Can I import a netlist

Drawing Schematics, Hierarchical Design, BOM, Exporting net-lists, etc.
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gthacker
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Can I import a netlist

#1 Post by gthacker » 05 Jul 2016, 06:19

I see old post saying I can but I just downloaded the latest version and I don't see any option to import a netlist. Either that or I'm a moron which could be the case.

It looks like the program I'm using will export in the following formats: FATF, ODB++, ASCII, IPC-D-356 Netlist

I'd like to bring that into Diptrace and view the schematic (assuming I make the parts that are not supported)

Tomg
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Re: Can I import a netlist

#2 Post by Tomg » 05 Jul 2016, 23:40

*** EDITED ****
I haven't tried it, so take this for what it is worth. A far as I know, DipTrace cannot import netlists from other programs into the Schematic Editor, but it can import netlists into the PCB Layout editor (see menu examples below). You can find some information on the subject of importing netlists as follows...

Help File
1) Go to the Main Menu in the Schematic Editor and click on Help.
2) In the drop-down menu click on Schematic Help.
3) In the Schematic Help window, click on [+]Schematic, [+]Working with Files and then [+]Import.

Tutorial
1) Go to the Main Menu in the Schematic Editor and click on Help.
2) In the drop-down menu click on DipTrace Tutorial.
3) In the Tutorial window, click on [+]Using different package features and then [+]Import/Exporting netlists.
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Last edited by Tomg on 02 Feb 2017, 03:30, edited 1 time in total.
Tom

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Re: Can I import a netlist

#3 Post by Techno Tronix » 07 Jul 2016, 02:05

Can I import netlist with .cir extension?

Tomg
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Re: Can I import a netlist

#4 Post by Tomg » 07 Jul 2016, 04:17

Techno Tronix wrote:Can I import netlist with .cir extension?
I'm no expert here, but from what I can tell, it doesn't appear so. The *.cir file extension seems to be associated with SPICE netlist files. However, DipTrace looks like it is set up to bring in SPICE data using a SPICE library import tool in the Component Editor. Below is a list of file extensions that I gleaned from the Schematic Editor netlist import tool. Keep in mind that these are merely SWAGs on my part...

DipTrace: *.asc
P-CAD ASCII: *.sch
P-CAD PDIF: *.pdf(?), *.cfg
P-CAD SCH ASCII 2005: *.txt
Orcad EDIF: *.edf
EAGLE ASCII: *.asc
Tom

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Re: Can I import a netlist

#5 Post by Techno Tronix » 08 Jul 2016, 01:21

Thanks for your reply Tomg.

I have read somewhere that we can also use .inp and .txt which is also work well as .cir
And also analyze the circuit specified by that file.

gthacker
Posts: 4
Joined: 05 Jul 2016, 06:06

Re: Can I import a netlist

#6 Post by gthacker » 02 Feb 2017, 00:56

Tomg wrote:I haven't tried it, so take this for what it is worth. A far as I know, DipTrace can import Netlists from other programs into the Schematic Editor or the PCB Layout editor (see menu examples below). You can find some information on the subject of importing Netlists as follows...

Help File
1) Go to the Main Menu in the Schematic Editor and click on Help.
2) In the drop-down menu click on Schematic Help.
3) In the Schematic Help window, click on [+]Schematic, [+]Working with Files and then [+]Import.

Tutorial
1) Go to the Main Menu in the Schematic Editor and click on Help.
2) In the drop-down menu click on DipTrace Tutorial.
3) In the Tutorial window, click on [+]Using different package features and then [+]Import/Exporting netlists.

I don't see the option to import netlist into the schematic editor, just other schematic formats. When using the PCB layout tool, I can import the netlist and it at least doesn't say I have a format issues.

To test this, I went to PCB Layout, made a 3 part PCB and exported the file as both a P-CAD ASCII and a Diptrace ASCII. Then I went to the schematic editor and tried to import those files and both failed.

What I have is a set of Gerber drawings and a netlist. I want to bring in that information into Diptrace to draw the schematic. I've already made all the parts in Diptrace, I just don't know what I need to do to get it to draw it for me.

Tomg
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Joined: 20 Jun 2015, 07:39

Re: Can I import a netlist

#7 Post by Tomg » 02 Feb 2017, 03:25

gthacker wrote:I don't see the option to import netlist into the schematic editor, just other schematic formats. When using the PCB layout tool, I can import the netlist and it at least doesn't say I have a format issues..."
I was wrong about being able to import a netlist into the schematic. Apparently, the Schematic Editor can only export a netlist. Conversely, the PCB Layout Editor can import a netlist, but it cannot export one. So I guess what is happening in your experiment is you have exported a PCB file instead of a netlist and since the Schematic Editor can import only schematic files, the import fails. Please accept my apology for my earlier flawed observations. I'll make some corrections to my previous post in order to not mislead future readers.
Last edited by Tomg on 02 Feb 2017, 03:35, edited 1 time in total.
Tom

gthacker
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Joined: 05 Jul 2016, 06:06

Re: Can I import a netlist

#8 Post by gthacker » 02 Feb 2017, 03:32

Tomg wrote:
gthacker wrote:I don't see the option to import netlist into the schematic editor, just other schematic formats. When using the PCB layout tool, I can import the netlist and it at least doesn't say I have a format issues..."
I was wrong about being able to import a netlist into the schematic. Apparently, the Schematic Editor can only export a netlist. Conversely, the PCB Layout Editor can import a netlist, but it cannot export one. So I guess what is happening in your experiment is you have exported a vendor-specific PCB-format file instead of a netlist. Please accept my apology for my earlier flawed observations. I'll make some corrections to my previous post in order not to mislead future readers.

Do you know if it would be possible to import the netlist or gerbers into PCB layout and export 'something' that will be able to be imported into the schematic editor?

Tomg
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Joined: 20 Jun 2015, 07:39

Re: Can I import a netlist

#9 Post by Tomg » 02 Feb 2017, 04:00

I've tried it out, but it doesn't look like it is possible in DipTrace. I even gave the Back Annotation tool a try without having any success. It would be nice if the Schematic Editor could import a netlist.
Tom

gthacker
Posts: 4
Joined: 05 Jul 2016, 06:06

Re: Can I import a netlist

#10 Post by gthacker » 02 Feb 2017, 04:02

Tomg wrote:I've tried it out, but it doesn't look like it is possible in DipTrace. It would be nice if the Schematic Editor could import a netlist.

Well that's a shame, I really like Diptrace. Thanks for all the help.

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