Migration from eagle to new design package, recommendations

[coolhand21]

Hi I'm looking for a schematic/layout package. My files are in eagle, the new cad package would need to import a eagle design and allow development with mininal
modifications.


Is this possible? Do you have any recommendations?

thnaks

 

[keith1200rs]

Designspark imports Eagle schematics & PCBs but I don't know if it's a step up or down from Eagle. Why are you wanting to change,

Keith

 

[coolhand21]

Re: Migration from eagle to new design package, recommendat

lost of communication between schematic and layout (out of sync), no dfm cleanup feature, auto route very poor and footprint creation when drawing a schematic.

 

[keith1200rs]

Re: Migration from eagle to new design package, recommendat

lost of communication between schematic and layout (out of sync), no dfm cleanup feature, auto route very poor and footprint creation when drawing a schematic.

I am not sure another package will solve your problems. Making sure your schematic and PCB are in sync is something you need to do on all software. In Eagle it is never an issue PROVIDED you don't start editing one without the other being open. Eagle always asks if you want to open the board if you open the schematic and vice versa.

I am not sure what DFM cleanup you are looking for - I have never had a problem with any of the boards I design.

I don't use autorouters, but I was never very impressed with any when I tried them (e.g. Orcad).

I think you will have to create footprints for any new device with any software - you just have to get used to it, like any software.

The best thing to do if you really do not like Eagle is to spend as much time as you can with demo versions from suppliers. They need to be fully working versions if you are going to usefully evaluate them. Even so, the learning curve with most packages makes it very difficult to evaluate them in a short space of time. You can end up buying something and find lots of snags with it later (it happened to me a long time ago).

I doubt you will find any that will import Eagle. Designspark does, probably because Farnell own Eagle and RS started Designspark!

Good luck!

Keith

 

[coolhand21]

Re: Migration from eagle to new design package, recommendat

I have to disagree eagle does not compare, Orcad is much more powerful. I used the auto router with great succuess. The push and shove, auto fanout, auto clean up (layout) huge foot print library and as you route DRC checking are just some of the features. Not being tie to a footprint in capture is a hugh time savings.

That's why it cost what it cost.

The above is my opinion.

cool

 

[keith1200rs]

It is a while since I used Orcad (version 7 was the last) but at that time I was working for a company that dropped Orcad in favour of Eagle due to poor manual routing in particular with Orcad. The autorouting wasn't great either but we got that done by a CAD bureau. I don't use autorouters because my boards are either analog or mixed signal.

Anyway, if you prefer Orcad, that's fine - go for it.

Keith