Yes, I have been wanting this for years. The CAD data for these parts must
exist if the chip company offers an evaluation board for their chip -
otherwise, how did they design the eval board?
However, there is no incentive for the chip companies to do this until the
first one of them starts doing it. And I don't see that happening any time
soon. Their legal and IP departments have probably nixed this idea in the
past, due to liability concerns. If they make a mistake in their CAD data,
they could get sued when the customer's design doesn't work, disclaimers
notwithstanding. Marketing departments are not technically savvy enough to
realize the marketing value of the CAD data, so they won't push for it.
(But they do think if they put an "e-" in front of it or a ".com" after it,
it will sell like hotcakes.) Many firms also guard their IP as if they are
the only people in the world capable of designing it, and everyone else is
out to steal, Steal, STEAL! I recently worked with a Zilog SDLC chip that
had no example C code that was freely available. Zilog expects you to pay
several hundred dollars for the "driver development kit". Forget it! I
wrote my own C driver. It was difficult, but I oppose in principle being
charged for info that should be gratis when you buy the chip. I would have
chosen a different chip if it had been possible, but when you have to
support a legacy design, you don't get to change chips!
CAD format interchangeability is a pipe dream that has been shamelessly
promoted by marketeers and vigorously denied by real, shipping CAD products.
AutoCAD changes their file formats with each version and always manages to
screw up other companies' DXF translators. They do this to keep people on
the endless upgrade treadmill.
All negative opinion aside, I would still love to see this happen. It would
make a great addition to Protel. Who really wants to make their own
1000-pin BGA part symbols?
Best regards,
Ivan Baggett
Bagotronix Inc.
website: www.bagotronix.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Neave" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 8:21 PM
Subject: Re: [PEDA] Resistor pack?
Hi all,
Same as everyone else. Make my own library, rename parts, then guard with
religious fervour.
However I think it is crazy that Protel or myself should have to make
schematic and PCB layouts every time a chip comes out. What I would like to
be able to do is go to a Web site [Wavey lines as we fade to dream
sequence], find a part, then download its' standard Description File. This
file would have:
1. A Spice Model
2. A schematic part
3. A PCB footprint
4. A 3D outline
5. Suggested Price
I would Import this part into my CAD package (which would convert from the
standard Description File to their proprietary format) and off I go. If
company doesn't supply a Description File for their part, there is a good
chance that I will just use a competitors' part (lazy sod that I am).
This would benefit all CAD users, not just Protel users. Does any one think
that the idea has any credibility - and if so - who should I start annoying
???
[End wavey lines.... Dream sequence fades]
Sorry for going so far off topic,
Steve Neave
Hunter Watertech
Hardware Design Engineer
76 Munibung Rd, Cardiff, NSW, 2285
AUSTRALIA
ph. 02 4941 1231, fax 02 4954 3543 (Local)
ph. +61 249 411 231, fax +61 249 543 543 (International)
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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