OrCAD Capture 10.0 Good News and Bad News about Freebie

[Dr. Dagor]

Good News... OrCAD Capture 10 fixes many of the interface and user
interface issues that bugged me in previous releases. For example, it
doesn't miss wire connects to nodes any more, and (with the new
patch), doesn't seem to screw up netlist names like is used to.

But... I have some schematics that ran fine in 9.2 that get a "Design
too large" error in 10.0. And I'm not sure I'm hitting the 15
component limit. Anyone know what OrCad did to their freebie version?
Right now 10.0 is not a happy place.

Two other pet peeves. The OrCAD download site has got to be the
slowest thing since 9600 Baud Modems. I'm on a bleeding T3 at work
and my throughput rate was a whopping 23K. And the file size is like
170 MB. Yipes! Count on downloading over lunch.

The subckt construct in PSPICE is not elegantly handled in Capture. I
want to take a chunk of the circuit, highlight it, and then tell
Capture to make it into a sub-circuit -- Capture should automatically
copy the chunk to another sheet, do the off page references
automatically, alias the net list names, and build a little PSPICE net
list with correct names, etc. This really isn't too much to ask. I
can't even use Capture's hierarchical feature to say, "make this layer
a subckt."

Oh... And their documentation still sucks. It's still organized from
a developer point of view -- not a user point of view.

 

[Kevin Aylward]

Good News... OrCAD Capture 10 fixes many of the interface and user
interface issues that bugged me in previous releases. For example, it
doesn't miss wire connects to nodes any more, and (with the new
patch), doesn't seem to screw up netlist names like is used to.

But... I have some schematics that ran fine in 9.2 that get a "Design
too large" error in 10.0. And I'm not sure I'm hitting the 15
component limit. Anyone know what OrCad did to their freebie version?
Right now 10.0 is not a happy place.

Note that the demo of SS can do about 30 top level blocks, with each
hierarchical schematic block containing about 25 real components, giving
750 total. If you progressively turn schematics into .subckts, there is
no limit.

Two other pet peeves. The OrCAD download site has got to be the
slowest thing since 9600 Baud Modems. I'm on a bleeding T3 at work
and my throughput rate was a whopping 23K. And the file size is like
170 MB. Yipes! Count on downloading over lunch.

SS is only 5Meg for the lot.

The subckt construct in PSPICE is not elegantly handled in Capture. I
want to take a chunk of the circuit, highlight it, and then tell
Capture to make it into a sub-circuit -- Capture should automatically
copy the chunk to another sheet, do the off page references
automatically, alias the net list names, and build a little PSPICE net
list with correct names, etc. This really isn't too much to ask.

You want fries on this as well?

Well, its fair bit to ask, but its an interesting feature though.
Currently in SS, you must have the .subckt schematic already on a page
with connectors, then press the create button. I'll have a think about
adding this in now that the idea has been mentioned.


Kevin Aylward
[email protected]
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

"That which is mostly observed, is that which replicates the most"
http://www.anasoft.co.uk/replicators/index.html

"quotes with no meaning, are meaningless" - Kevin Aylward.

 

[john ong]

Does anyone know if the new demo version is capable of simulating the
transfer function of circuits because I wish to download the programme
to simulate a circuit I am studying.
john

 

[Dr. Dagor]

"Kevin Aylward" > You want fries on this as well?

Don't need fries... I'll settle for chips (no pun intended). Please
pass the vinegar.

Well, its fair bit to ask, but its an interesting feature though.
Currently in SS, you must have the .subckt schematic already on a page
with connectors, then press the create button. I'll have a think about
adding this in now that the idea has been mentioned.

I'm interested that my note got you thinking about the possiblity.
I'll have to bop on over to the SS side.

 

[[email protected]]

"Kevin Aylward" > You want fries on this as well?

Don't need fries... I'll settle for chips (no pun intended). Please
pass the vinegar.


I'm interested that my note got you thinking about the possiblity.
I'll have to bop on over to the SS side.

One of my friends said there is a way to change your 9.x OrCAD
schematics to 10.0 by first converting them to version 7 then 10 can
read them in. If you work for a company don't let them dare upgrade
version 10, it sucks its very very buggy and it lock up every hour.
Just installing it is a pain you have spend many hours just getting a
good install. Ie full version. Stay away from this software for at
least another year or till they fix it or its free. I am sure many
employees for this company will write very angry letters however your
software speaks for its self. Go buy design suit or electronic
workbench then talk to me.