Author Topic: BUSTED: Altium deliberately crippling Circuit Maker?  (Read 22445 times)

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Offline DerekG

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Re: BUSTED: Altium deliberately crippling Circuit Maker?
« Reply #25 on: July 18, 2018, 12:29:59 am »
AD18 feels so dam rushed and lots of it seems like an afterthought.

Just like pretty much all their releases since 2002.

Often it is best to not update until the last revision of each release. Let other users pull their hair out with all the bugs whilst you concentrate on being productive.
I also sat between Elvis & Bigfoot on the UFO.
 

Offline james_s

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Re: BUSTED: Altium deliberately crippling Circuit Maker?
« Reply #26 on: July 18, 2018, 01:02:50 am »
I used to update all my software whenever any sort of updates were available, but these days despite an even stronger push to do so I have become quite well trained to never update anything unless there's a problem that needs fixing, like back in the days of risky BIOS updates on PCs that could brick the motherboard. I understand the need for security patches but I have simply been burned too many times by new bugs, features I used being changed, broken or removed all together, with effort spent on adding new features I didn't want or ask for. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 

Offline hitech95

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Re: BUSTED: Altium deliberately crippling Circuit Maker?
« Reply #27 on: August 08, 2018, 02:45:40 pm »
Hi,
I'm an active user of the Circuit Maker software. I started to move to something more "Professional" when Eagle switched owner.
Since then I used Circuit Maker. I'm a hobbyst so I don't work on huge projects.

I can do a simple list on what I have found so far:
  • On schematics sometimes the cursor is hidden while moving stuff, so you can't see where the current part is on
  • On Medium sizes project with dense pcbs the software view locks, pan around by itself. Sometimes it zoom out.
  • Generally on multiple schematics project there are some synk problems and or rollbacks after a save
  • Sometimes the software freeze on moving or rotating a part. that one looks like a proper delay in the code
  • Random DLL errors, when working with more than one project at a time the probability of a dll /stacktrace error is higher. At that point you cant save and do nothing. There is a forced popup on each action that you can try to do.
  • The fanout of components works only outside the board shape

I never tried Circuit Studio due to the fact that the base is the same of CM. I think that this kind of problems are also present on CC. And looks like that those are forced by Altium. The same project opened with a trial of AD are fine. In the 14 days trial I never had a crash or something stupid happening.

Unfortunatly I don't have the money to buy the AD so I'm stuck with the CM.

Sorry if this post is useless or if it isn't written in a perfect english, I'm on holiday and I wrote this on my phone :)
I hope this can be helpfull to someone.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2018, 03:14:41 pm by hitech95 »
The important thing is to get involved, and don't give up.
 

Offline DerekG

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Re: BUSTED: Altium deliberately crippling Circuit Maker?
« Reply #28 on: August 08, 2018, 07:14:55 pm »
And looks like that those are forced by Altium.

No-one is forced by Altium to do anything.

There are plenty of alternatives out there, particularly if you do not design computer motherboards.

I moved about 4 years ago from AD to DipTrace. For me it has been a much more productive tool as it has a simple interface & does not complain when moving from a schematic to pcb like Altium often does.

Another product that is very good is Proteus.

The reason Altium introduced both Circuit Studio & Circuit Maker was because they had no traction in these lower end markets. Unfortunately Circuit Maker in not much more than a toy. What is your time worth? Altium treat their Circuit Maker users with contempt ........... and there is no money in it for them to fix all the bugs.

You need to be pro-active. You need to use forums like this to advise prospective users about how bad Circuit Maker really is .................. & you need to find an alternative product that works well for you.

Altium removed all the keyboard shortcuts from Circuit Studio. How stupid! This alone makes DipTrace a more productive product. I just set up all of AD keyboard shortcuts in DipTrace & away I went. A pseudo AD (in many respects) for a fraction of the cost.

And yes, I can easily use DipTrace to design computer motherboards if required.

But also check out Proteus. Their products are also very good. I particularly like their microcontroller simulation tools which sync perfectly with their schematic program.
I also sat between Elvis & Bigfoot on the UFO.
 

Offline Warhawk

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Re: BUSTED: Altium deliberately crippling Circuit Maker?
« Reply #29 on: August 08, 2018, 08:31:54 pm »
This is how engineering of the second decade of the 21st century looks like. Engineers are the last decision makers blame marketing. :palm:


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