ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Importing Part Lists and Board Data Last revised 10/28/2009

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Introduction

The approach described in the tutorial is used primarily for The approach described in the tutorial is used primarily for importing a part list or board data for a single board or assembly. If importing a part list or board data for a single board or assembly. If you need to import an entire product tree or other types of data, refer you need to import an entire product tree or other types of data, refer to the to the ASENT_Import_Templates.pptASENT_Import_Templates.ppt. .

Here are the types of data that can be imported:Here are the types of data that can be imported:

1) A part list from Excel file, Mentor NF, or GENCAD file1) A part list from Excel file, Mentor NF, or GENCAD file

2) Board shape and size, component size and placement.2) Board shape and size, component size and placement.

3) Associate application data with an existing part list.3) Associate application data with an existing part list.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Introduction

Files containing part lists may be imported to boards or assemblies. Files containing part lists may be imported to boards or assemblies. ASENT will accept part lists in several different formats: 1) space ASENT will accept part lists in several different formats: 1) space delimited text file, 2) Excel file, 3) Mentor Neutral File, or 4) delimited text file, 2) Excel file, 3) Mentor Neutral File, or 4) GENCAD file format.GENCAD file format.

The most common format is probably an Excel file. The process to The most common format is probably an Excel file. The process to import a part list from any of these formats is pretty straight import a part list from any of these formats is pretty straight forward.forward.

To import a part list to an To import a part list to an assemblyassembly, right-click on your assembly , right-click on your assembly and select the ‘Import Part List’ option.and select the ‘Import Part List’ option.

To import a part list to a To import a part list to a boardboard, right-click on your board and select , right-click on your board and select the ‘Import Board Data’ option.the ‘Import Board Data’ option.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Importing Board Data

To begin the To begin the import process, import process, in this example, in this example, we right-click on we right-click on our board and our board and select the Import select the Import Board Data Board Data option from the option from the drop-down menu.drop-down menu.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Setting your default project library for imports

When ASENT begins reading your import file it will use the following process to recognize part numbers. When it encounters a part number in your file it will check your active project’s part library first. Next it will see if the part exists in your Default Project. If it does not find it in either of these libraries then it will check all projects on the server and return a list of any matches. If the part number is still not found in any libraries, then it will be logged and displayed as part of the import results report.

Here, the user sets their default project to the COMMON project.

Hint: Always set your default project to the project library that most of your parts belong to. If in doubt, use the COMMON library.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Importing data from a file

Once you have selected the default project library then you are ready to continue on with the import process. Select either the Import option or the button to begin importing data.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

User selects Excel Worksheet

Data can be imported from a variety of formats. Mentor Neutral File or GenCAD options are used when importing CAD layout files. The Generic file or Text File (PRN) from Excel files are just space delimited text files. The simplest and most common file to import will be the Excel Worksheet. The following slides go through the steps to import a part list from an Excel file.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Select the Excel file to import

Here, the user finds the board.xls file that they wish to import and clicks on the Open button.

BOARD.XLSBOARD.XLS

Hint: Make sure that the file you are importing is not open in Excel, otherwise you may get a sharing error.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Defining a File Format

If an existing format does not match the file that you are importing, then a new one can easily be created. Right-click on the Format Specs folder and select the Add option.

Here, we enter ‘Part List’ for the name of this format specification. In our example, BOARD.XLS has field names on the first line of the file, so the data actually starts on line 2.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Defining a File Format

To specify the fields to import from the file, click on the Parameters tab. Then, click on the blank parameter line and click on the down arrow button to display the parameter list.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Defining a File Format

The buttons at the bottom of the window have special functions. The meaning of each of these is shown below.

Go to first record

Go back one record

Go forward one record

Go to last record

Insert Record

Delete Record

Save Cancel

Hint: After you enter the first parameter and column you can click on the ‘+’ button, and it will save your entry and open up a new line so that additional parameters can be selected.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Defining a File Format

Select the fields from the parameter list and the column from the Excel spreadsheet that you are importing. Here, we define our format so that it will import the Reference Designator, Part Number, and Quantity from columns A, B and D.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Importing a Part List From BOARD.XLS

Once the import file and the format have been selected then you are ready to import your data. The board.xls file contains a simple part list. Right-click on your format and select the Import New Partlist option to import your data. This option will overwrite any existing part list that currently exists.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Importing a Part List From BOARD.XLS

A report is generated once the import completes. This report lets you know if there were any parts that were not recognized or any problems importing data.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Adding Application Data

The ‘Add Application Data’ option is used when you want to add application data to an existing part list. For example, you may have a part list already defined in the Reliability Manager and you may want to add stress information (i.e. Applied voltage, applied power) or thermal results (i.e. Case temperature, junction temperature)

Hint: Make sure that the format that you have selected matches the format of the Excel file that contains your application data. ASENT will match up the data based on the reference designators.

ASENT_IMPORT.PPT

Compare Partlist

The ‘Compare Partlist’ option compares your import file to your existing part list and identifies what would have to be Added, Deleted, or Changed to make the two match. You are then able to select which action to take. This can be useful when appending new parts to an existing list.