Orcad -> Eagle schematic

"Charles Sweeney" <charles.sweeney@orangetreetech.com> wrote in message news:fosq0g$49v$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

I've seen various comments around the web about translating between Orcad and Eagle but there doesn't seem to be any

consensus especially for schematics. I need to translate an Orcad Capture Schematic to an Eagle Schematic, can anyone

recommend a way of doing this?

 

I've seen comments about going via DXF or Protel but I can't make out how much information is actually transferred, is it

just graphics or is it net and parts information that is transferred? Basically I need to be able to transfer to Eagle and

then work further on the resulting Eagle schematic and then create a netlist and layout a board. Any ideas?

 

Regards

Charles Sweeney

 

I've done half of what your describing. Short of redrawing the Sch, theres no easy way.

We kept the Orcad schematic (since I didnt have Orcad) and had the netlist exported.

We also exported a parts list with package information.

Imported the part info into excel.

Created a excel macro that would create a scr to place the components on the board.

Create all the library parts needed.

Run the Excel generated scr to place the parts.

Export a Multiwire netlist from Orcad.

Then use the xconvert.exe in the eagle directory to convert the netlist.

Then run the scr in eagle to connect the nets.

The only problem that arises is when nets are changed, If someone flips pins on a component then the nets get crossed.

Cheers

On 2/12/08 1:54 PM, in article fosq0g$49v$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de, "Charles

Sweeney" <charles.sweeney@orangetreetech.com> wrote:

I've seen various comments around the web about translating between Orcad

and Eagle but there doesn't seem to be any consensus especially for

schematics. I need to translate an Orcad Capture Schematic to an Eagle

Schematic, can anyone recommend a way of doing this?

 

I've seen comments about going via DXF or Protel but I can't make out how

much information is actually transferred, is it just graphics or is it net

and parts information that is transferred? Basically I need to be able to

transfer to Eagle and then work further on the resulting Eagle schematic and

then create a netlist and layout a board. Any ideas?

Hi Charles,

Converting schematics from one form to another is tricky business.  There is

a lot of information behind that and very few CAD packages want to allow you

to move to another tool with no cost.  If they did, you'd have no reason to

stay with any given platform and tool vendors don't like that.  And I can't

blame them for wanting a more captive audience.  Doesn't mean I necessarily

like it though.

I don't know of any tool that will take a native orcad schematic and convert

it to another format as a schematic.  It should be theoretically be possible

(and maybe a tool does exist) but I would imagine that it would take a lot

longer to develop the tool than just redraw the schematic.  The best I could

suggest is to export the netlist and then import that into EAGLE PCB.  You

could then rebuild the schematic and check the netlist until it matches.

That way, you'd know it was the exactly the same.  Then use that as you go

forward in development.  Not pretty, but it will work.

If you do choose this path then check out the EET: PADS Interface tool I

just released at the website below.  It will help you import the PADS

netlist into the EAGLE PCB editor as a starting point.  And if you need help

with the rebuilding then send me an email from the website.

Cheers,

James.

--

James Morrison

www.eagletoolkit.com

Long-time EAGLE User and EAGLE Enterprise Toolkit Author