Re: [PEDA] PCB File Size Too Big
At 08:49 AM 9/30/2002 +1000, Ian Capps wrote: >Others have mentioned the compacting so try that first. If that doesn't help >try moving your completed mech layers to separate pcb file for storage >purposes. Since we know that Mr. Robison is using massive bitmaps, this may well be one source of the problem, though this is the first time I have encountered a file size limit in Protel 99SE. Perhaps there is also some limit on Mr. Robison's disk, though that is just a stab in the dark. Most likely, Mr. Robison does not have Compact on Close enabled, as others have suggested. It is very easy to overlook this option in the unnamed Client menu. Moving the bitmaps out would be helpful. Keeping them as gerbers would be one way to quickly bring them back in as needed. If the coordinates are absolute, and set that way in the plot, gerber imports will come back into primitives located where they originally existed. (I don't recall all the rules for how coordinates are handled in import, but I am sure absolute-absolute works.) In this case you'd want to use single-file gerber import, which will place the primitives on the current layer, so remember to set the mech layer you want to use as Current! >If you place a pad on all the layers for a reference point it will make it >easier to copy that layer back into position for final checks. (Make sure >that the hole size is zero if you place the pad within the board area. Zero hole size is probably be a bit safer if one forgets to remove the pad Note that pads can live on mechanical layers, and in that case I'd really want the hole to be zero, I just am not sure how Protel handles holes in a non-copper layer and I'm not sure I'd want to find out in the middle of a job. Using pads and snap is a good way to easily maintain reference when using copy and paste But it may not be needed here if the files are kept as gerber (which is, incidentally, substantially more efficient in terms of space than is a PCB file, not that most of us are short of space. Tango DOS had a block file format, you could save a block of a PCB and then reload it into another board. I don't think Protel has a function that simple; copy and paste does the job, to be sure, but not as quickly.) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Re: [PEDA] PCB File Size Too Big
Mike Others have mentioned the compacting so try that first. If that doesn't help try moving your completed mech layers to separate pcb file for storage purposes. If you place a pad on all the layers for a reference point it will make it easier to copy that layer back into position for final checks. (Make sure that the hole size is zero if you place the pad within the board area. Ian - Original Message - From: "Robison Michael R CNIN" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Protel EDA Forum'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, September 30, 2002 1:49 AM Subject: [PEDA] PCB File Size Too Big > Hello, > > My PCB will no longer save now that it's hit 55MB. Is there > a workaround or something I can do to make it save? I've got > quite a few more planes to interactively route. This is not > a problem with lack of hard drive space. I've got about 50GB > of space left on it. I guess I should be a bit more specific > than the "will no longer save" comment. When I click File and > Save All, I immediately get a Popup that says something like > "Backup of Mboard.pcb is too large". If I then close the pro- > gram and reopen it, the size of the Mboard.pcb is 0 bytes. > > I imagine the file is so big because I have been converting > bitmaps of old artwork into PCBs using the BMP2PCB program > and then copying them to mechanical layers so I can easily > see where the traces are supposed to go. > > And thanks to all who posted on my "guard" trace problem. > > Thanks, Michael Robison > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Re: [PEDA] PCB File Size Too Big
Mike, check your "Perform Compact after closing design". Not sure if you knew where to find it but nobody else mentioned where. Under the big down arrow & design utilities, check the compact box. The other item you may try is to flush your deleted files folder, should free up some database space if you have anything in it. Sincerely, Brad Velander. Lead PCB Designer Norsat International Inc. Microwave Products Tel (604) 292-9089 (direct line) Fax (604) 292-9010 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.norsat.com Norsat's Microwave Products Division has now achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification > - Original Message - > From: "Robison Michael R CNIN" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "'Protel EDA Forum'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 11:49 AM > Subject: [PEDA] PCB File Size Too Big > > > > Hello, > > > > My PCB will no longer save now that it's hit 55MB. Is there > > a workaround or something I can do to make it save? I've got > > quite a few more planes to interactively route. This is not > > a problem with lack of hard drive space. I've got about 50GB > > of space left on it. I guess I should be a bit more specific > > than the "will no longer save" comment. When I click File and > > Save All, I immediately get a Popup that says something like > > "Backup of Mboard.pcb is too large". If I then close the pro- > > gram and reopen it, the size of the Mboard.pcb is 0 bytes. > > > > I imagine the file is so big because I have been converting > > bitmaps of old artwork into PCBs using the BMP2PCB program > > and then copying them to mechanical layers so I can easily > > see where the traces are supposed to go. > > > > And thanks to all who posted on my "guard" trace problem. > > > > Thanks, Michael Robison > > > > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Re: [PEDA] PCB File Size Too Big
Mike, SOunds like th edesign has not ever been compacted. The big down arrow in upper left corner has the utilities to do this. I have seen if you are installing Protel on WIN98 this does not happen by default however on anNT or 2000 install it set up the compact on design close. Bob Wolfe - Original Message - From: "Robison Michael R CNIN" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Protel EDA Forum'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2002 11:49 AM Subject: [PEDA] PCB File Size Too Big > Hello, > > My PCB will no longer save now that it's hit 55MB. Is there > a workaround or something I can do to make it save? I've got > quite a few more planes to interactively route. This is not > a problem with lack of hard drive space. I've got about 50GB > of space left on it. I guess I should be a bit more specific > than the "will no longer save" comment. When I click File and > Save All, I immediately get a Popup that says something like > "Backup of Mboard.pcb is too large". If I then close the pro- > gram and reopen it, the size of the Mboard.pcb is 0 bytes. > > I imagine the file is so big because I have been converting > bitmaps of old artwork into PCBs using the BMP2PCB program > and then copying them to mechanical layers so I can easily > see where the traces are supposed to go. > > And thanks to all who posted on my "guard" trace problem. > > Thanks, Michael Robison > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Re: [PEDA] PCB File Size Too Big
Thanks, Dennis. Your question about compacting is interesting. I thought it compacted automatically when saved. Should I be performing some special compacting operation? I don't see anything like that in the File menu. And yes, you are right. The bitmaps convert into very big pcb files, with around 100,000 objects per PCB, and with 10 layers, that's tremendous. I guess I can delete a mechanical layer after I lay it out. That's an obvious option, but I hated to do that before I finished the board in case I needed to go back and redo something or search out an unrouted con- nection. Thanks again, Miker Dennis Saputelli wrote: have you been compacting it? and yes the bitmaps can make thousands of little fills, maybe tens and tens of thousands in your case have you checked component info for a count of primitives? you're going to have to zap a bunch of those puppies Robison Michael R CNIN wrote: > > Hello, > > My PCB will no longer save now that it's hit 55MB. Is there > a workaround or something I can do to make it save? I've got > quite a few more planes to interactively route. This is not > a problem with lack of hard drive space. I've got about 50GB > of space left on it. I guess I should be a bit more specific > than the "will no longer save" comment. When I click File and > Save All, I immediately get a Popup that says something like > "Backup of Mboard.pcb is too large". If I then close the pro- > gram and reopen it, the size of the Mboard.pcb is 0 bytes. > > I imagine the file is so big because I have been converting > bitmaps of old artwork into PCBs using the BMP2PCB program > and then copying them to mechanical layers so I can easily > see where the traces are supposed to go. > > And thanks to all who posted on my "guard" trace problem. > > Thanks, Michael Robison -- ___ www.integratedcontrolsinc.comIntegrated Controls, Inc. tel: 415-647-04802851 21st Street fax: 415-647-3003San Francisco, CA 94110 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Re: [PEDA] PCB File Size Too Big
have you been compacting it? and yes the bitmaps can make thousands of little fills, maybe tens and tens of thousands in your case have you checked component info for a count of primitives? you're going to have to zap a bunch of those puppies Dennis Saputelli Robison Michael R CNIN wrote: > > Hello, > > My PCB will no longer save now that it's hit 55MB. Is there > a workaround or something I can do to make it save? I've got > quite a few more planes to interactively route. This is not > a problem with lack of hard drive space. I've got about 50GB > of space left on it. I guess I should be a bit more specific > than the "will no longer save" comment. When I click File and > Save All, I immediately get a Popup that says something like > "Backup of Mboard.pcb is too large". If I then close the pro- > gram and reopen it, the size of the Mboard.pcb is 0 bytes. > > I imagine the file is so big because I have been converting > bitmaps of old artwork into PCBs using the BMP2PCB program > and then copying them to mechanical layers so I can easily > see where the traces are supposed to go. > > And thanks to all who posted on my "guard" trace problem. > > Thanks, Michael Robison -- ___ www.integratedcontrolsinc.comIntegrated Controls, Inc. tel: 415-647-04802851 21st Street fax: 415-647-3003San Francisco, CA 94110 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
