Converting Allegro brd Binary to ASCII format for Altium Conversion

[logictom]

Does anyone have a copy of Allegro that would be kind enough to convert the attached (too big to attach) linked brd in binary format to ASCII format so that I can import it into Altium?

It is the Atmel SAMA5D2 Xplained demo board, it can be downloaded directly from the Atmel site: http://www.atmel.com/images/ATSAMA5D2-XULT__KitsFiles.zip
The file of interest is SAMA5D2-XULT RevA.brd found in ATSAMA5D2-XULT_PCBA_A.zip which is within the linked zip.

I tried the Allegro Free Physical Viewer but it doesn't allow for converting/saving out.

Alternatively, if anyone knows any other methods to get the file into Altium I'm all ears.

Thanks

[Alex Eisenhut]

You can try importing gerbers layer by layer, but that loses the netlist, Altium would have to extract it from the connections it finds in the gerbers....

Do you want a ODB++ file? "ASCII format" is kinda vague to me. I don't see where to export to other systems from Allegro, this is not something I usually do... But I can try tomorrow.

Typically Allegro makes it easy to *import* CAD files from other systems.

But I can export anything Allegro-ish you want; Allegro libraries (symbols, padstacks), constraint manager rules, netlist, etc.

[T3sl4co1l]

There's a converter program that outputs, AFAIK basically the same .brd file, but in ASCII rather than binary format.  (Go figure that manufacturers won't share their binary formats, and go out of their way to grudgingly make ASCII formats for customer-demanded interoperability, even though it's all the same to a computer.)

I once looked into it and it might be possible to obtain the converter programs from a free download, but it's not obvious if they are usable alone, or if even those simple apps need the dreaded license manager service running.  And, for that matter, if such behavior is easily patched out (*cough*), or what.  That particular job ended up going to a subcontractor to do the file conversion for us (they have practically everything, while we only have Altium).

Tim

[free_electron]

the converter is a script for allegro. essentially you make a directory, drop in the allegor brd file and 3 script files that altium supplies. you launch the script ( they are allegro scripts )
Allegro launches and exports the brd file into an ascii readable intermediate format that retains all information ( netlist etc ).

Altium can then import this file. the import takes a long time ( for complex boards. i did a board with over 40K nets and about 100K stacked via's in about 45 minutes of import time)
the import is 100% matching allegro. symbols are retained. it is for al means and purposes an altium pcb design now.

[Alex Eisenhut]

OK makes sense. I can try to run these scripts if someone supplies them to me.

[Ice-Tea]

...Do you want a ODB++ file? "ASCII format" is kinda vague to me...;

This is what Altium asks for when you try to import a .brd. Either it wants Allegro on the same PC (and I assume a licence for it) or it wants the Allegro board to be saved in 'ASCII' format. Whatever that means.

[logictom]

So a bit more reading and I found a page describing the process, it is a "ASCII-based Allegro PCB files (*.alg)" that is required for Altium to do its thing.
This is the Altium page with the instructions on how to do the conversion: http://www.altium.com/documentation/17.1/display/ADES/((Allegro+Import))_AD

I have attached a zip with the two files required from the Altium installation, Allegro2Altium.bat and AllegroExportViews.txt

If you wouldn't mind giving it a go Alex that would be greatly appreciated

[Alex Eisenhut]

I'll give it a whirl.

[logictom]

Thank you Alex for converting the file 
Looks like it mostly came out the other end ok, there are some errors with the polygons, for example the ground plane here has just flooded the pads of the pads, shown only by their net names:


I only wanted it so I could have a look at the layout and pull out the footprints but I will make sure to compare these against the datasheets in case anything peculiar pops up.

[Alex Eisenhut]

Shapes can get complicated in a hurry, but that particular Allegro database has no shape problems.