Protel99SE equivalent+. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MT
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 13, 2019, 06:54:05 pm
content: Which other EDA (Schematic/PCB) as of today are most like P99SE in terms of user handling and base functionality?

author: DerekG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 14, 2019, 12:30:38 am
content: Quote from: MT on July 13, 2019, 06:54:05 pmProbably DipTrace I would say. I started with Protel in 1990 upgrading to the later Altium editions ................. but mainly use DipTrace these days, for not any particular reason other than I like its interface & simplicity (everything seems to make sense). It is not as powerful as Altium but you could use it for PC motherboard design as it is very capable.If you need unlimited layers & unlimited component numbers, DipTrace are offering an EAGLE to DipTrace cross-grade at a special price. They will likely offer this to you for Protel99SE as well. Just giving you the heads up. If you don't need unlimited, there is no point in paying for it as you pay 25% of the purchase price for major upgrades.

author: mstevens
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 16, 2019, 12:21:49 am
content: Quote from: DerekG on July 14, 2019, 12:30:38 amDude! There is no way that you do not get paid or compensated somehow for all of these advertisements; would you mind disclosing that?

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 17, 2019, 07:06:21 am
content: I just stuck with Protel99se. It works fine, after being patched for a bug in Win7/8/10.

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 17, 2019, 07:33:26 am
content: A lot of people here, including myself, use Proteus - a UK product

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 17, 2019, 08:25:27 am
content: I don't get paid.... But I like DipTrace and I have used Protel in the last century....... But it really depends... Commercial? Layers? Complexity? RF?

author: MT
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2019, 04:21:53 pm
content: Quote from: BrianHG on July 17, 2019, 07:06:21 amIt just works, does the job, so its quite an argument to switch to something else , did anyone manage getting help files to work in Win7?Im fooling around with Kicad from time to time but its not 99SE user ""lazy"" friendly. Someone mentioned AutoTRAX DEX-PCB i think i have a test on that one to see how that compares to 99SE. If nothing else on the market are similar or better in regards to base UI and functionality i most likely stick with 99SE for a while more since 99 also 0 euro in cost.Quote from: DerekG on July 14, 2019, 12:30:38 amIm not in the "heavy duty 12 layer mixed signal PCB design industry" anymore and will not be so DipTrace Standard wont cut, nor will Proteus for 749euro, to steep to motivate a switch. But thank for the heads up!

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2019, 04:59:48 am
content: Quote from: MT on July 20, 2019, 04:21:53 pmJust install as an administrator and run as an administrator. It still starts up and semi works without the bug patch.To patch the add library bug, go to my thread here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/eda/patch-for-protel99se-sp6-for-win7810/msg1229801/#msg1229801

author: DerekG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2019, 05:48:42 am
content: Quote from: mstevens on July 16, 2019, 12:21:49 amMy company spent tens of thousands of dollars (over more than 20 years) with Protel/Altium.It always contained bugs ................. they rarely seemed to fix even quite major ones.The interface became more & more complex .............. often making not a lot of sense.I became dissatisfied, trying out a dozen or so other PCB CAD programs over some 5 or 6 years.Then I found DipTrace which I liked very much.Yes, I'm on the Novarm beta testing user list, but other than that I do not get anything from them.They do however implement many of the ideas I have put up over the past 3 or 4 years via their forum ........ such as the ability to replicate many of the Altium keyboard shortcuts.DipTrace is not as powerful as Altium, I freely admit that. But for boards that contain under 300 components or so, it is hard to beat for the $$.

author: MT
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2019, 09:53:24 pm
content: Quote from: BrianHG on July 24, 2019, 04:59:48 amYes i know (i used other fixes back in the day not your hex editing) , but will your suggestion fix access tohelp files?

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2019, 04:05:52 am
content: Sorry, I cannot do anything about the old format 16bit .hlp files.I don't think Microsoft would allow the older WinHelp.exe as it now uses WinHlp32.exeThe only trick I could guess would be to go to an older windows, like 2000 or xp,copy the ole style WinHelp.exe from the C:\Winnt\System32\ folder into Design Explorer 99 SE's help folder.Then to view a Protel .hlp file, just drag any .hlp file on top of that old WinHelp.exe executable which would run that executable with that .hlp file bypassing the system default.Though, you might need old WinHelp.dll (if it exists) as well in the same folder.If you manage to try try this, let me know if it worked.