How to open protel files

While Altium Designer allows direct editing of any individual schematic, PCB, HDL, or any other design file, to perform any project-type operations, such as updating the board from the schematic or printing all the schematics in the project, you must open the project.

The import process requires all files, projects and design workspaces that are currently open in Altium Designer to be closed.

If this is not the case, you will be prompted to do this first. This article is focused on a single DDB import. As you work through the pages of the Wizard, you will note that on the Set Import Options page you will be asked if the Wizard should:.

On the Review Project Creation page, you will see the assumptions that the Wizard has made about how it should build projects based on the contents of the DDB, as shown in the image above. Take time to configure these options to ensure you achieve the best result at the completion of the import process.

Once the Wizard is complete, Altium Designer will present the projects and their documents, as shown in the image above.

Note that the hierarchy of the schematic project will not be displayed until the project is compiled for the first time; this is covered later in the article. If you find after import that some of the documents are not correctly assigned to projects, use the following techniques to tidy them up:. You can open and use 99 SE format schematic and schematic library files directly in Altium Designer, but you will be asked if you wish to convert them whenever you save them.

The following topics cover various differences in objects and design approaches that it is important to be aware of. Components have been greatly enhanced in the DXP versions. They now support unlimited component parameters and have an improved model definition and linking system, such as the ability to visually browse for a PCB footprint. Double-click to edit a component and you will find that all the 99 SE text fields and part fields have been converted to parameters. While 99 SE supported up to eight text fields and 16 part fields per component, Altium Designer has no limit on the number of parameters that can be added.

Parameters can be used for any purpose in an Altium Designer design. They can also be linked to your company database using a DbLink document.

Parameters can be included in a report generated from the project. Add an OutJob document to the project and configure the reporting engine to generate a report in the required output format. Parameters can also be used to link to datasheets, or a web URL. For details on creating components and adding models, refer to the tutorial Creating Library Components Tutorial.

For more information on linking from the components to a database, refer to the Linking from a Company Database to Components in Your Design. For more information on generating reports, such as a Bill of Materials, from your design, refer to the Generating a Custom Bill of Materials.

For an overview of linking from parameters to a datasheet, refer to the Component, Model and Library Concepts. However, you will find that all links between schematic and PCB components are removed when you import a 99 SE design.

Re-establishing the UID linking is easy, but it must be done based on the designators. A fully synchronized 99 SE database should make this a two-click process. First, add pairs by matching designators the default correlation , then perform the update. An underlying difference between Altium Designer and 99 SE is that establishing links is not a prerequisite to synchronization.

Doing so will not have any effect upon the Unique ID fields in your design, meaning that if you repeat the process, the same status will be reported. Assigning the same Unique ID values to schematic components and PCB footprints is the only way to create persistent links between them. It may be appropriate to assign a specific net identification scope to your schematic projects. By default, this setting in the Options for Project dialog will be automatic based upon design contents.

If your project contains ports but no sheet entries, then the scope will be set to Flat only ports global. If your project contains neither sheet entries nor ports, then net labels will become global. If you do not wish to use this automatic detection, you may assign an individual scope to be applied to the project regardless of its contents.

Various data file type. The pcblib file extension is associated with the Altium Designer also known as Protel, or Autotrax , an electronic design automation software package for printed circuit board, FPGA and embedded software for Microsoft Windows operating system.

Altium Designer. Altium Designer is a set of applications for printed circuit board, FPGA and embedded software design. Hint: Click on the tab below to simply browse between the application actions, to quickly get a list of recommended software, which is able to perform the specified software action, such as opening, editing or converting pcblib files. Programs supporting the exension pcblib on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile.

Click on the link to get more information about Altium Designer for open pcblib file action. Click on the link to get more information about Altium Designer for create pcblib file action. Click on the software link for more information about Altium Designer.

It created the ddb file after opened. You could import the ddb file in Altium but it looks like you need Protel. This is all assuming your PCB file came from a Protel export operation like me of course. Sign up to join this community. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group.

Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Asked 2 months ago. Active 2 months ago. Viewed 65 times. I don't even know which software the. Edit: Whenever I try to use the import wizard, it says "error, file type not recognized".