I would like to find out what is the best way to create a simple block diagram using basic shapes, groups and perhaps relationships ( arrows, lines) between them and use that together with links for navigation to various pages or sections of pages in the schematics.
Not more than just a grouping of items of similar purpose and providing links to specific schematic pages. No electrical whatsoever. As an example, imagine a drawing box titled "Comms" with few boxes inside titled "USB", "RS232" etc. which could contain or be some sort of a hyperlink to specific schematic pages where these subsystems are designed. These are not parts or electrical blocks with interfaces. It is just for easier navigation through the documents and pages. Specific to a particular schematic diagram and not really to be part of some reusable library.
As the product is designed to provide electrical interconnection elements and not system level diagram drawing elements, all available to you are such items as page links, hierarchical blocks and hyperlink attributes. The drawing tools allow you to create the shapes.
Understood. I am not looking for capabilities as they're for example in Visio. Just something simple enabling just enough. I tried page links, however, what I have learned is that you may have only one page link per page referring to another page? That seems rather absurd and not particularly useful. Why would you ever need 1 to 1 link? I have not tried hyperlinks yet. Will see if they can be used for this.
I tried page links, however, what I have learned is that you may have only one page link per page referring to another page? That seems rather absurd and not particularly useful. Why would you ever need 1 to 1 link?
IMO the way page links operate in PSX is absolutely correct, the 1:1 page linking means:
1) You have ERC checking to make sure that every net you've got on a page link on one sheet meets up with another on another sheet.
2) For print outs (yes people still use them!) someone can see easily where nets are going to which other pages.
If the software were to evolve then a page link that showed mutiple pages on one sheet going to two separate pages links on two other pages would be okay provided the ERC check supported it and all pages were displayed.
In my previous job before 2004 I used a 50K high-end package from Mentor Graphics that didn't have ERC checking (!) and an Electronic Engineer handed over to me a schematic with some nets which he'd named 5V, 5V-1, 5V_1 amongst other examples and was completely surprised when he had to hand mod the end board with lots of wire!
I still see Electronics Engineers here occasionally making this mistake but we catch them because of Pulsonix's ERC checking and by using Page Links.
As I mentioned in my 2nd post, this has nothing to do with any electrical constraints whatsoever. It is simply for easier navigation either between multiple pages in Pulsonix Schematic or in printed PDF ( I hope you're not printing on paper anymore). From what I have seen about hyperlinks in manual and playing with it. They can't be used for this. Unless I am missing something. Is this unreasonable to ask or are my expectations too high?
I know it's an old thread but for the sake of keeping related information is one place I'll add my comment here. Recently I faced the same problem as original poster and I solved it by creating and using custom page link schematic documentation symbol. It allowed me to draw a block diagram with graphic primitives (rectangles and lines) and then place page link symbols linked to appropriate pages inside rectangles. As <Page Link> attribute belongs to a document symbol and not to design one can have as many duplicating page links as necessary.
Posted - 24 Jan 2014 : 13:16:20
