Convert OrCAD Capture schematic design file (*.DSN) to ASCII format - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: blue_zyk
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 06, 2020, 02:13:36 pm
content: The schematic DSN file in OrCAD Capture is binary, it needs to be parsed into an ASCII format file. I don't know the specific algorithm for this conversion.Does someone know about this or is there any expert advice? Thanks in advance!

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2020, 06:46:23 pm
content: OrCAD files (unless this has changed with recent versions) are "compound files":https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecs/windows_protocols/ms-cfb/53989ce4-7b05-4f8d-829b-d08d6148375b7-zip supports this format, so you can open the files with 7-zip and extract the content (which is a hierarchy of files and directories.)Unfortunately, the individual files contained in those "archives" are also of some binary, and undocumented (AFAIK) format.

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2020, 10:10:33 pm
content: The only known way to do that conversion is using Capture. That's what Altium requires if you want to import Orcad design into AD.

author: blue_zyk
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 08, 2020, 11:49:56 am
content: Yes, i can extract the content files in DSN format by regarding it as a compound file, but i have no idea how to convert these content files to readable text.Quote from: SiliconWizard on November 06, 2020, 06:46:23 pm

author: blue_zyk
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 08, 2020, 11:55:25 am
content: What do you mean the only known way, how to carry out a conversion from OrCAD to Altium AD?Quote from: asmi on November 06, 2020, 10:10:33 pm

author: PKTKS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2020, 12:13:40 pm
content: Please investigate your options to actually EXPORTDSN into a suitable EDIF format.OrCAD since their early versions are the most EDIFfriendly and competent parsers available.EDIF is human readablePaul

author: blue_zyk
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 09, 2020, 09:39:41 am
content: Thanks for your hints! But there is loss of informations during export from DSN to EDIF, this is the cause why i want to directly convert it to readable text.Quote from: PKTKS on November 08, 2020, 12:13:40 pm

author: PKTKS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2020, 09:44:35 am
content: Quote from: blue_zyk on November 09, 2020, 09:39:41 amYes... from my experience there is no 100% directtranslation among formats... between any formatsAnd EDIF - although it exists for decades... - has more or lessan abandonware position in industry. Each vendor sticks withtheir own format.Nevertheless DSN is IMHO the most closest format to EDIFthan any other alternative...Last case my alternative is always trying to "convert" projectto an alternative format (which I have access to) and try anyexport option alternative from that other vendor.There is always some issues and some gotchas.In time I was able to more or less live with all theindustry juggernaut .. and convert my projectsalong the timeline...Mileage will varyPaul

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2021, 04:36:53 am
content: Not sure what you want. Export a netlist and you'll get text files. BOM is also human readable.What is your goal?"it needs to be parsed into an ASCII format file."Why "needs"? By who? For who? Why?