[PEDA] moving to ad6

Mon Nov 20 12:37:57 CST 2006

Geoff,

I thought it would be interesting to take your 
challenge and try the tests you proposed with "rounded rectangular pad shape".

AD6.6 passes all the tests you proposed.  I used 
three different CAM editors to look at the 
Gerbers - CAMTASTIC, CAM350 and Pentalogix 
Viewmaster.  I used decimal values for pad 
rotation, such as 77.6deg, and 267.8deg, in 
addition to rotation in 45deg increments.  There were NO errors in any file.

Library production and usage were error free.

The ASCII PCB file clearly shows 
"SHAPE=ROUNDEDRECTANGLE" for every line 
referencing the new pad shape.  That file reopens properly in AD6.6.

Etc, etc...

I can provide the Gerbers if you would like to satisfy yourself.

Harry

At 07:01 AM 11/20/2006, you wrote:
>What is your impression of AD6 on an overall basis? How buggy is it, and how
>good (and fast) is Altium at fixing bugs within it which are reported by
>users?
>
>As you can doubtless deduce, I don't have a copy of AD6 myself, but I am
>still gobsmacked to some extent after looking at the list of items which
>have been implemented or rectified within various SPs which have been
>released for SP6; IMO, many of the bugs reported as fixed should *not* have
>been thus-reported at all, because they *should* have been detected, and
>then fixed, *before* the associated software had ever been released to users
>in the first instance.
>
>Example: in one of the earlier SPs, a new feature was listed in which holes
>within pads could have a square shape or oval shape, in addition to the
>long-provided round shape. And in one of the *following* SPs, one of the
>bugs which was listed as being rectified was that the associated properties
>of pads' holes were now correctly copied from the source components to the
>target footprints when using the Make (PCB) Library server. So WTF were
>those new properties *not* properly copied to the footprints within the
>thus-created PCB Library files at the *same time* that those new properties
>were *first* provided?
>
>I have read that the most recent SP now provides support for pads which have
>a Rounded Rectangular shape. Here are some questions for those who do have
>AD6, and who have also installed that SP:
>
>1. If you save a PCB file (which contains at least one such pad) in an ASCII
>(text) format, and then inspect the contents of that file (using Notepad,
>for instance), are the properties of that pad (/those pads) listed in a
>recognisable and comprehensive manner?
>
>2. Assuming that the ASCII file is in fact OK in that regard, can you
>subsequently reopen that file and then the pad(s) concerned have the same
>properties as before (that file was closed)? (Tip: When you look at that
>file using Notepad, *don't* try resaving it at that time, because if you do,
>there is a possibility that the file will not reopen (in AD6) without
>"drama". Some lines within the file end with the x0D (/ #13 / CR) character
>followed by the #0A (/ #10 / LF) character, while other lines end with
>*just* the x0D character, and if you resave that file, then *all* of the
>lines will subsequently end with the x0D character followed by the #0A
>character. AD6 could well subsequently "think" that that file is not an
>AD6-compliant file, and you could have to redefine the boundary of the PCB,
>amongst other tasks.)
>
>3. If you create a Gerber file from a PCB file containing at least one such
>pad, does the CAMtastic file which is subsequently created depict the pad(s)
>concerned in an appropriate manner? And are the pad(s) still correctly
>depicted when you create a Gerber file in a mirrored form? And do both
>Gerber files still look OK when such pads have an assortment of Angle
>properties, e.g. for every integral multiple of 45 degrees, and for an
>intermediate value within every "semi-quadrant"?
>
>4. If you preview those Gerber files (i.e both an unmirrored Gerber file and
>a mirrored Gerber file) using a "third party" application (for instance,
>Graphicode's GC-Prevue application), are all of the pads concerned still
>depicted in an appropriate manner (and within both of those Gerber files)?
>
>5. If you create one or more components which incorporate such pads, are all
>of the relevant properties properly copied to the footprint(s) within the
>PCB Library file which is created when using the Make (PCB) Library command?
>(To comprehensively test this would call for at least one component placed
>on the Top side of the ("source") PCB and at least one component placed on
>the Bottom side; ideally, the properties of at least 16 pads on *each* side
>of the PCB should be checked to ensure that Angle properties are also/still
>properly handled. But to start off, have just one component with just one
>such pad, and with both the component and its pad having an Angle property
>of zero degrees. There's no point in testing more comprehensively if that
>server can't even "copy" that pad properly.)
>
>*If* all of those tests pass with flying colours, then that would indicate a
>level of professionalism by Altium which is above and beyond what I have
>been accustomed to within the versions preceding AD 6. (When Embedded Board
>Array objects were first provided (in AD 2004), they wouldn't even pass test
># 1 above.)
>
>Nobody is under any obligation to undertake any of the above tests of
>course, but if you want peace of mind, it would still be helpful to
>determine whether any of those tests fail before you contemplate "relying"
>on AD 6 in supporting this new type of pad.
>
>Regards,
>Geoff Harland.
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > to my knowledge there is no upgrade possibility for you at all. Altium
> > stopped upgrade offers for 99SE users already last year. You will have to
> > purchase a complete new package without any discount. At least that is the
> > official version. Maybe you can bargain with your local dealer ...
> > The SW price strongly depends on your location, there is no general
> > answer.
> >
> > There are quite a number of people on this list using AD6. E.g. I am. And
> > cannot confirm crashing problems, at least not with AD6.6.
> > For new features check Altium website; there are too many of them to
> > describe them here.
> >
> > Mit freundlichem Gruß
> > Kind regards
> >
> > Gisbert Auge
> > N.A.T. GmbH
> > www.nateurope.com
>
>
>
>
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