AnsweredAssumed Answered

PADs ascii output manipulation

Question asked by Wayne on Aug 14, 2015
Latest reply on Aug 19, 2015 by Wayne

Like • Show 0 Likes0
Comment • 3

Hi all,

I have a customer who wants to use the .asc file from PADs to program his pick and place machines. No trouble, I provide this to my other CM's all the time.

The difference is that he wants to add to the ascii file a specific (his own) part number to the file as well as the manufacturer's part number.

So I would need to take the ascii file and be able to manipulate it to add in two columns from an excel spreadsheet. (the BOM with the two numbers.) The upside is that the two fields I'd like to add external information to are part of the file already - the PartName and the Description field.

I don't see where I can access the files that produce the ascii file to be able to add in these two things. I've done some looking in the forums here and don't see anything that looks relevant to this.

I'm using Orcad for the schematic capture tool and PADs for the layout tool.

Any help and pointing in the right direction would be really appreciated.

Thanks,Wayne.

Pete Aug 17, 2015 7:09 AM

Correct Answer

Don't bother with manipulating ASCII files for this. In the Tools menu, Basic Scripts>Basic Scripts, launch the PADS Layout Script Wizard, and create a custom report. Either add an attribute to your parts in PADS and add the attribute to your report, or edit the resulting spreadsheet.

Pete

See the reply in context

No one else had this question

Outcomes

Pete Aug 17, 2015 7:09 AM

Pete

Actions

jim.granville Aug 18, 2015 4:12 PM

The upside is that the two fields I'd like to add external information to are part of the file already - the PartName and the Description field.

I don't see where I can access the files that produce the ascii file to be able to add in these two things. I've done some looking in the forums here and don't see anything that looks relevant to this.

As Pete mentioned above, there are easier pathways.

Search for Attributes.Add in the help, and there is also a ECO pathway that uses *DEL_ATTRIBUTE* and *SET_ATTRIBUTE*.

If you really want to work on the ASCII file, life is a little easier if those fields are already there.

You need to find the RefDes, then scan ahead to the AttrName match, and insert the new value, doing this for every part.

If the customer does not have PADS, and wants to control this information themselves, then the ECO pathway may be best.

You send them a BOM, and they send back a ECO ASCII file that you apply to tag new numbers. You can repeat the BOM for them to verify.

Actions

Wayne @ jim.granville on Aug 19, 2015 9:24 AM

Thanks to you both.

I have pursued using a script and my customer now appears to be happy with the results.

Thanks for the feedback.

Wayne.

Actions

3 Replies

Pete Aug 17, 2015 7:09 AM
Unmark Correct
Correct Answer
Don't bother with manipulating ASCII files for this. In the Tools menu, Basic Scripts>Basic Scripts, launch the PADS Layout Script Wizard, and create a custom report. Either add an attribute to your parts in PADS and add the attribute to your report, or edit the resulting spreadsheet.

Pete
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
jim.granville Aug 18, 2015 4:12 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
The upside is that the two fields I'd like to add external information to are part of the file already - the PartName and the Description field.

I don't see where I can access the files that produce the ascii file to be able to add in these two things. I've done some looking in the forums here and don't see anything that looks relevant to this.
As Pete mentioned above, there are easier pathways.
Search for Attributes.Add in the help, and there is also a ECO pathway that uses *DEL_ATTRIBUTE* and *SET_ATTRIBUTE*.

If you really want to work on the ASCII file, life is a little easier if those fields are already there.
You need to find the RefDes, then scan ahead to the AttrName match, and insert the new value, doing this for every part.

If the customer does not have PADS, and wants to control this information themselves, then the ECO pathway may be best.
You send them a BOM, and they send back a ECO ASCII file that you apply to tag new numbers. You can repeat the BOM for them to verify.
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
Wayne @ jim.granville on Aug 19, 2015 9:24 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Thanks to you both.
I have pursued using a script and my customer now appears to be happy with the results.
Thanks for the feedback.
Wayne.
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions

PADs ascii output manipulation

Outcomes

Related Content

Recommended Content