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johndp
Posts: 6
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2/21/2008 10:23 AM
I have some MGC files that I want to translate into brd files for SI analysis, but when I translate using mbs2brd (or the import pull down in SI) mbs2brd fails to import component reference designators. All are reported as "^$REF", all pins have pin names "^$ref.xx" where xx is pin number. All pins are connected to "dummy net" rather than real net. All nets report zero pin connections. Any ideas, I've been through sourcelink, but nothing seems to apply. Regards John

Kalevi2
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Posts: 69
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2/21/2008 10:36 AM
usage: mbs2brd -a -t -n -c -p -r -s -e -d { Suppress dump libraries } -f { Suppress db fix } -y { Use symbol names as device type } -pn { Use part numbers as device type } -u { microns, mm, cm, or mils } -z -pg -lm -ts { Build stackup from tech file } -log { If not specified 'importMentor' will be created in the current directory } (Required) Below is the command with the switches most commonly used. mbs2brd -c comps.comps_# -a geoms.all -n nets.nets_# -p pins.pins_# -t tech.tech_# -s testpoints.testpoints_# -r traces.traces_# -f -u mils -d output.brd where # is the largest numeral found for the 3 backups of a specific file. Now here are some of the caveats. the geoms file (geoms.all in the above example) has caused us difficulty in the past because it seems that mentor have several (3 or 4) geoms files. There is ascii_geoms (ascii), geoms_ascii (ascii), geoms_mech?? (ascii) and geoms.geoms_# (binary). I START by using the ascii geoms file that is at the SAME level as the pcb directory NOT the one inside the pcb directory. If this doesn't work then I use the one inside the pcb directory and finally the geoms_mech. Make sure of the units before translating. I translated a board in mils and found out later that it was supposed to be microns. What I noticed were many very small ratsnets all over the board. If you see this and the board is supposed to be completely routed change the units when re-translating. Lastly the -ts option. I don't use this as a default switch because I found the mentor tech file's stackup is not up to date. Having said that I did come across a case where I ran the translation and I had too many layers. I then ran it with the -ts option and then had the correct amount of layers. As you can see there will be some trial and error. Also Cadence's gui version only allows you to specify the database file (comps_comps etc.) and NOT all the remaining switches. Apparently there is a request to update this but it will not be fixed anytime soon.

Kai Keskinen

johndp
Posts: 6
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2/22/2008 2:29 AM
Thanks, I am aware of the usage and searched support net before posting this question. The geoms.geoms file in the pcb container is binary and therefore of little use to the mbs2brd. Having used Mentor BS extensively I am aware of the structure of the PCB container and files. The translation is partially working in that the Boards stack, routes vias etc come in, I had to play with some thermal tie directives in the MGC traces.traces beause mbs2brd does correctly not handle MGC thermal tie template identifiers of 0, but this is another the issue, and easily hacked for the purposes of testing. The component identifiers are not translated, and all devices have a "^$REF" as the component reference, all pins become "^$REF.xx" where xx is the pin number and all pins are connected to "dummy net". The log reports that say C1 is instantiated at x,y , but when you look at the location specified the component ref has become "^$REF" For some reason my licensing fails when I try to run MBS2brd from the cmd line (trying to connect to a remote WAN server, IP address deliberately set to xx.xx.xx.xx, the lic server has a real IP), it is okay through the GUI. C:\TEMP\two_layer\pcb>mbs2brd -a geoms.ascii - t tech.tech_1 -n nets.nets_6 -c c omps.comps_11 -r traces.traces_1 test.brd FLEXnet Licensing checkout error: License server system does not support this fe ature. Feature: Allegro_PCB_SI_230 License path: 5280@xx.xx.xx.xx;5280@jundland;5280@Felucia FLEXnet Licensing error:-18,147 For further information, refer to the FLEXnet Licensing End User Guide, available at "www.macrovision.com". FLEXnet Licensing checkout error: License server system does not support this fe ature. Feature: SPECCTRAQuest_SI_expert License path: 5280@xx.xx.xx.xx;5280@jundland;5280@Felucia FLEXnet Licensing error:-18,147 For further information, refer to the FLEXnet Licensing End User Guide, available at "www.macrovision.com". FLEXnet Licensing checkout error: License server system does not support this fe ature. Feature: SPECCTRAQuest_Planner License path: 5280@xx.xx.xx.xx;5280@jundland;5280@Felucia FLEXnet Licensing error:-18,147 For further information, refer to the FLEXnet Licensing End User Guide, available at "www.macrovision.com". ERROR (LMF-02018): License call failed for feature Allegro_PCB_SI_230, version 1 5.700 and quantity 1. The license server search path is defined as 5280@xx.xx.xx.xx;5280@jundland;5280@Felucia. The FLEXnet error message is as follows, FLEXnet ERROR(-18, 0, 0): License server system does not support this featur e. Run 'lic_error LMF-02018' for more information.. Licenses tried: ...

johndp
Posts: 6
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3/04/2008 9:46 AM
The issue seems to be that I have dclpath and devpath declared in my PCB "env" file, removing these entries allows the board to correctly translate. Regards John

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