MassMind : Applications : CAD : PWB CAD : Protel

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independent Protel users FAQ

Updated 2003-08-07

contents:

• About
• getting started
• Gerber viewers
• design flow
  • schematic
  • symbols for schematics
  • Layout
  • board_outline
  • footprints for Layout
  • auto-routing
  • manual routing
  • polygons
• libraries of schematic symbols and layout footprints
• design release to manufacturing (CAM) ( includes Protel to Gerbers and .pdf )
• format conversion: How to convert design information from one file format to a different one
  • PDF
  • Gerber
• How do I customize the menus ?
• How do I customize the fonts or use accented letters ?
• conversion: Orcad to Protel, Protel to Orcad, Protel to DXF, Gerber to Protel, BMP to Protel, etc.
• advice on learning PWB design, and general PWB design tips including
  • layer stackup information
  • PWB layer stackup information
  • PWB reference designators
  • PWB test fixture
  • "Q: What do I do with pins I'm not using ?"
  • general electronic construction tips
  • bibliography for schematic editor
  • Bibliography for layout editor
  • V score depth
• work-arounds
• customizing Protel
• related products
• microwave circuit layout "mailing lists" moved to protel_about.htm
• microwave circuit layout tips
• ../pwb_reference_designators.htm
• other unsorted possibly Protel-relevant stuff

Altium http://www.altium.com/ sells the Protel CAD system http://www.protel.com/ | http://www.altium.com/products/protel.htm (schematic design, PWB layout, circuit simulation, FPGA design, autorouter, etc.) for US$ 7 995.00 (as of 2003-08-07)

related local files:

• general electronic construction tips
• PCB CAD systems. Protel is one of many PWB CADs.
• Microchip Technologies Schematic Symbols and PCB Footprints EDA Library
• see also PCBs

The Protel Users FAQ was first posted by David Cary on 2000-04-03. -- David Cary

end Protel Users FAQ http://massmind.org/techref/app/protel.htm /* was http://groups.yahoo.com/group/protel-users/files/protelfaq.html */ /* was http://www.egroups.com/files/protel-users/protelfaq.html */

See also:

• James Newton of MassMind refers to

  https://workspace.circuitmaker.com/ Circuit Maker is basically Altium which is the next version of Protel, but with open source license and requirements.
  Note: The board shape as defined with the board shape tool does not automatically translate to primitives on a Gerber layer. Instead, the board shape can be exported as NC drill file (for contour routing) if you enable this option in the NC Drill export dialog. If you want to have a Gerber file with the board shape on it, simply activate an empty mechanical layer (shortcut: Ctrl + L), and rename it to BoardOutline (or something similar). To rename a layer, click on it once. Then, using the Board Shape tool, choose Create Primitives from Board Shape, and place them on the newly created mechanical layer. If you tick this layer when exporting Gerbers, you'll get another Gerber file named BoardOutline with only the board shape on it.

  +
• http://protel-users.org/

end http://massmind.org/techref/app/protel.htm

Questions:

• Does anyone know how to make protel 98 work in Vista?+
• krishnan.s@spam@ at TakeThisOuTrediffmail.com asks: " Where can I get Protel Schematic ASCII File Format Reference?" +

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