DipTrace 2.3.5 beta with STEP/IGES available

[novarm44]

Hi All,

We have released the new beta version 2.3.5 today.

The main upgrade for us is switch from Delphi 5 to Delphi XE4, so all UI elements were redesigned and Unicode support has been added. We still have some questions regarding native 64-bit version, but hope to resolve them soon. STEP/IGES support was also the feature we tried to implement for a long time and now beta version of it is done. Models can now be loaded from both STEP and IGES, PCB can be exported as STEP. The limitation: all models during STEP export are represented by triangulations, we are now working on export with original STEP model primitives though.

Another upgrade we plan to include into 2.4 and which is not implemented yet is new library management system. Actually we already redesigned internal program structures and all libraries to comply with it, but the main feature with UI, filters, etc. is not ready yet. Redesigned library/component panel available in beta is intermediate version which have a new look, but old functionality, as we decided not to transfer old UI to new Delphi XE4.

Full list of new/updated features:
1. Redesigned UI to more modern style, software has been moved to the modern development platform.
2. Support of Unicode in all program objects files and UI elements.
3. Redesigned library/component displaying system (library toolbar removed, toolbar with components has been redesigned).
4. Updated title block editor.
5. Updated "Attached Pattern" tool. Similar windows in Schematic and Component Editor.
6. Updated editing of polygonal pads.
7. Updated import dialogs of third-party schematics and net-lists, remembering of attached patterns.
8. Redesigned component panel (in design area) for component and pattern editors.
9. Zooming/Panning with mouse scroll in all print/import/export windows with preview feature.
10. UI updates in other dialog windows.
11. STEP and IGES import of package 3D models.
12. STEP export of PCB 3D model.
13. Copper pour algorithm optimization (approx 3x-5x speed-up). Further speed-up and real-time update is on the way.
14. Correct side changing for groups in PCB.
15. Many 2.3.1 bugs have been found and fixed.

Download it at http://www.diptrace.com/downloads/download-diptrace/ - see bottom of the page.

[novarm44]

my board built from previous version hanged when try to render 3D. it hanged at progressbar as shown below. a very bad "window not responding" type of hang

could you please send 3ds model file to support [at] diptrace [dot] com for verification. I will provide with just updated file when we fix the issue.

[shebu18]

Tested out the new beta version and everything is great. The only problem i found was the step export. tried several different boards i made. Opening the step file in solidworks was only a empty file. no model at all.
Exporting in vrml works ok.

[dfnr2]

Does the platform upgrade mean that there could be a native Mac version on the horizon?

[Dagon]

Or even Linux...

[novarm44]

Tested out the new beta version and everything is great. The only problem i found was the step export. tried several different boards i made. Opening the step file in solidworks was only a empty file. no model at all.
Exporting in vrml works ok.

Do you see empty file or file with board, but without models?
Also do you see proper board with models in DipTrace 3D preview window before exporting step?
Please send .dip file and non-standard models of it to support [at] diptrace [dot] com for verification if possible.

Does the platform upgrade mean that there could be a native Mac version on the horizon?

Win 64, Native Mac and Android on horizon. Probably cross-platform optimization will be started as separate development line to avoid touching main development (high-speed and interactive routing are nearest big plans after release of 2.4). The problem may be hidden Delphi issues (bugs) as not always declared features work in real conditions.

[shebu18]

Do you see empty file or file with board, but without models?
Also do you see proper board with models in DipTrace 3D preview window before exporting step?
Please send .dip file and non-standard models of it to support [at] diptrace [dot] com for verification if possible.

In 3D preview in diptrace the model look ok. The board is rendered ok, models are rendered ok, traces, silk, all are ok. STEP export is empty. No board, no models, nothing is present. VRML export is ok, models, board all are present. Problem between VRML and STEP is that with VRML i can not work in cad as it is not a solid body. I will create a new schematic, board and test it out.

[novarm44]

In 3D preview in diptrace the model look ok. The board is rendered ok, models are rendered ok, traces, silk, all are ok. STEP export is empty. No board, no models, nothing is present. VRML export is ok, models, board all are present. Problem between VRML and STEP is that with VRML i can not work in cad as it is not a solid body. I will create a new schematic, board and test it out.

We would like to fix this issue with STEP. The feature is new and it is important to make it as much clear as possible before release of 2.4.

Could you please send PCB .dip file to support [at] diptrace [dot] com + non-standard 3D models you used or contact me via Skype (novarm44) to allow us debug and resolve the issue in real-time. If that will allow us to find and fix the bug, you will be provided with free license of DipTrace.

[crispytato]

I've been running the beta for a couple of weeks now, and I must say, you've made a great number of improvements to the general usability and intuitiveness of the interface. I'm really looking forward to the new library tools, but for now, the improvements are MUCH better than the last version (which admittedly, was pretty poo). I also feel like the general UI has become a bit more snappy and usable. I suspect these changes would make it much easier for a beginner to figure out some of the basic functions that I struggled with initially.

Keep up the good work guys!

[Simon]

my board built from previous version hanged when try to render 3D. it hanged at progressbar as shown below. a very bad "window not responding" type of hang

could you please send 3ds model file to support [at] diptrace [dot] com for verification. I will provide with just updated file when we fix the issue.

my boards are comming out as surfaces with parts as solids, some programs don't display surfaces unless you enable them. Surfaces are a pain in the ars, I'm ending up filling my hollow board with an extruded part that takes key points from the surface for size and holes, then I hide the surface. I'll probably then re-export it to IGS os STEP and re import to end up with a single part file for a whole solid board.

[mariush]

Long text.. poorly described. Apologies in advance.

I played with the latest beta today and it worked fine.  I did however noticed a few problems.

I had an older version of DipTrace installed in Program Files and this beta version defaulted to Program Files\Diptrace (beta) ..
I used schematic capture, I used build pcb to make a plain pcb... noticed the 3d models weren't installed so i downloaded and installed and it all worked fine.
At some point, I went in the project folder and double clicked a .dch or .dip file and I think the old Diptrace started and loaded the file. From that point, both programs got all messed up, I think one overwrote the other's configuration.

Diptrace beta couldn't load the libraries and I had to go in the menu and select the  lib folder (and that window is confusing, you select the folder and nothing happens, only after you click close the panels on the side populate and then if you go back to the window where you select the libraries you see the actual libraries.
The 3d preview wasn't working, i got the popup saying "building index" or something to that effect and it got stuck there. 
File > Convert to pcb wasn't working at all , no error message, nothing.
Same with Route > run autorouter

So I had to uninstall Diptrace beta but then even the DipTrace original wasn't working.
I uninstalled that as well and after installing just the beta still something wasn't right.  The uninstall program doesn't remove stuff saved  in C:\ProgramData

Why is the software creating folders in C:\ProgramData ?  I installed the beta in C:\Programs\DipTrace  and the beta creates C:\ProgramData\DipTrace Beta  and the stable version creates C:\ProgramData\Diptrace



After uninstalling both versions, and deleting both folders from C:\ProgramData, after installing just the beta version, I expected to be asked if I want the white background or black background, but the software didn't ask me as it did a few hours ago when I installed the beta the first time. I guess this option is saved somewhere else.. 
I set the background to white because it made more sense to me, but then I opened a schematic from the examples folder and all the text is light gray or yellow on white background. Why make examples so hard to see on white background and then offer the white background as option right at startup?

After uninstalling and installing just the beta, the schematic.exe opens fine, it opens examples. However, File > convert to pcb opens up and shows the parts, but the panels on the left are empty. 
Library > Library setup says why ... it defaults to searching in C:\Program Files (x86)\Diptrace Beta. When I click on [...] it shows C:\Programs\Diptrace\lib so if I click OK and then close everything shows up.  But again, there's no change in that window between clicking OK and close, so user has no feedback to see if he did something right there.

If I go and open the Library > Library setup window again i see on the right "All pattern libraries" but there's a whole bunch of "No Library File" and at the bottom, it says "C:\Program Files (x86)\DipTrace Beta ..."
I have to scroll down to see the actual files that were loaded from C:\Programs
Guess I should delete those invalid records.  Click on row, click delete. Focus lost. Click again on a row. Click delete. Repeat. Frustrating as hell. Why not move the cursor/selection to next row? Luckily, I tried dragging mouse to select several rows and it worked.. but it's not intuitive at all.

[gc]

If I go and open the Library > Library setup window again i see on the right "All pattern libraries" but there's a whole bunch of "No Library File" and at the bottom, it says "C:\Program Files (x86)\DipTrace Beta ..."
I have to scroll down to see the actual files that were loaded from C:\Programs
Guess I should delete those invalid records.  Click on row, click delete. Focus lost. Click again on a row. Click delete. Repeat. Frustrating as hell. Why not move the cursor/selection to next row? Luckily, I tried dragging mouse to select several rows and it worked.. but it's not intuitive at all.

I use shift + arrow down key to select all those invalid records in the library path and delete them at once.

It worked for me to have Diptrace beta installed in parallel with the old version.

C:\Program Files\DipTrace
C:\Program Files\DipTrace Beta

I did not install the models twice. In PCB just add the models path from old Diptrace. Go to Tools / 3D Preview / Patterns and Models Search there for.

But be careful with library paths. After installation of Diptrace Beta better check them all.

I personally did generally not use 'Program Files' as a working directory. Because it's default blocked by Windows 7 UAC (and I don't like it if programs turn it off).

Instead I use the Windows Documents Folder as working directory.

..\Documents\DipTrace\
..\Documents\DipTrace Beta\

I manually create the 'DipTrace Beta' folder after beta installation.
I strongly separate the files because they are partially incompatible with each other.

So far, there were no problems.

Maybe Diptrace leave some old entries in the registry after deinstallation and you have to delete them by hand.