AnsweredAssumed Answered

Automation of Report writer IPC Netlist.

Question asked by wes_cessnun on Aug 20, 2009
Latest reply on Jul 2, 2017 by roby

Like • Show 0 Likes0
Comment • 16

I have been trying to figure out have to automate an output file from PCB. I have got the the point of the IPC output but want to change the name and browse for the correct location. I was trying to use o sendkey commands.

I doubt this is the best way to do this but I am new at this and haven't worked with vbscripting that much. Here is the code I am usng. And for some reason the script I am calling this from doen't like the wscript.sleep command so i left that commented out. I have the rest working by looking at scripts from the AATK stuff but unsure how to get the IPC D 356 Generation popmenu (This menu can not be minimized, don't know if that means anything.) to do what I want. As you can see i don't know much about scripting but am trying to learn.

Option Explicit

Dim oWShell

Set oWShell = createobject("WScript.shell")

oWShell.AppActivate "vbreport.exe"

' WScript.Sleep(100)

oWShell.SendKeys "%T"

' WScript.Sleep(100)

oWShell.SendKeys "L"

' WScript.Sleep(100)

oWShell.SendKeys "I"

' WScript.Sleep(100)

oWShell.SendKeys "%R"
' WScript.Sleep(100)
' This part I am not sure how to do as tab doesn't seem to tab it up to the next location and

' then am not sure If I just over write the ipc356.ipc text and browse for the specified location.

'For some reason it skips over this part and just closes the vbreport.exe file.

oWShell.AppActivate "ipc356.exe"
' WScript.Sleep(100)

oWShell.SendKeys "{TAB}"
' WScript.Sleep(100)

oWShell.SendKeys "%O"
' WScript.Sleep(100)

oWShell.AppActivate "vbreport.exe"
' WScript.Sleep(100)

oWShell.SendKeys "%F"
' WScript.Sleep(100)

oWShell.SendKeys "x"

Thanks

Wes

No one else has this question

Outcomes

16 Replies

wes_cessnun Oct 1, 2009 1:22 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I have figured out how to do this. I have to add to popup menus to wait for Report writer to appear and another to wait for the file to be generated but it works ok. I also Rename the file to what I want.

Use the ProcessCommand and FindDialog to find Report Writer
then Findcheckbox to find Physical board data
and then FindButton to find the ok button.
Sub Report()
Dim oWShell
Set oWShell = CreateObject("WScript.shell")

         MsgBox "WAIT FOR REPORT WRITER TO APPEAR BEFORE PRESSING OK!"
        oWShell.AppActivate "vbreport.exe"
        scripting.sleep 500
        oWShell.SendKeys "%T"
        oWShell.SendKeys "L"
        oWShell.SendKeys "I"
        oWShell.SendKeys "%R"
        scripting.sleep 500
        oWShell.SendKeys "{Tab}"
        scripting.sleep 500
        oWShell.SendKeys "{DEL 10}"
        scripting.sleep 1000
        oWShell.SendKeys "TEST_REVA_IPC.ipc"
        scripting.sleep 1000
        oWShell.SendKeys "%O"
        scripting.sleep 1000
        MsgBox "WAIT FOR NETLIST POPUP MENU TO EXIT, THEN PRESS OK."
        scripting.Sleep(500)
        oWShell.SendKeys "%{TAB}"
        scripting.Sleep(500)
        oWShell.AppActivate "vbreport.exe"
        scripting.sleep 1000
        oWShell.SendKeys "%F"
        scripting.sleep 1000
        oWShell.SendKeys "X"

End Sub
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
patrick.cashman @ wes_cessnun on Feb 24, 2010 8:11 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
You can also run the ipc356b.exe in a command line mode by sending it a command like:

C:\MentorGraphics\2005EXP\SDD_HOME\common\win32\_bin\ipc356b.exe -pcb <Design Path>\<Design Name>.pcb

This could be done with a batch file or with vb commands. It will generate the ipc file in the output directory of the design.

The use of sendkeys has always seemed very complicated and unpredictable to me. There is a lot of guessing for how long things will take, then if your machine is slow the code won't work.

I've been doing the above with a batch file I edit for each design, and am planning to write something up that will do it in a more automated fashion. I'll post it in here when I do.

-Patrick
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
BoarderGrl @ patrick.cashman on Feb 1, 2012 10:33 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Hi Patrick,

I like the idea of using the ipc356.exe file. What about the database that ipc uses. I tried to run dbauto.exe with an argument of vbpcb=<design file>. But, dbauto doesn't seem to do anything. When I run it without the argument, it asks for the design name and then runs the database. So basically, I am looking for the arguments for both dbauto.exe or dbcreate.exe and ipc356.exe. I did try the sendkeys method. It works part of the time, which is not good enough.

Thanks,
Andrea
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
lary.e @ BoarderGrl on Feb 1, 2012 10:27 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
we run in a Perl program:

$ENV{SDD_COMMON_BIN}\dbauto.exe vbpcb=driveletter:\full\path\PCB\name.pcb

$ENV{SDD_HOME}\wg\win32\bin\ipc356.exe driveletter:\full\path\PCB\vbreport\output\VBPCBP.mdc

HTH
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
Joel_B @ lary.e on Feb 21, 2012 2:37 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Hello,

I can't get ipc356.exe to read the mdc file using the following format. A form opens asking for the location of the mdc database. Is there supposed to be an option switch (such as -database)? What version of Mentor are you using the script below? We are at EE7.9.2 Update 7.

$ENV{SDD_HOME}\wg\win32\bin\ipc356.exe driveletter:\full\path\PCB\vbreport\output\VBPCBP.mdc

Thanks!

JB
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
lary.e @ Joel_B on Feb 22, 2012 12:59 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
$ENV{SDD_HOME} is the way to bring SDD_HOME path from the environment variable when writing a Perl program.
maybe replace it with something like "c:\mentorgraphics\7.9.2EE\SDD_HOME" or %SDD_HOME% depending on your installation and application.

HTH
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
Joel_B @ lary.e on Feb 22, 2012 5:51 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
It is finding the executable ok but not the database file. The following works with the "-DB=" option although it brings up the IPC form. Is there a way to run this without the form appearing?

C:\MentorGraphics\7.9.2EE\SDD_HOME\wg\win32\bin\ipc356.exe -DB="designPath\PCB\vbreport\output\VBPCBP.mdc"

JB
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
kendall_hiles @ Joel_B on Feb 22, 2012 11:00 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
How about just creating the report directly inside Expedition.

-kendall
Attachments
- ipc356.zip2.2 KB
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
lary.e @ kendall_hiles on Feb 23, 2012 12:44 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
JB, I don't know how to skip the selection of the mdc.

Kendall, well if one doesn't want to open the application, just run an automation program to produce all files.
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
Joel_B @ lary.e on Feb 23, 2012 6:02 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
To summarize there are several solutions. Solution 1 runs existing Mentor executables to create the IPC356 netlist and requires the user to OK the IPC356 form. Solution 2 is code, provided by Kendall in a previous reply, to extract data from an Expedition design and write the IPC356 netlist format thus getting around the problem of having the user OK a form. Fablink XE or XE PRo licenses are not needed for either of these solutions.

Solution 1
# the following creates the Report Writer database, VBPCBP.mdc, in designPath\PCB\vbreport\output
#designPath is the full path to the design folder (c:\myproject\mydesign)
C:\MentorGraphics\7.9.2EE\SDD_HOME\wg\win32\bin\dbauto.exe vbpcb=designPath\pcb\design.pcb
#the fllowing uses the Report Writer database to create the IPC356 netlist also in designPath\PCB\vbreport\output
C:\MentorGraphics\7.9.2EE\SDD_HOME\wg\win32\bin\ipc356.exe -DB="designPath\PCB\vbreport\output\VBPCBP.mdc"

Solution 2
see a previous reply by Kendall for a zip file of VBS code to write the IPC356 format.

Thanks HTH and Kendall for yout input!

JB
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
bbpcbdesign @ kendall_hiles on Feb 23, 2012 11:47 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Hi Kendall,
when you release a new version of AATK ?

Best regards
Bolis Bortolo
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
thad.schultz @ kendall_hiles on Jan 12, 2015 1:05 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Kendall,

Should I let it bother me that your ipc356.vbs generates an IPC-356 that looks quite different from the one that Expedition PCB generates from the File->Export->IPC-D-356B menu? I don't know enough about the file format and 3rd party usage of the file to know one way or the other.

Also is it possible to use a replay file to automate this menu similar to how AATK automates the Mitron Gencad output? How does the replay file work or where is it documented?

Thanks

Thad Schultz
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
kendall_hiles @ thad.schultz on Jan 12, 2015 2:31 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
The IPC-356 in AATK writes is 356-A, Expedition writes 356-B, report writer writes the old format IPC (no revision, this one is useless, it does not support micro vias or round pads).

I looked at the Engines type library and the IPC is not exposed.
The replay commands are not document and in fact the reply command is not supported in automation. You could not use Reply for this menu reliably because it has too many options.

See if you vendor can take the version in AATK and you can just use my code. If not your stuck outputting it from Expedition by hand.

--kendall
1 person found this helpful
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
roby @ kendall_hiles on Jul 2, 2017 12:15 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Hello Kendall,
I try the IPC 356.vbs on VX2.1 64bit ,Update 6 install and get an error - I can find the extracted file in the output folder but it doesn't end as normal ipc files as if the write to file was interrupted .

Error:0x80040293 on Line 185 Char:12
"Pin doesn't have single layer, The pads collection should be analyzed."

I also looked at last AATK release - it has same coding as this vbs ( + few commentation lines at the beginning)

Is there alternative way to extract IPC 356 in VX2.1 64 bit ( Report writer with the IPC utility is only available in the 32 bit )

Thank you for your support
Robert
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
john.fonseca@ni.com @ patrick.cashman on Jan 18, 2017 11:02 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Does this not exists for win64? I was looking for an automated way to run ipc, however I don't see the .exe anywhere in the 64bit version I'm using.
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
wes_cessnun @ john.fonseca@ni.com on Jan 20, 2017 10:02 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
It is only a 32bit application. We install only the Report writer in 32bit, This has to be a different directory then what the 64 bit install is referenced too. Example is a folder(MentorGraphics) for 32 bit application (report writer) and a folder (MentorGraphic64) for the 64bit install. Then you can still use the old way for report writer.
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions

Automation of Report writer IPC Netlist.

Outcomes

Attachments

Related Content

Recommended Content