Creating a prototype area on a PCB using orcad

I did something similar in Eagle PCB... I just dropped a 36-pin 0.1" pin header on the board and repeated it as needed. If it's something more complex than a bunch of holes, I'd probably build a custom library part with the required pattern, maybe repeated a few times, and then place as many of those blocks as necessary. Your mileage may vary with ORCAD... I haven't used it on a regular basis since an old DOS version.

Scott

That would take too long. I think PCB design software users make prototype areas realtively frequently, so there must be some feature that facilitates this. I have a lot of protoype area and it isnt a regular polygonal shape. So itll really take me a long time to place individual parts.

That would work fine but it is crude. I was looking for a easier solution. Infact in the few hours since I put up the message, I have already finsihed the prototyping area, in the manner you are talking about. I though there would a solution where: eg. I would place a rectangle over the area I wanted as prototpe area and the s/w would place holes at 100 mils distance except where it would cause a DRC (inside place outline etc). I guess there is no easy wasy to do it.

In Protel, I place a 20 pin DIP package, for example, then "ungroup" it (this breaks the DIP footprint into its individual entities), then just copy-and-paste the columns of pads as needed - typically, I'll place two or three columns of pads each side of the original footprint, then place tracks to connect rows of pads together. If I want a larger area, I can just copy-and-paste the initial pattern, as often as needed.

In DOS Orcad - PCB386 you can place a test point. Than you just do a block copy 2,4,8,16 etc.. Gets there pretty quickly. Can you do a block copy?

Regards,

Boris Mohar

Got Knock? - see: Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs (among other things)

What about creating a, say, 10x10 pad matrix as a single footprint and then put down 3 x 4 of them or whatever.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

The process I described takes few minutes in DOS Orcad. You can speed it up if you use a macro.

Regards,

Boris Mohar

Got Knock? - see: Viatrack Printed Circuit Designs (among other things)

Just place a lot of for example SIL arrays,or 50 pole IDC connectors and optionally remove the silkscreen; or make a component in the library with a lot of pads. It's a bit tedious, but I know of no other ways.

Hope this helps, Jeroen

With the Pulsonix software I use I simply place a free pad and copy/paste it repeatedly, expanding the selection as I go. It only takes a few seconds.

Leon