This page is a summary of the new features that have been added to the latest release of Pulsonix.
This is not the full list. A more detailed description of all the new and changed functionality can be found in the Pulsonix 14.0 Update Notes, on the Product Documentation page on our web site. This file can also be viewed from the Pulsonix application using the Online Manuals option on the Help menu.
Additional functionality for Tear-off Windows
Functionality within Tear-off Windows has been expanded to now include Dockbars.
Customise Commands Filter
You can now filter command sets within the Commands dialog of the Customise dialog.
Component Variant Spreadsheet - ‘Reset To Defaults’ Cell Colours
A Reset to Defaults button has been added to the Component Variant Spreadsheet which, when clicked, sets cell colours back to their original ‘factory’ values.
Property Sheet Search Bar
A Property Sheet Search Bar has been introduced and is enabled on property sheets on the tree control for the Technology and Options dialogs.
Circular Hatching Style
A new Hatching Style has been added to the Technology dialog. In addition to lines, you can now opt to draw the shape filled with circular cutouts.
Cutout Text
Text can be cutout of shapes using the Insert Cutout Text option.
Interactive HTML BOM
Pulsonix now exports to the Interactive HTML BOM browser tool. This is a useful tool if you are assembling boards in-house.
Insert Spiral Around Shape
Insert Spiral now allows you to dynamically insert a spiral around shapes for a PCB design or footprint, enabling spirals to be created for irregular shapes.
3D Viewer / STEP Enhancements
Many new features and performance enhancements have been made to the 3D Viewer option.
Edit Rules from Property dialogs
There is now an Edit Rule button available on the Properties dialog for an error marker. It is enabled if a rule name is displayed for the reason for the error. Not all errors have a rule displayed. This functionality has also been provided for Property pages that list relevant rules. For example, Differential Pair, Net and Area. The Edit Rule Button is also available in the Measure dialog.
Hierarchy Bar
The Hierarchy Bar enables you to display all boards in your design, enclosures and components in a tree view that can be expanded and collapsed. Selecting within the tree will select the corresponding item in the 3D View.
Interactive Clip Plane
The Clip Plane option allows you to view a ‘clipped’ view of your 3D design. Areas of the design to be selectively disabled from view enabling you to focus on areas of interest.
Change Variant in 3D Viewer
The Change Variants option is available in the 3D Viewer.
Flexi Bend Region - Lift Off State
Within a Flexi Bend Region, you can define the Lift Off State.
3D Display Mode
A new Display Mode selection in the 3D Colour Settings enables you to view your component models : Wireframe, Shaded and Shaded With Edges.
New 3D Colour items for Measure, Clash Markers and Areas
New 3D Colour items for Measure, Clash Markers and Areas are available in the 3D Colour Settings dialog. There are now two different colour selections for Area and Component Area to differentiate between the two area types within the 3D viewer.
Performance Increases
Large performance improvements across generation and output of the STEP 3D Viewer, and improved performance of Exploded View generation in the STEP 3D viewer.
Additional 3D Viewer Changes:
- Component To Area Keep Out clash detection has been added
- Type Coord and Type Offset available within the 3D View
- New <STEP Suppress> attribute to suppress
STEP models added
- Component Model Selector available in 3D Settings under
Components
- Override 3DIgnoreClash STEP attribute replaced with system attribute
<STEP Ignore Clash>
- STEP Model filter in Position STEP Model dialog
- Measure option available under Tools drop down list on
Position STEP Model dialog
- Generate Height from STEP is now available for
Selected Components
- Preserve Colours available for use when
exporting Single Entity models
High-Speed Option
Differential Pairs - View Chain Option
A View Chain button has been added to the Differential Pairs page of the Technology. When selected, this will display the whole chain path will all nodes and net names displayed.
Track Width from Impedance Value
Manually route tracks using a track width that is calculated from the Track Impedance Rule defined in your Technology.
Back Drilling can now be started on Inner Layers (Technology - Back Drilling).
The Find button is available for Differential Pairs and Signal Paths. Pressing the Find button after selecting a Differential Pair name or Chain Name or Signal Path name from the grid will highlight the selected path in the design.
Manually route tracks using a track width that is calculated from the Track Impedance Rule defined in your Technology.
Pulsonix Vault
Vault Changes
- The Vault Database has been updated to version 1008
- Spice Models can be added to the Vault using
Libraries to Vault
- Format Files can be added to the Vault using
Libraries to Vault
- Sign In - Visibility of pages now reflects the
Sign-in status
- Revision Naming - Type specific Vault Revision Schemes
- Import Users - Import a CSV list of Users
- Revision Naming - Type Specific Vault Revision Schemes
- Audit Trail - View Text Vault items
- Audit Trail - Customise CSV separator character
- Audit Trail - Filter the Audit Trail on Item ID
- Vault Browser - Synchronise Selected Item
- Out - Recent Notes option in Vault
- Vault Browser - Folder Search Filter
- Vault Browser - Report Vault Parts without Symbols
- Vault Browser - Show Previews of design-based vault items.
Upgraded Scripting Facilities
A new Scripting system provides a generic inter-process API to Pulsonix which can be interfaced with from many systems and languages. This system comes with native support for Python 3 scripts.
PulsonixSim Spice Simulator Option
Introduction of new PulsonixSim mixed mode Spice simulator.
Plus Additional Features (Summary):
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When the Synchronise Design option is run, options are available to Keep Tracks and Remove connected segments.
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From within the Design Properties, you can Edit the attribute value in the <Master Design> column even if the Variants field is disabled in the Technology Attribute Naming dialog.
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When running the Part Find or Find Footprints options from the Library Manager on Parts or PCB Footprints, you can now multi-select items and edit them with the Edit button.
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An Error Marker will now show an alternative symbol for Errors that have Notes assigned to them. Instead of the normal origin style symbol, a document style symbol is displayed.
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An option in the Online ERC Options page, Treat All Dangling Connections As Unfinished has been added.
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A Report button has been added to the Differential Pairs page of the Technology dialog. This reports information about the defined rules of the selected item or multiple selected items.
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In the Technology under the Design Level Spacing Rules and Drill tab, there is a new control for Same Net. This enables you to set the spacing value for two plated drills on the same net.
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In the Technology under the Net Class Level Spacing Rules, it now displays the Net Class Name using a Colour Coding based on the spacing values.
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Define Weld Spot Shape and Size in Move Options.
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The Apply to Attributes Only feature is available in Apply Layout Pattern
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Apply Vias/Pads
- A new spacing has been added to use the minimum spacing from existing items inside the shape.
- Spacing from items to shape is now available for Filling the shape option.
- For the vias setting, there is a new connect type list box that allows you to define the connect type of the vias.
- The Apply vias/pads option is available on the context menu when copper or a track is selected.
- The dialog now allows you to define staggered vias on ‘Around Outside’. -
DRC/ERC
- In the DRC/ERC dialog there is a new Acceptance Rule Set that can be used to define different rule set names.- Apply selection to Column is available on the DRC dialog.
- New check for Odd Angled Tracks in the DRC dialog.
- Improved Precision of Silkscreen Overlap DRC Check.
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Ability to Highlight odd Angled Tracks / Connections Connections in the Colours dialog.
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Hatch Style Override has been added to the Template Properties dialog.
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A View Layers option has been added to the Layers Bar.
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You can now Mitre on Corners with an attached Arc.
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When Editing Shapes, they will dynamically snap to other lines or shapes.
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From the Database Check and Update function for the Pulsonix Database Connection option, within the Select Part dialog an Info button has been added. This displays information about the Component selected in the dialog.
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New Report Maker Commands
- Check Out/In of Vault Format Files available on the Report Maker dialog if the Vault is enabled.
- The Draw Line command now has two additional check boxes to define the Start Column and End Column, meaning lines can be drawn at specific sizes and locations.
- New commands are available to report the Vault Status.
- The Design Rules Check and Electrical Rules Check commands now allow you to define the named rule set to check against.
Other General Improvements
This is not the full list. A more detailed description of all the new and changed functionality can be found in the Pulsonix 14.0 Update Notes, on the Product Documentation page on our web site. This file can also be viewed from the Pulsonix application using the Online Manuals option on the Help menu.