Overview on component drawing
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The drawing of custom components
Draw your own Package in the PCB View, draw your own symbol in the Schematic View. Three general steps are needed:
FIRST: Start drawing the package!
- Go to PCB view with [F3] and select an adequate grid, metric or imperial (recommended: 0,635 mm = 25,00 mil = 1/40 inch). Draw a package (= land pattern of the soldering pads including outline of the device) using the required functions from the Drawing tool . After having finished the drawing select all (Capture Window). Hover the cursor to the desired handle cross position and press keyboard key [x] for eXporting and saving it to the database.
SECOND: Draw the symbol!
- Draw a symbol (= showing the electrical function in the schematic) in the schematic view according to its data sheet. Leave the grid 0.635 mm = 25 mil = 1/40 inch. Use the required functions from the Drawing tool . After having finished select all, hover the cursor to the desired handle cross position and merge it by the use of keybord key [y] to a sYmbol. Remark: A component as a whole can be made of several symbols e.g. gates. That's why we need the [y] procedure first. Now select the symbol(s) by a Capture Window and eXport it by pressing keyboard key [x] to the database.
THIRD: Assign the package to the symbol and save!
- When exporting the symbol to the data base assign a matching package to it. For example the one you had drawn in the first step. This is not a must. You can assign any package to it but it is a common way.
Adjustment of existing parts
- open the Component database by [F2] (in earlier versions the Library Browser opens)
- you should be in pointer mode
- look at sidebar: Release this button:
- import and edit the component, always the package first. Package in the layout view, symbol in the schematic view.
- edit the elements of the drawing according to your wishes
- highlight all
- only symbol elements: highlight them all and merge them by [y] to a unit while at the cursor position the handle cross will appear.
- save to a library by [x]
For packages:
- after all adjustments have been made, place the cursor at desired handle position
- save to the data base by [x]
Edit components by the use of the symbol and package assistant
The package and symbol assistant is meant for packages and symbols having a higher number of pins/pads.
- open the Symbol assistant in Menu Components or the Package assistant in Menu Packages
- edit any element by the use of a script and save it again
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