Hello,
I started using CS 1.4 about a week ago at the behest of a potentially new client. To get it out of the way, I have been designing PCB's for 40 years (man, I shouldn't be able to say that; I started out on film with tape) and have used OrCAD almost exclusively, Mentor along the way, and now Diptrace almost exclusively (not super great, but does everything I need). I design high-volume consumer electronics for a living. I immediately liked CS from the start, it "feels" very "smooth", the functionality is there, however... I ran into two issues, one of which I raise here.
From the start, I needed a new part that will not be found in any library (that I found), specifically, an FV-1 from Spin Semi. Nothing exciting, a 28 pin, 300mil SOIC. Being that I wanted to "fully experience CS" I made the schematic symbol and footprint myself, as opposed to pulling in a 28 pin device and "Saving As". As I made the symbols and footprints, I could not find anywhere any kind of "Pattern Generator" i.e. any kind of "spreadsheet" where you fill in the blanks and it generates the footprint precisely based on the input criteria. Am I overlooking something? Is this "in there" and I haven't found it? I've searched and watched every video on Youtube, nothing. Having to place each pad separately, in any CAD package in 2018, is not expected, but also if not there, makes the "tool" a time-sink instead of profit center. In this case, it was simple part, however, if I had to do something more complicated, I simply couldn't use this software.
So, please let me know, am I overlooking where the "pattern generators" are, or are they simply not there. I'm running the trial, with the expectation to purchase at the end of the trial, however, if both the schematic symbol and PCB footprint requires one to place each pin individually, I'm going to give up on CS right now and continue to use Diptrace. Please do not suggest "just grab a library part and modify it"; that is not an answer. I do this professionally, and need access to all tools that make up a useful CAD tool, not just "copy what others have done".
Thank you,
Mike Tripoli
