Labels and on/off-page connectors

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b_force
Posts: 53
Joined: 17 Nov 2017, 00:17

Labels and on/off-page connectors

#1 Post by b_force » 29 Apr 2020, 10:38

So, maybe I am doing something wrong, or not understanding everything well enough.
But I have a question about on/off-page connectors or sometimes also called labels.

As far as I know in Diptrace this can only be done by double clicking the (loose) wire or net, give that net a specific name, select "connect nets by name" and than select "display name".
This seems pretty fine if you have just a couple of custom labels and on-page connectors, but it's getting very annoying and cumbersome when having a couple of tens to a hundred of them. (it in fact drives me close to insane :| )
Is this really the only way to do it?

If so, I really would like to fill in a feature request.
Basically any other program I know, there are dedicated knobs/commands for these things and you can just simply copy-paste labels.
Which works an awful lot faster

b_force
Posts: 53
Joined: 17 Nov 2017, 00:17

Re: Labels and on/off-page connectors

#2 Post by b_force » 05 May 2020, 01:38

Any news on this?

Tomg
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Posts: 2028
Joined: 20 Jun 2015, 07:39

Re: Labels and on/off-page connectors

#3 Post by Tomg » 05 May 2020, 04:58

Perhaps you have tried using net ports for this. But just in case you haven't, try dropping a new net port into the schematic from the component library. Use the style that appeals to you the most or just make your own custom net port. Before connecting it to anything in the schematic give it the same name as the net to which it is to be connected, then connect it to that net. The newly-renamed net port can be copied as much as you want to bring that same net to other locations.

However, there are a couple of "gotchas" with DipTrace net ports.

If you want to use a copy of the new net port for a different net, but forget to rename the copy before connecting it to a different net, it will connect the new net to the first net without warning. That's when the fun begins as you try to figure out what went wrong. And if you resave the schematic before hitting the "Undo" button, it can increase the excitement as you find yourself falling down that rabbit hole.

The second "gotcha" involves trying to update a renamed net port. When a net port has been renamed, updating it from the component library will no longer work unless a net port with the same name can be found in the original library. This happens because DipTrace uses the net port's library name as the connection instead of allowing you to select the net name as the net port connection while retaining the net port's original library name.
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If, however, you already knew all of this and find that I am completely off-topic, please accept my sincere apology for wasting your time.
Tom

b_force
Posts: 53
Joined: 17 Nov 2017, 00:17

Re: Labels and on/off-page connectors

#4 Post by b_force » 07 May 2020, 01:59

That seems to be an "OK" workaround, but it's still very different than dedicated net labels.

I have over 15 years of experience with the known big competitors, and this is really just a default.
Because of the steep license fees, I have been trying to implement Diptrace for my daily work as well as the daily work some companies have were I work for.
Unfortunately, both solutions are very far from ideal and makes developing a very tedious job atm.

From a programming standpoint it baffles me a little to be very honest.
It's just a matter of programming some dedicated symbols that take over the net name.
Basically it's exactly the same as using a wire.
So what's the big deal with this?

Tomg
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Joined: 20 Jun 2015, 07:39

Re: Labels and on/off-page connectors

#5 Post by Tomg » 07 May 2020, 07:41

Apparently the developers don't consider this a priority. I may have been suggesting a similar solution in these two posts.
from 2015 - viewtopic.php?f=8&t=10735&p=19091
from 2020 - viewtopic.php?f=8&t=13276&p=28034
I'm definitely no expert in this matter, but it just seems more logical to me to have the Net Port mirror the net to which it is connected rather than the other way around.
Tom

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KevinA
Posts: 639
Joined: 18 Dec 2015, 08:35

Re: Labels and on/off-page connectors

#6 Post by KevinA » 08 May 2020, 02:58

On my latest project I have four sections on different pages and just added pins to nets without a wire, when I created the PCB from schematic all the connections happened and it took a lot less time drawing the schematic without fighting wire connections and 'ports'. While it doesn't look like a conventional schematic with wires connecting everything it is easier to see what goes where with/using Design Manager.

b_force
Posts: 53
Joined: 17 Nov 2017, 00:17

Re: Labels and on/off-page connectors

#7 Post by b_force » 10 May 2020, 09:34

Tomg wrote: 07 May 2020, 07:41 Apparently the developers don't consider this a priority. I may have been suggesting a similar solution in these two posts.
from 2015 - viewtopic.php?f=8&t=10735&p=19091
from 2020 - viewtopic.php?f=8&t=13276&p=28034
I'm definitely no expert in this matter, but it just seems more logical to me to have the Net Port mirror the net to which it is connected rather than the other way around.
Rather silly,

Yes, I understand there are different ways.
But at the end of the day my customers don't ask what my preference is, they just want to get the work done.
I understand that choices have to be made, I am actually a team manager myself.
It's a no-brainer when the effort is very minimal (which it is in this case, programming wise it doesn't take much time), but the outcome is very significant.
Whit that last word I mean not only time-wise, but maybe even more feel of familiarity for people who actually wanna switch.
On top of the fact that a company is not going to change their default looks and approach of schematics.

The whole point of actually using net ports is that it's fast and you can immediately see were connections are going.

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