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Library parts database from external database

Question asked by bjorn.lundberg on Nov 11, 2019
Latest reply on Nov 15, 2019 by gbox

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I have so far only created schematics using parts from Part View/CL View in DxDatabook but since I want to automate parts lists I've started looking into using the library view.

I've gotten the hang of how it works and I have set a couple of libraries with all extra properties that I want I and I can script resistor and capacitor libraries into an Access database.

What I don't understand is how I use those libraries when going to a PCB.

If I run package on my schematic, it will tell me that "There is no Part Number: XX in the Parts DataBase...".

This is correct, but how do I get the part numbers from the Access database into the library parts database?

If I look at the Starter libraries available I see that they do have a unique part number for each resistor corresponding to the entries in the database.

Do I really have to duplicate all 1000+ resistor entries back into part editor... manually?!

I can't find any documentation or tutorial mentioning how to do this.

No one else has this question

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pbo Nov 14, 2019 6:04 AM

3rd party database consist only part attributes.

All of part number, symbols and cells listed in MS ACCESS data base must exist in your Central Library.

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gbox Nov 14, 2019 6:58 AM

Thanks, that's what I feared based on my experiments.

So how do I enter 1000+ nearly identical parts in parts editor?

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pbo @ gbox on Nov 14, 2019 7:03 AM

One by one((

the correct way is firstly create a part in your CL after that your will add new line in ms access database. You can edit your access database directly from central library.

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gbox Nov 15, 2019 7:05 AM

OK, after some digging around the undocumented terminal-programs I found a way to solve my problem:

Extract a parts database from an existing library:

<SDD_HOME>\common\win64\bin\partsdb2hkp -i passives.pdb -o test.pdb –a

I'm not sure, but I think that the -a (unencrypted ascii) option only is valid for releases >=v.x.2.6

This creates the ascii database test.pdb

Use this as a template for scripting custom parts.

Make sure to use symbols and cells available in the intended library.

Import the modified ascii database into an existing parts database (in this case resistor.pdb):

<SDD_HOME>\common\win64\bin\hkp2partsdb -i test.pdb -o resistor.pdb

(Re-)Open the central library with the library tools and your script-created parts are there.

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4 Replies

pbo Nov 14, 2019 6:04 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
3rd party database consist only part attributes.
All of part number, symbols and cells listed in MS ACCESS data base must exist in your Central Library.
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gbox Nov 14, 2019 6:58 AM
Mark Correct
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Thanks, that's what I feared based on my experiments.
So how do I enter 1000+ nearly identical parts in parts editor?
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pbo @ gbox on Nov 14, 2019 7:03 AM
Mark Correct
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One by one((
the correct way is firstly create a part in your CL after that your will add new line in ms access database. You can edit your access database directly from central library.
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gbox Nov 15, 2019 7:05 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
OK, after some digging around the undocumented terminal-programs I found a way to solve my problem:

Extract a parts database from an existing library:
<SDD_HOME>\common\win64\bin\partsdb2hkp -i passives.pdb -o test.pdb –a
I'm not sure, but I think that the -a (unencrypted ascii) option only is valid for releases >=v.x.2.6

This creates the ascii database test.pdb
Use this as a template for scripting custom parts.
Make sure to use symbols and cells available in the intended library.

Import the modified ascii database into an existing parts database (in this case resistor.pdb):
<SDD_HOME>\common\win64\bin\hkp2partsdb -i test.pdb -o resistor.pdb

(Re-)Open the central library with the library tools and your script-created parts are there.
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Library parts database from external database

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