to allow users to quickly define a range of values with a prefix and or suffix
- Symbol graphic styles are now accessed through the Settings menu command
- Added Unlimited Undo’s to Logic Symbol Builder
- Updated the Help documentation
- Added a PDF find command
- Style used to create a part is remembered
- BGA Pin Name re-sequencing has been improved
- The Symbol Graphics View, creating sections and switching between sections has been enhanced
- Pin numbers are now displayed for Thermals and Fiducials on footprints
- When a symbol is opened that has a linked footprint property, the footprint is available in the footprint view
- New context Help icons that link directly to that topic in the User Guide
- Software installation now automatically associates file extensions, .esym and .efpt to Library Builder
- Fixed an issue with the Layer, Replace Padstack and Variant Editor forms being pushed behind the Component graphics and not accessible
- Fixed bug in updating SOJ pin1 padshape
- Added validation to allow only whole numbers for Thermal Paste Mask Reduce percentage
OrCAD Library Builder - 16.6
Symbol Builder
- PDF Extraction: The PDF Extraction Command Tool Bar provides the tools needed to define the data extraction behavior. The tool ICON's consist of WMark, Table, Build, Bound, Alines, TRow, TGroup, Cp Tags, H-Cut, V-Cut, Move, Delete, Export and Reset. Note: Opening a PDF datasheet now disables non applicable command functions until required. Certain ICON's in the PDF Extraction Command Tool Bar are disabled to establish an extraction methodology and will only become active as relates to the selected content to help define a work flow.
- Use Bound Command: When selecting the Table ICON in the PDF Extraction Command Tool Bar to define a table, if the selected content is not a suitable table, a message is now displayed to use the Bound command.
- New Pin Type - UNSPEC: Pin Tables in vendor datasheets often have a column defined as direction and this is carried over to the OrCAD Library Builder Main Spread Sheet where columns can be labeled Direction. The term direction equates to CAD system's Pin Type and include Input, Output, BiDir, etc. OrCAD Library Builder has replaced the Unknown pin type with UNSPEC (unspecified) to correspond with Allegro Design Authoring pin types.
- New Part From Library Name Remembered: The OrCAD Library Builder New Part Form now retains the Library Name from previous part saves as the session default Library. No longer does one have to select the library name every time from the drop down list.
- OrCAD Library Builder Command Line Executable: An OrCAD Library Builder command line executable has been added and is now available for integration to tools like EMA CIP and Cadence Allegro Design Workbench.
- New Symbol Property: A new Global_Setting->Style Editor symbol property Label Type, User, has been added. This property type is "free form" vs the other predefined system reserved property types.
Footprint Builder
- Pad Stack Replacement: The Pad Stack Replacement command now allows the importation and substitution of Allegro built padstacks for the padstacks created by OrCAD Library Builder.
- Pin Tool: The PinTool menu command has been updated to include:
- Order Pin Numbers - Variant for rearranging or renumbering the part pin numbers
- Add Pin - Variant to add pins to the default calculator facilitating part customization
- Toggle Non Propagated: Footprint pins highlighted during a logic symbol crossprobe now remain selected to enable making them non-propagated.
- Allegro Export Form - Release to Allegro Libraries: Release to Allegro Libraries now allows browsing to and setting an output directory for Allegro Symbols and Padstacks.
- Land View - Pad/Hole Calculator: Added the Pad/Hole, IPC_Settings calculator to the Land View tab (automatically calculates the pad and hole size based on the component maximum lead size per IPC-7251
- Land View - Option: Added a Land View option to automatically build the thermal and anti pads into the Allegro padstack>/li>
- Generate STEP Model: Changed the STEP Model creation, use model. Moved the Generate STEP model function from the Export form to the Side View tab. The Export Form now supports attachment of the STEP model only.
- Allegro Message - "facet file (.xml) not found": Cadence 16.6 ISR 19 has resolved the problem of Allegro being unable to open the 3D model due to the error message “ facet file (.xml) not found”