Going from Allegro to PADS as a user

[Alex Eisenhut]

Been using Allegro for years, know it reasonably well, done hundreds of layouts with it.

Now I have to use PADS.

If you have done the same leap, what were the stumbling blocks you encountered, as in, things you used to do quickly now seem more complex, or on the flip side, things PADS does better.

So far I've been studying up on the schematic side which is quite simple since it looks pretty much like Viewlogic which I used a long time ago. Nothing too mind-boggling.

But what about the PCB side? I'm just worried I'll never be as proficient with PADS as I was with Allegro.

[Feynman]

Maybe you should mention whether you are using classical PADS or PADS Professional, since both programs are entirely different CAD-Tools.

[AndersJ]

Maybe you should mention whether you are using classical PADS or PADS Professional, since both programs are entirely different CAD-Tools.

Which are the major differences between the two PADS tools?

[dzseki]

PADS Standard and Professional are worlds part. There are no common things in them, really, they are not even compatible.

[E-Design]

I've used Altium, Allegro and Mentor Expedition (which is a lot like PADS professional)

I can say Allegro is one of the best routing tools I've used, so I think it will be a downgrade for you (PADS or PADS Pro)

[Alex Eisenhut]

Oh yeah, should have mentioned that... PADS Professional. Guess I'm going through Allegro withdrawal as I try to find the same way of doing things as before.

I like using the keyboard a lot. I found the keyin commands reference in the PADS documentation and that's what I'm looking at now.

I'm also trying to figure out if PADS has temp groups like Allegro, I guess it does, and how come when I select some placed and routed components a lot of traces are selected with it. In Allegro I'd look for groups or maybe clines defined in the footprint but right now I don't see where PADS gets its groups from.

I don't do well with tutorials, I prefer loading a PCB and just playing with every menu, toolbar, window, and clicking everywhere and seeing what it does, along with searching reference guides for interesting keywords. And taking lots of notes.

I don't think PADS Professional is so much inferior or superior to Allegro, the PCBs I see here are just as complex as what I'm used to doing, so the tool isn't limiting anyone AFAICT.

Been using Allegro for more than a decade and I haven't had to learn a whole new tool in a while... The old brain is ... old. 

[Pseudobyte]

I've used Altium, Allegro and Mentor Expedition (which is a lot like PADS professional)

I can say Allegro is one of the best routing tools I've used, so I think it will be a downgrade for you (PADS or PADS Pro)

I would tend to agree with that. Routing in Allegro was always a pleasant experience. Although Altium has come a long way it still has a long way to go. With the introduction of the quick routing command the routing does feel far more Allegro'esque.