At 10:58 PM 6/7/01 -0700, [I] wrote:
>Fly in the ointment: the Javascript used in the search engine crashed
>every time I tried to use it. I've informed them, we'll see how they respond.
Times have changed. Remember, I'm using eCapture for free, and it is not,
apparently, a time-limited demo, though they could change that at any time
(since one must log in to the Spincircuits web site every time the program
is fired up).
I sent, as I mentioned, a description of the problem I was having. I got this:
>The following message was generated from our Automated Call Center in an
>effort
>to provide an immediate response to your support request.
>
>1. A SpinCircuit technician will be reviewing all issues and replies to
>ensure
>your support request was properly answered.
>2. If your question has not been properly answered, a support technician
>will
>contact you within 48 hours.
>3. User ID is required to provide support on ALL technical support issues.
>
>Based on specifc keywords within your request, the Automated Call-Center has
>generated the following response from our Knowledge Based FAQ:
and then followed some comments about what might be the problem, the most
likely cause being an ActivePart requirement for Explorer 5.04 or later and
Microsoft Virtual Machine. I didn't have time to check this out before,
next morning, I got a call from a SpinCircuit technician to discuss my
problem. He seemed to be in no hurry to get off the phone.... But I told
him that I hadn't explored the Explorer version and Virtual Machine
problem, so it was left that if I continued to have a problem, I should
contact them again.
I downloaded and installed Explorer 5.5, which did not fix the problem.
However, installing MS Virtual Machine did. To test the system, I searched
for a Linear Technology part, LTC1144. I was promptly given a choice of
various versions; I picked -CS8 and placed it in eCapture and saved the
file. I then loaded the file (.dsn) into Protel and made a library with the
part. It worked flawlessly, down to the hidden ground pin, I'm sure some of
our readers will be happy about that.... The power out pin had the "output"
attribute, which I would change to "power."
... It's easy enough to edit it to whatever I like.
The web site showed a footprint name for the part, but it did not
automatically load the name into the footprint field. I don't know if it
was missing from the start, or if it was lost in translation.
This is impressive, to say the least. Quick and easy, free schematic
symbols, easily usable in Protel. I would hope that Protel is watching
these developments closely. Capture is cluncky, to be sure, but it is
certainly usable, and free is a very good price.
Gathering symbols and footprints is a major part of the design process.
It was quite easy to find the symbol, at least as easy as searching through
the Protel libraries, and probably faster. And there seems to be a *huge*
inventory of parts. Certainly the manufacturer list is a mile long. I
noticed AAVID in the list, for example. Heat sinks, I presume, for
footprints. And, bonus, when the part was called up, there was a link to a
datasheet URL. I think there was also pricing information, but I'm not sure
that was implemented.
I spend a fair amount of time searching for datasheets, since I often deal
with nothing from my client but *part* of a part number, and mfr. web sites
can be organized in weird ways.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Abdulrahman Lomax
P.O. Box 690
El Verano, CA 95433
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