Enable the Link to ECAD function for Cadence Allegro

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PollEx is a great extension to any design software due to its robust verification capabilities. To better enhance the experience, PollEx has the Link to ECAD feature which allows users to view areas of interest on Allegro’s PCB Editor when reviewing verification results.

Figure 1 PollEx (left) and PCB Editor (right) showing the result area

PollEx uses Allegro’s Skill automation scripting language to command PCB Editor and show the areas of interest in the PCB design.

The set up of both the Skill library and the automation commands is found on the Allegro.ilinit file. So, to set up the Link to ECAD feature, we need to modify (or create) this file.

PollEx has an example Allegro.ilinit file on the installation folder that includes the required commands.

The process is the following:

1. Locate both Allegro.ilinit files

The location of this file for a PollEx 202X.x installation on the C:\ drive is the following: 

C:\ProgramData\altair\PollEx\202X.x\Share

The location of the Allegro.ilinit file for an Allegro installation on the C:\ drive is the following:

C:\Cadence\SPB_17.4\tools\pcbdw\pcb_tools\pcb_symbol\archindep\skill 

 

2. Copy the contents from the PollEx file to the Allegro file

If there is already an Allegro.ilinit file, use a text editor and copy the contents of the file included in the PollEx install directory on the existing file.

Figure 2 Allegro.ilinit file contents

If the file doesn’t exist copy the example found on Pollex’s install directory as it is.

 

If everything was correctly set up, you should see the following text on the command window on PCB Editor (To enable go to View > Windows > Command)

Figure 4 Command window showing the successful setup of the "Link to ECAD feature"

Now run any verification test and click on the “Link to ECAD” button located on the bottom of the results window.

Additionally, on the DFx environment settings (Option > DFx > DFx Environment) enable the "Link to ECAD when the Result Item is selected” checkbox for the feature to no longer require pressing the “link to ECAD” button to work.

Figure 3 “Link to ECAD when the Result Item is selected” checkbox.

 

Now you should be able to look at result areas both on PollEx and Allegro's PCB Editor.