On 10:41 AM 30/11/2001 +1200, Liane Williams said: >Hi all, > >I teach first year students electrical drawing with CAD. >We create schematics and pcbs (single and double-sided only), to give them >the basic concepts and to enable them to use the software to help in other >areas of their courses (electronics etc). > >We have just upgraded to Protel 99SE after using Protel 98 for about 4 years. > >I like the 3D pcb viewer because I think it will help students "visualize" >the >end product (electronics is new to many of them). > >Could anyone help with more information about how the 3D footprint is >generated? For example, I understand that if I use a designator for a LED - >D1 then I get a 3D diode footprint, whereas if I use LED1 then I get a >footprint >that looks like an LED. > >Where can I find more details about the "rules" in this area? > >Thanks for any help. >Regards >Liane.
The 3D viewer is basically unready for release. Whoever in Protel (as it was at the time) thought that releasing a 3D viewer without user controlled models was obviously having a bad-hair day (putting it politely). I would hope that Altium can use the excuse "they are no longer with us." The 3D viewer is a toy that may give some vague rendition of the board if you are using standard sorts of components and variants that just happen to have the height given in the hard-coded 3D models. We would assume that Protel marketing will no trumpet a 3D viewer *with* user settable models, when the next version comes out. Sort of like going out to buy a car and then being told that you can have the car but you will have to wait until the next years model and upgrade to get an engine. Bottom line - if you can pay a bit there is a good looking add-on for Protel from QualECad (http://www.qualecad.com) which provided proper 3D modelling capabilities. Maybe Altium should consider licensing the server from QualECad (assuming QualECad are interested), as others have suggested. This server has been reviewed favorably by others on the list, unfortunately I can't justify the cost :-( (I am sure I am like a few others that would like this 3D capability, nice but we would use it very rarely.) Ian Wilson * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post a message: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * To leave this list visit: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/leave.html * * Contact the list manager: * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Forum Guidelines Rules: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/forumrules.html * * Browse or Search previous postings: * http://www.mail-archive.com/proteledaforum@techservinc.com * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
