Part Editor: Home Tab

The Part Editor allows you to view and edit the details of parts in the Library. It is executed by selecting a part in eCADSTAR Library Editor, and clicking Home > Edit > Part on the ribbon. The Part Editor panel is displayed, and the ribbon is updated to show the following items on the Home tab.

Item   Description
Rows   Allows you to add, insert or delete a row in the Symbols table or Pin Assignment table in the Part Editor, Detail tab. Multiple rows can be deleted using the Ctrl or Shift keys.
  Append Appends a row to the bottom of the Symbols table or Pin Assignment table in the Part Editor, Detail tab. This command is only available when the Symbols table or Pin Assignment table is being edited.

When appending a row to the Symbols table:

  • An empty row is added.
  • The value in the Gate Count box is incremented.
  • If values are already assigned in the Pin Assignment table, they are not affected.

When appending a row to the Pin Assignment table:

  • The row that is added is empty, except for the Type column which is set to UNDEFINED. The Gate Label cell is made unavailable as the Gate and Symbol Pin columns are not populated.
  • The next unique number that is available is added to the Footprint Pin column, starting from "one".
  Insert Inserts a row above the selected row in the Symbols table or Pin Assignment table in the Part Editor, Detail tab. The existing rows are moved down in the table.
When inserting a row in the Symbols table:
  • An empty row is inserted.
  • The gate numbers are reassigned. The Pin Assignment table is automatically updated, if required.

When inserting a row in the Pin Assignment table:

  • The row that is added is empty, except for the Type column which is set to UNDEFINED. The Gate Label cell is unavailable as the Gate and Symbol Pin columns are not populated.
  • The Pin Count value is incremented.
  Delete Deletes the selected row from the Symbols table or Pin Assignment table in the Part Editor, Detail tab. Select multiple rows using the Ctrl or Shift keys.
When deleting a row from the Symbols table:
  • The gate numbers in the Symbols table are automatically updated.
  • For the gate that you delete in the Symbols table, the associated values are removed from the Gate, Symbol Pin and Gate Label columns in the Pin Assignment table, and the Gate Label column is made unavailable.
  • The remaining values in the Gate and Symbol Pin columns in the Pin Assignment table are automatically updated to reflect the new gate numbers that are assigned to the symbols.

When deleting a row from the Pin Assignment table

  • The Pin Count value in the Pin Assignment table is decremented.
  • No changes are made to the remaining values in the Pin Assignment table.
Edit   The Edit group allows you to edit the footprint or symbol associated with a part that is being configured in Part Editor.
  Footprint The Footprint command, in the Edit group, allows you to edit the footprint associated with a part that is being configured in Part Editor. This button is only available when you click in the Footprint table in the Part Editor panel, Detail tab, when a footprint is specified.
  Symbol The Symbol command, in the Edit group, allows you to edit the symbol associated with a part that is being configured in Part Editor. This button is only available when you click in the Symbols table in the Part Editor panel, Detail tab, when a symbol is specified.
New   The New group allows you to create a new footprint or symbol for a part that is being configured in Part Editor, and specify an alternate.
  Footprint Displays the New Footprint dialog. This dialog allows you to create a new footprint for a part that is being configured in Part Editor, and specify an alternate. This button is only available when you click in the Footprint table in the Part Editor panel, Detail tab, when a footprint is not specified.
  Symbol Displays the New Symbol dialog. This dialog allows you to create a new symbol for a part that is being configured in Part Editor, and specify an alternate. This button is only available when you click in the Symbols table in the Part Editor panel, Detail tab, when a symbol is not specified.
Pins   Allows you to assign gate pins to footprint pins using the Assign Pins dialog.
  Assign Displays the Assign Pins dialog. This dialog allows you to assign gate pins to footprint pins using a semi-automatic process.
Equivalents   The Equivalents group  allows you to add or delete groups of pins which have identical functionality, and can therefore be pin swapped in eCADSTAR PCB Editor to improve the layout process. Sub elements can also be created if the items that you select in the Gate+Pin Equivalents tab have the same pin quantity and pin type.
  Equivalent The pins or sub elements that you select in the Gate+Pin Equivalents tab are made equivalent, and are therefore suitable for pin and gate swapping. Pins must have the same pin type, and be within the same parent node. If a minimum of two pins, gates or sub elements are not selected, this button is made unavailable. For more information, see Understanding Equivalents.
  • Pin Equivalents: defines groups of pins which are identical in functionality; for example, two input pins of an "AND" gate.
  • Gate Equivalents: defines groups of gates which are identical in functionality, and can therefore be gate swapped in eCADSTAR PCB Editor; for example, two "AND" gates in a semiconductor package. Gate equivalents are created automatically for identical gates, and cannot be created manually.
  • Sub Elements: defines a part of a symbol as an internal function; for example, "NAND" gates can be represented as a single symbol. The following criteria are required by sub elements to allow them to be made equivalent:
  • They must be part of the same parent node.
  • They must have the same number of pins.
  • They must have identical pin types.
  Create Sub Element Allows you to create a sub element of a gate in the Gate+Pin Equivalents tab by selecting two or more pins on a gate that are identical in pin quantity and pin type. An error message is displayed if invalid items are selected.
  • Gates cannot be made into sub elements (if a Gate is selected, the Create Sub Elements button on the ribbon is made unavailable).
  Delete Deletes the sub element that you select in the Gate+Pin Equivalents tab.
  • Items are also deleted that are displayed below the selected item.
  • Select multiple items using the Ctrl and Shift keys.
  • If a minimum of one valid item is not selected, this button is made unavailable.
  Delete All Deletes all pin equivalents, sub element equivalents and sub elements. Gate Equivalents are not deleted. The Gate+Pin Equivalents tab is updated to only show the gates and their associated pins.
Searcher   Allows you to search for parts, footprints or symbols within the respective libraries in eCADSTAR Library Editor, or to search online using the integrated web browser.
  Library Searcher Toggles the display of the Library Searcher panel. This allows you to search for parts, footprints or symbols within the respective libraries.
  Web Lookup Allows you to use the integrated web browser to search online for information on the part being edited.
Clipboard   Allows you to
  Paste Inputs the object that is stored on the clipboard in the Part Editor panel. See Paste.
  Cut Cuts the item that you select in the Part Editor panel, and places it on the clipboard. Select multiple items using the Ctrl or Shift keys. See Cut.
  Copy Copies the item that you select in the Part Editor panel, and places it on the clipboard. Select multiple items using the Ctrl or Shift keys. See Copy.
  Delete Deletes the item that you select in the Part Editor panel. Select multiple items using the Ctrl or Shift keys. See Delete.
Undo   Allows you to return the data to the state it was in before the most recent command was executed, and redo editing operations on the data that were previously undone. See Undoing or Redoing an Edit Operation.
  Undo The edited data reverts to the state it was in before editing.
  Redo The edited data reverts to the state before the Undo command was implemented.
Tab   Allows you to create new tab groups in eCADSTAR Library Editor and move between them. It also allows you to select or close active eCADSTAR Library Editor tabs.
  Group
  • New Horizontal Tab Group: shows the tab windows arranged horizontally on the canvas.
  • New Vertical Tab Group: shows the tab windows arranged vertically on the canvas.
  • Move to Previous Tab Group: moves to the previous tab in the current tab group.
  • Move to Next Tab Group: moves to the next tab in the current tab group.
  Tab List Allows you to select the eCADSTAR Library Editor tab that you want to be the active tab.
  Previous The previous eCADSTAR Library Editor tab becomes the active tab.
  Next The next eCADSTAR Library Editor tab becomes the active tab.
  Close Closes the currently-active eCADSTAR Library Editor tab.
  Close All Closes all eCADSTAR Library Editor tabs.

 

Related Topics
Part Editor
Part Editor Panel: Detail tab
Understanding Equivalents