IDF Adapter

[nan battaglia]

Anyone out there ever use CoCreate's IDF Adapter module?
Anyone familiar with IDF 3.0 import/export data?

[Paul Welch]

Hi Nan,

Yes, I have used the PCB interface module before, but only a few times, and it has been a few years.

Your references to the version number don't ring a bell- so I don't know if I used the same version you currently have or not.

I do remember that there was some documentation on the CAD Master's page at one time, and it gave the simple recipe for making the module work. From the Mentor side, there are specific things you have to do when you save the files, and then you can follow the directions and it should import the board, all the components in correct placement, and I think it also brings another copy of each component in at global 0,0,0.

One gotcha that used to always exist- our PCA designers would never guarantee the accuracy of the Z-height for the components. Apparently, the library of parts they used was somewhat generic, and they would have had to have edited each entity to correct the Z values. We used to just look at the board and verify the tallest components in the critical areas.

Good luck-

Paul

[John Struthers]

Hello Nan:

We make use of SolidDesigner's (OSDM) PCB Interface but use the EIF file exchange option - we have found the EIF format works well with Mentor.

As Paul mentioned - beware of the component height Z data when importing part data into OSDM from any component library used by Mentor - this data can be spurious or non-existent! :(