Re: Protel 2004 answer to Brad Velander.

Hello,

Sorry, you misunderstand me, I mean to say that jump from 99SE to 2004 XP
you don't have the same format with one database will all the documents.
You have a lot of individual documents.
I won't speak about 2002 release because I never used it.

Some of changes with SP4 is that you can do a zipped archive of your projet,
but I have to test it more because I have not succeded in making a full
archive of a projet (some schematics are missing) but there are some option
I have not tested in making the archive process.

You can also generate directly PDF document (File menu) very interesting for
sending a PDF document where every component and pins could be selected.
No more confusing with designator and footprint for the compagny which put
the components on the board when you send the .PDF of a PCB generated with
this function. Not every company could treat the pick and place file
generated by Protel.

Well you said that you can export file format more recent than AUTOCAD 14
format .DWG or .DXF so tell me exactly the key you press or where you click
with the mouse.
Because when I want to export, even with service pack 4 installed, ( I have
just installed it today), I could NOT export to Autocad 2000 format (.DWG or
..DXF). I'm limited to AUTOCAD 14 format .

I you can please tell me exectly how to proceed.

To modify 3D shape and color of components please tell me exactly the
key/mouse click you press because I don't know how to do that with Protel
2004 DXP.

The Hyperthreading is not used even with service pack 4; I tried it today.


You said that :

"> So I don't know where Francios gets his info but a lot of it is highly
suspect."

I will answer CLEARLY : I'm a user of Protel 2004 DXP and before I was using
Protel 99 SE.
All the infos came from me and my experience of the two version of this
products, when I did the jump one year ago.
I've exposed the problems and some of the avantage that I had and someby
doing the jump may have.
For a description of the new options of DXP the Altium site is well done but
the experience is a valuable thing.

Who is suspect ?
Somebody hearing something and repeating it of somebody who really use the
product and really knows its limits ?

And you Brad Velander who are you ?
What tools do you use now ?
Which board do you design (size, class, layers, Analog, Digital, FPGA) ?
What type of products Segment / Market do you design for ?
How many cards do you design by year ?

I really want to know...

Sorry, but I don't spend time to read Altium forum normally, if I have some
requests I call the Altium hotline which is excellent in Europe.

But now with a broken leg, I have more time to read the tutorials and
read/write in forum .

Faithfully.

François KNOFF

To answer replace <family name> with my name.

Email :fn.<family name>@neuf.fr



"Brad Velander" <SpamThis@xxxxxxxxxxx> a écrit dans le message de news:
jm5We.199110$Hk.164571@xxxxxxxxxxx
> The database disappeared with the first DXP release years ago
> (2002?), not just at AD2004 SP4. It does support some form of
> imports and exports at greater than ACAD ver. 14, heard what it
> was but don't recall. Statements from tech support indicate they
> are targeting good ACAD import/export operation right up to the
> more recent releases (maybe a year or two behind since it is
> difficult to keep absolutely current). Some portions of the more
> intensive operations are hyper-threading, eventually they plan to
> re-write more to use hyper-threading. You can actually compile
> full 3D components, not just height, but it is not 100% fluid
> passing off to various 3D tools. Also within the component
> library you can now define your component outline and boundaries,
> not just default to the silkscreen and all other features from
> all layers in an all encompassing box.
>
> So I don't know where Francios gets his info but a lot of it is
> highly suspect. The Altium EDA forum is quite active and has an
> extensive archive, if you are really interested Altium should let
> you join for researching your inquiries. Supposedly from what I
> have read, it will tax most any machine for speed on some
> operations, it is reported to not be as fast as P99SE but then it
> also does a lot more (too much in my opinion).
>
> I have AD2004 at work but we have not yet switched, mostly
> because of lack of time and resources to manage the switch and
> retrain all the engineers. I monitor the AD forum continuously
> and that is where my info above comes from.
> --
> Sincerely,
> Brad Velander
>
> "F KNOFF" <fn.knoff@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:dg9030$14a$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Hello,
>>
>> I did the jump full of hope, because there is a converter from
> PROTEL 99 SE
>> to PROTEL 2004 XP, but not everithing was OK, the PCB has to
> been
>> resynchronised with schematics. Altium has upgraded the
> converter, and I
>> have not tried the last released (SP4).
>> The new annoying thing is that there was not database with all
> the
>> documents, (changed with service PACK 4, you can do an archive
> with your
>> project).
>> You have a separate file with each document !
>> For the new components, the library editor is globally the same
> with height
>> of the component for placement with height constraint on the
> board.
>> You can do integrated library schematic component with its
> footprint (you
>> have some furnished).
>> Compatibilty is always limited to Autocad version 14. (SP4 ?)
>> It take more place and more power but doesn't use processeur
> with
>> Hyperthreading (SP4 ?) when I route with my Pentium 4 / 3.2 Ghz
> it uses only
>> 50% of the processor power (Dos = Windows XP pro).
>> When routing there is a firts pass of analysing the board which
> is more
>> longer than 99SE and after it start routing, but at first it is
> slower than
>> 99SE even with a partially routed board.
>>
>> Good things :
>> You can open 99SE library and 2004 XP library at the same time.
> You can save
>> at the old 99SE Format (Yes File format has changed, why ?).
>> It is more stable then 99SE (with service pack 3) I have just
> installed SP4
>> so I could not speak about SP4.
>> For drawing PCB there was a bug in circular component so you
> need to use
>> software arc in generating Gerber files otherwise gerber files
> was wrong and
>> PCB looks OK. Bug fixed with SP4 ?
>> The router doesn't route easily all CMS fine pitch if you say
> one pin inner
>> and one pin outer and two pin close together should be routed
> the same
>> direction (outer the component by example), but you can add
> more passes the
>> router. (Fixed in SP4 ?).
>> You can add/edit easily multiple component properties, but I
> h'vent checked
>> the possibity of linking to a database.
>> You can download new components library.
>>
>> I only did 2 and 4 layers board with splitted planes at this
> time and it
>> take some time to take the full power from PROTEL XP 2004, well
> if you are
>> satisfied with 99SE and don't want to download new library
> components from
>> Protel.
>>
>> François knoff
>> To answer replace <family name> with my name.
>>
>> Email :fn.<family name>@neuf.fr
>
>


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