This will be the same as the original DDB.Īdd a recognized file extension to all schematic and PCB files. Note the name of the Design Workspace at the top. All files in the database will be extracted, regardless of whether they are part of the project structure or not.Ĭonvert schematic documents to the current file format (if this option is enabled).įigure 2. Any folder structure within the database will be recreated on the hard drive. The wizard performs the following steps: 1.Įxtract the files from the database into the nominated folder on your hard drive. The Wizard can be used to import a single DDB, or it can be used to import all DDBs in a folder, this article is based around a single DDB being imported.
If this is not the case, you will be prompted to do this first. The import process requires all files, projects and design workspaces that are currently open in Altium Designer to be closed. To import a 99 SE database, select File » Protel SE Import Wizard from the menus. Importing a 99 SE Design Database Service Pack 2 introduced the 99 SE Import Wizard, which gives complete control over the importing process. If you are interested in walking through the entire PCB design process in Altium Designer using a simple example, see the Getting Started with PCB Design tutorial. Use the 99 SE Import Wizard in the same way as you would with an Access® Database DDB.
Protel 99 SE Windows File System designs can also be imported. While Altium Designer allows direct editing of any individual schematic, PCB, HDL, or any other design file, to perform any project-type operations, such as updating the board from the schematic or printing all the schematics in the project, you must open the project. During import, you have the opportunity to change all of the mappings, except the DDB to Workspace. Figure 1 shows the default mapping from a 99 SE design database to the equivalent objects in Altium Designer a Workspace is created for the DDB, a PCB project for each folder that includes a PCB file, and a Library Package for each folder that only includes libraries. When you open a Design Workspace, all projects that are in that Workspace will appear in the Projects panel. A Design Workspace (.DsnWrk) is used to cluster related projects together, so you could use a Design Workspace for all projects for one client, all boards in one product, and so on. Above the project level, Altium Designer uses the Design Workspace. The project file itself is an ASCII file that stores project information, such as links to the documents that are in the project, output settings, compilation settings, error checking settings, and so on. Transferring a Design from Protel 99 SE single FPGA. The mapping from a 99 SE DDB to the equivalent Altium Designer objects PCB projects (*.PrjPcb) FPGA projects (*.PrjFpg) Embedded projects (*.PrjEmb) Core projects (*.PrjCor) Integrated libraries (*.LibPkg) Script projects (*.PrjScr)Īpart from script projects, a fundamental requirement is that each project targets a single implementation – for example a PCB project includes all the sources required to define a single PCB, and an FPGA project is implemented in aįigure 1. Multiple types of projects are supported in the environment, including: The basis of every design created in Altium Designer is a project file. In Altium Designer, all design files are stored on the hard drive. Some designers use a single DDB for each board design, others keep all revisions of a design in a single DDB, while other designers keep all board designs for the one product in a single DDB. There is no hard and fast requirement on what is stored in a design database, or how the design documents might be grouped into folders within the DDB. The database acts as a storage container, and also as a way that the designer can group project-related design files. The 99SE Import Wizard (added in service pack 2) gives control and visibility over the process of importing a 99SE design database into Altium Designer.ĭesign Database become a Design Workspace & Projects Protel 99 SE stores all design documents inside a single design database. Altium Designer stores files on the hard drive and now include the concept of the Project. Protel 99 SE uses the design database, or DDB, to store design files. This article outlines the process you go through to transfer a Protel 99 SE design into the Altium Designer environment. Transferring a Design from Protel 99 SE Summary Article