DesignSpark PCB 7.0.0 has been released

[Bloch]

New DesignSpark PCB version 7.0.0 just released

From website.

New features:
1. Sketch Routes – for faster schematic entry and faster PCB layout
2. ODB++ export – a new alternative export file format
3. Enhanced handling of RS and Allied Part Numbers – one of the keys to quickly finalise a completed design is to have a complete Bill of Materials with all parts known and ready to order. No engineer likes spending hours cross referencing and identifying parts at the end of a design. No engineer likes surprises of long lead times or no stock when about to getting the bits ordered – especially when wanting to quickly test that prototype of a new idea or new solution. As requested by the community we’ve made it easier to add RS and Allied part numbers when creating new parts. Each part in your design is now linked to its RS product page where you can check pricing, stock & availability and view a datasheet at any time.
Other enhancements:
1. Branding – DSPCB is now aligned with the new DesignSpark website look & feel, new logos, alignment with the colours of the RS Components and Allied Electronics websites. We hope you like the new looks as much as we do!
2. DesignSpark Mechanical Export – enhanced the interface to our 3D design software by enabling it to find any newly created IDF files without having to browse your hard drive (available in DSM version 2)
3. BOM Quote – parts with no pins assigned no longer show up in the BOM Quote website as they are unlikely to be purchasable components
4. Tutorials – links to tutorial websites are now geo-targeted so that users in non-English speaking markets see their localised versions without the need to switch from English to the local languages (subject to local versions availability)
5. User Registration – user registration is now built-in to the software and you no longer need to go to the DesignSpark website to edit your customer information or for new users to register a new account. No more software activation emails and no more manual entry of activation codes. This is a major simplification that allows you to get started with the software much quicker
6. Library Manager – information about the built-in libraries is now added making it simpler to find the 30,000+ parts that come within the installer and giving clarity as to how these libraries differ from the on-line ModelSource libraries
7. ModelSource – Login in now automatic driven by the new built-in registration details you provide on the first start, saving you from having to re-enter the credentials

[Macbeth]

On first impressions (I had been using Design Spark PCB from its first version up to 6.1), I can say it is an utter POS.

Apparently it has some new authorization feature built in rather than the web auth. Like this is a "feature" that any user gives a flying feck about. Why does a free piece of software need authorization anyway?

Well, it appears to have broken it. I installed 7.0, uninstalled 6.1 manually after finding out DS doesn't do that automatically, then went to launch my lovely new version.



Yes, it does this within a fraction of a second of trying to launch it. No option for re-registration or anything. Yay! Way to go RS! 

This new "feature" is just what the world has been crying out for. I'm going to go with Chris Gammell and his endorsement of KiCAD.

[Bloch]

First time you start DesignSpark PCB 7.0.0 it have to "run as administrator"

[Macbeth]

First time you start DesignSpark PCB 7.0.0 it have to "run as administrator"

Yes, after an uninstall and reinstall, and it still not working, I used my google-fu to find out about running as an administrator. I then had to leave even more personal details than I had previously, and now it works even when not run as administrator.

I have to admit, I quite like DS as it's pretty much similar to Number One's Easy-PC. That is, it's Windows based, and so doesn't have all the bizarre baggage of older PCB designers like OrCAD that still have that MS-DOS crap going on with them.