PROTEL DXP Help

[D_GR8_1]

Hi guys,

I am making a regulated PSU (carlosfm's PSU) PCB in protel, however when I place the LM338T it always complains that the ADJ pin has no driving source.

What does that mean? And how do I fix it?

Here is the schematic.

[D_GR8_1]

Error:

[ergo]

Your circuit seems not to have a connection between adjust pin and R1, R3 (small black dot missing...)

Regards,
Ergo

[D_GR8_1]

I added the connection but it doesnt help.

Still the same issue.

[TwoSpoons]

Protel ... uurrgh! Still, sometimes we have no choice


When you port the schemtic into the PCB does the connection to R1,R3 exist?
If not, delete all the connections and draw them again.

There may also be an issue with the pin type defined in the library - its probably defined as an input, therefore the ERC checker expects to see a source of current connected to this pin.

BTW, thats a particularly nasty way to show four wires joined together - you should do it like this to avoid this sort of ambiguity.

[D_GR8_1]

Protel ... uurrgh! Still, sometimes we have no choice

Which software do you suggest that has an extensive library like Protel?

[TwoSpoons]

To me extensive libraries are somewhat irrelevant. I usually find I have to create my own libraries anyway (and I do use Protel).

Functionality is the key! I don't know which versions of Protel you've used before, but with some of the earlier ones it was a miracle if it ran for more than an hour without crashing, half the 'features' didn't work properly, and if you wern't careful you'd spend $1000 getting PCBs made that simply didn't work. I think that what pssed me off most was the new versions of Protel that boasted all sorts of half-baked new features - but still had all the same old bugs from the last version! (3d view of PCB - what a F###ing waste of time!)

End of Rant.

I believe DXP is somewhat improved, I'm still using 99SE.

Personally I preferred using PADS - though one can always picks holes in any CAD package, and PADS is by no means perfect.

My main gripe with Protel is that the schematic editor is based on bits of 'virtual wire', meaning that sometimes connections don't happen, or happen when you don't want them. editing connections is a total pain in the ****, deleting and moving bits as they were drawn, trying to line up ends of lines etc

PADS use a schematic scheme based on connecting pins, like most SPICE editors. I personally find this much easier to work with.

I can't comment on any other CAD packages - never worked for anyone with enough $ to afford any of the fancy stuff.