Circuit Studio new release 1.5 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: jmarkwolf
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2018, 08:17:59 pm
content: The new version 1.5 has been released.It's kinda anemic as far as new releases go, but it's better than nothing.Some menu bar items have changed. You need to select a "category" in the filters before you can actually select anything in the database. Kinda works like a dumbed down "Find Similar".Also, be sure you're aware of the menu items you're selecting or you can get thrown off. I was selecting menu items by "location memory" and inadvertently selecting the wrong functions.

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2018, 07:51:21 am
content: One of my top three feature requests has been added - layer sets. Yay! Looking forward to trying it out next week.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2018, 08:12:28 am
content: I'm not impressed not that I have really used it to see the difference. It looks like they tinkered at the edges to shut us up and illicit a renewal.The filter function I don't get, it was already there, to call this a new feature is a joke.Layer set's I have no idea as I have never needed them and possibly need an education in that area.Export to 3D PDF? seriously this is a feature? they just bought some code to put a PDF wrapper around the step file you could already export....I hope this means they have fixed a shed load of bugs they are too embarrassed to talk about. I see that support for higher resolution monitors is not there.I also see that they are playing around with pricing again and essentially telling me that they are happy to have ripped me off for £720 (10% discount) but are having to sell at half the price as the shear lie that this is altium is now exposed and we all know how buggy it is and how little they care to support it.Even the licence management is buggy........................

author: bugrobotics
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2018, 02:49:45 pm
content: Feel the same Simon. Filter "feature" is a shortcut they placed on the toolbar. I can see how layer sets may be helpful but I've never used them and again it's just a repackaging of what is already available. 3D PDF...in my experience causes more trouble than it's worth because the end user has to have Adobe reader installed.

author: Joel_l
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2018, 03:16:42 pm
content: From the first post about this release, I decided I was going to keep my $150.00. Seems it was the right choice. Shameful that Altium thinks it's OK to throw in some quick easy changes and think we should be excited about it.Seems at least one person got something they wanted.For me, I continue to be disappointed with Altium.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2018, 03:18:48 pm
content: Ah so i am not going mad.Thing with 3D PDF is that you will never make very nice 3D models from the crude tools in CS. If you are serious about 3D modelling you will have a 3D CAD package. I model everything and if possible download some of the more complicated ones. Recently I modelled a common mode choke, I did not go into too much detail as I only had a fem dims on the datasheet and some guesse to go on but I then found mouser offered a model. I was little more than a box with the origin in some random location (for all 3 axis). I put in some "mount hole" footprints the other day just so that I could attach a 3D model of a washer and screw to ensure that there would be no overlap with components and it was faster to use a model form 3D CAD than dick about in CS. My 3D CAD software can produce 3D PDF's. Yes they are a pain but I did pioneer them at work and the bosses like them as they don't have 3D CAD seats and often customers engineering managers are in the same boat. All it is is a PDF wrapper around a step or similar model and no doubt Altium outsourced this. Acrobat reader is a pain as it's hard to get the security settings right to view the all dangerous 3D content but my bosses prefer it to nothing for mechanical assemblies.

author: bugrobotics
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2018, 04:18:26 pm
content: No, you're not going mad. You can see from my various posts around the Element14 forum I've been underwhelmed for quite some time. I wouldn't mind if Altium was just upfront about the software and planned development . The way Altium/Element14 is implementing this software is a joke. The latest "update" is insulting.

author: Relaxe
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2018, 05:59:34 pm
content: I feel compelled to agree with you guys, not much to be seen here.About the 3D pdf, it's not pretending to be a MCAD, so I don't blame them if 3D is still a "supporting feature".... but it's been around for some time on Designer. They basically copy-pasted those lines of code from the Designer to the CS repository, and there you go.However, I'm kind of happy to see an update. Even if much smaller than expected.Who knows, they may push more frequent update from now on? I'm not holding my breath tho

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 28, 2018, 06:33:13 pm
content: No about MCAD, CS could already do 3D model export in step format that can be used by other 3D CAD programs to put the PCB model into enclosure models and check clearances and work out hole cutouts and in turn export in 3D PDF....... From what you say 3D PDF was less effort that i assumed and no I would never have called this a feature, certainly not one of 3 only features. 3D PDF is not a feature it is another file format support and CS is already heavily limited in it's ability to deal with the outside world even in receiving data from AD.....This is proper Chinese style conning! CS was sold off the back of the reputation of Altium and AD yet since it's release it has brought into question Altium's reputation. We don't know how much of our "racket" money goes to Farnell and how much to Altium and who takes the hit for the crazy price reductions that just make a mockery of those of us that were stupid enough to pay full price....If only they had listened to Dave (and i repeated it to James Harriman when he took the trouble to make a 40 minute call from Auistralia to a UK mobile....). If they had listened and made CS a cut down version of AD then this "feature" adding would not even be necessary, they could just unlock the functionality without having to port existing code backwards onto a now older and buggier version of the same program. The whole thing is a colossal shooting of oneself in the foot. But in the process they expect to rake more money in for having done absolutely nothing. What a pity there is not a legal definition of what constitutes an update.No, the sole purpose of CS was to lure people into AD because they are that thick that they think having spent up to £800 on some of the worse software that makes MS look good after a year ;we would drop £7'500 on AD which at this time i have no faith in. They could not have got their calculations more wrong but this is what happens when sales people try to sell to engineers....

author: Relaxe
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2018, 07:01:24 pm
content: Altium is clearly a company dead set on shooting itself in the foot!Look at the huge investments in FPGAs...Look at the huge investment in IoT (I'm still unsure what it's about)Look at the huge spendings to move the corporate HQ from continent to continent...One day, they might actually listen to Dave... one day. Not today.

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 28, 2018, 08:00:28 pm
content: I just wish that they would let you copy and paste vias without removing their damn net assignment!Also let me set a default via size. I don't want one the size of a dinner plate!

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 28, 2018, 08:18:35 pm
content: Quote from: Dubbie on May 28, 2018, 08:00:28 pmYou can, I think it is on a project by project basis but in the rules where you define tracks there is a setting for Via's again, min, max and preferred. I usually set them all the same or maybe the max is bigger, the auto router and the default is the preferred size.

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 28, 2018, 08:21:12 pm
content: For me this does nothing.I still get giant vias. even though I set the preferred to 0.3mm

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 28, 2018, 08:25:31 pm
content: There are two settings, one for the hole and one for the pad

author: iainwhite
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2018, 02:51:47 pm
content: I shall be saving my $150

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 31, 2018, 11:50:49 am
content: Well their code is that buggy that I got my updates for free and I really can't tell the difference.

author: bugrobotics
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2018, 01:34:51 pm
content: Haha, can't say I'm too surprised. I'm still running 1.3 because that was the last version with "Board Shape->Define from 3D body", a feature I use considerably and one that, from the lack of response when I ask about it, isn't coming back.

author: eng101
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 02:00:22 pm
content: I was excited about this update as I missed layer sets but it seems you can't even make custom layers sets, you can only use the default ones and none of them are particularly usefulThe filtering is just a menu bar for what was already there it seems.I wish they'd fix:1) The bug that causes building libraries to crash constantly2) The outjob file stuff (Project > Generate Outputs creates files in a different location than the Outputs > Gerber and deletes the files created by Outputs > Gerber, also I can't set what I want the name of the schematic/fab file prints to be)3) Add the footprint wizard

author: eng101
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 01, 2018, 02:33:29 pm
content: I stand corrected, custom layer sets are supported you just have to dig a little to find them, there's a super fast animation showing how to do it here:https://www.element14.com/community/community/manufacturers/altium/blog/2018/05/25/circuitstudio-15-is-now-availableRemains to be seen if this a project specific change but I assume unfortunately that it is (Altium used to be too if I recall correctly).