Problem in orcad

For the first time i used the hierarchic structure in orcad but i can't create the netlist for the layout. I have an error message:

ERROR [MNL0022] Unable to Open MNL Output File - ERROR [NET0011] Netlist failed or may be unusable.

If i delete the subcircuit, i can create the netlist without any problem. What can i do? Thanks

What's in the toplevel? What's in the subcircuit? Is the subcircuit a hierarchical block?

Since this sounds like Capture (gag me with a spoon), please post the DSN, etc., files on alt.binaries.schematics.electronic

...Jim Thompson

Jim Thompson ha scritto:

What do you mean? what type of information do you want? Thanks

It sounds like you have an error in the schematic that is screwing up the netlist. Try running the "Design Rule Check" it should give you an indication of where the error is.

Just a comment: the last couple new versions of Orcad (9 & 10) have been terrible. In 9 the rubber banding of signals when ou move a part got screwed up, then in 10 it randomly drops connection dots all over the place. And here is the killer, twice now I have found errors in the netlist generated for the PCB layout. The connection looked fine in the schematic, and when I generated the netleist a second time the error was fixed. Fortunately my layout guy was sharp enough to wonder why there was an op-amp with only one of the inputs connected. Lately the things I have been working on have been small enough that I can take a couple hours to check the netlist manually, but soon I am going to have to do a large board and an very worried about the integrity of the netlist.

So I am looking around for new schematic tools. Does anybody have recomendations? I am considering Protel, just because I haven't heard anybody complain about it yet.

Ethan Petersen

Isn't it amazing? Cadence/OrCAD is intent on dropping the old original MicroSim Schematics that work so well with PSpice and forcing everyone over to Capture.

But the Capture developers must be the dumbest creatures on three wheels... they keep making Capture more and more of a kludge.

...Jim Thompson

We got an eval version of Protel just to check a sub-contractor's schematic and pcb files.

It looks like a truly dreadful port of a DOS app. You can't click on anything and pull up properties or whatever. I susepect it all has to be done from menus that you have to learn. In short it stinks.

In comparison, Powerpcb ( now called PADS again in its latest version btw ) is a true *dream* to use. Another subbie provides Powerlogic and Powerpcb files and I find them very easy to edit and screen capture ( since we also only have the eval copy ) so as to feed info back to them.

Graham

p.s. anyone ever remember when you were meant to 'hand check' the netlist ?

Hello Ethan,

I switched to Cadsoft Eagle. Nicely integrated editor and layout package. The downside is that Orcad is still widely used so the only way to exchange data with layouters is a netlist. That gets in the way when they ask for a minor circuit change which you'll have to hand-edit in later.

I used to design in Orcad but after they changed to Windows I did not like it much anymore, plus it has gotten really expensive for a schematic editor.

Regards, Joerg

Hello Jim,

Another case of outsourcing?

Regards, Joerg