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2015 Footprint Lookup Database Issue

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Message 1 of 9
PatrickRobinson
4704 Views, 8 Replies

2015 Footprint Lookup Database Issue

I am having an issue with the footprint lookup database. When i go to the panel tab, other tools, footprint database file editor, edit existing table, i can open up every table except Phoenix Contact. All i get is a blank screen. When i manually open the file using access, there is informaiton under the Phoenix Contact Table. I have tried opening up the original databse and i am still producing the same results. I have attached the database file.

 

Im stuck!

 

 

Thanks in advance to all

 

 

 


War Eagle

Patrick Robinson
8 REPLIES 8
Message 2 of 9

Hi.

 

Tried on my own database, and there seem to be a problem with the footprint database editor when it comes to tables with non-alphanumeric characters.

It didn't work with "MEAN WELL", "PEPPERL+FUCHS" or "M-SYSTEM" either.

 

This being said...

Using AcadE 2015, this information should now be stored in the 2DSYMBOL field in the Catalog Browser, and not in the footprint lookup database.

 


Trond Hasse Lie
AutoCAD Electrical and EPLAN expert
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Message 3 of 9

We still have a few 2014 users and i was tryinjg to edit something for them using 2015. Seems like im not going to be able to do that.

 

 

I appreciate the input. 


War Eagle

Patrick Robinson
Message 4 of 9

Just to be clear,

 

It sounds as if you are saying that the panel footprint should be linked in the "SYMBOL2D" Field inside of the catalog browser.

 

I was uder the impression that this field was for the schematic symbol. It also seems as if you are saying that the footprints are no longer linked using the footprint lookup database. This does not seem correct.


War Eagle

Patrick Robinson
Message 5 of 9

The Symbol2D field is for the schematic symbol assignment. Symbol3D is for Inventor. It might seem odd that the footprint lookup is still defined via the Footprint Database File Editor while everything else has been shifted over to the new Catalog Browser interface.  It would seem logical to have added the footprint assignment next to the Symbol2D and Symbol3D fields. 

It can be argued that using the Footprint Database File Editor is a better method, because one entry can be made, using wildcards to assign the footprint for use with multiple part numbers. But the same argument holds true for the pin list database. Yet the pin list is now defined in the Catalog Browser, where one entry with wildcards was once possible with the Pin List Database as well. Note though, that the pin lists are stored in separate tables within the same database as the part numbers.  More on that below.

The idea with 2015 is that you enter the data for one part number and just copy the row and edit for all other part numbers that will use the same pin list. It may seem odd that Autodesk didn't follow the same scheme and add the footprint symbol field to the Catalog Browser.  I can understand how it could get complicated, trying to edit the footprint_lookup.mdb file from within the same Access Form that you use to edit the default_cat.mdb file.  The pin list tables are in the same .MDB file as the component tables, so one form points to tables within the same database.  And of course, the larger the database the more the overhead, thus adding the footprint lookup tables into the default_cat.mdb file, along with the component tables, terminal properties tables, pin lists, etc., could affect the response time of the database.  

 

I'm just saying that some customers, perhaps not understanding the aforementioned complications, might reason that it appears incomplete that the footprint symbol isn't also defined from the Catalog Browser interface.



Doug McAlexander


Design Engineer/Consultant/Instructor/Mentor specializing in AutoCAD Electrical training and implementation support

Phone and Web-based Support Plans Available

Phone: (770) 841-8009

www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mcalexander-1a77623




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Message 6 of 9

It would be nice if the footprints were linked in the Catalog database. Im not sure what problems it would cause to add this feature. The catalog file size would increase but im not sure how substantial that change would be.

 

Thanks for the input Doug


War Eagle

Patrick Robinson
Message 7 of 9

Doug, I just came across this post and was surprised by it.  I knew that there was a "new" catalog browser but didn't realize that they are changing the underlying structure. Could you or someone at autodesk give a diagram on how the previous catalog, footprint, pinlist etc were related, and what the new setup is like - what are the differences.  Nowhere that I looked in any documentation or help files said anything about changing the underlying DB scheme.  I ask this because we were intending on doing major edits to the databases to point to our footprints instead of the "generic" rectangles that many footprints consist of. 

We were also going to add all the parts that are in our purchasing system so that anything that we buy is already defined.  We were intending to edit the databases using access of course, which some people say you shouldn't do and others say it is not a problem.  One thing that I would like to know is if ACE cares if more fields are added to the records, as long as something such as the ACE fields are first and in a just so order.  We would like to add a field for : modified, added, date. or something like that.  It appears that when I changed some records in the footprint lookup and ran the migration utility it didn't recognize any of the edits, but it did get some of the additions.  I would like to know what criteria it looks at when migrating the databases.

Thanks,

Craig Smith

Message 8 of 9
rhesusminus
in reply to: cybertroluser

You should follow the AcadE blog 🙂

http://autodesk.typepad.com/systemsdesign/2014/12/best-practices-for-customizing-the-catalog-databas...

 

This should answer most of your questions 🙂

 

The footprint lookup database is the same in 2015 as in the previous releases. Only database that has some sctructural changes is the default_cat database. If you use the Migration Utility in AcadE 2015 to convert your old default_cat, it will make sure that it's converted to the correct structure.


Trond Hasse Lie
AutoCAD Electrical and EPLAN expert
Ctrl Alt El
Please select "Accept Solution" if this post answers your question. 'Likes' won't hurt either. 😉
Message 9 of 9
cybertroluser
in reply to: rhesusminus

Thanks so much for this link and the other info!  I do follow that blog, but hadn't checked it for a couple of weeks as there is no actual blog dedicated to just AutoCAD Electrical (probably because we are the unwanted child to the Manufacturing group).  This answers many questions, except for how to find the MS Access DB version.  It looks like the new Catalog Browser is consolidating the data display from the existing databases and presenting it differently, and automatically creating various tables when needed.

I would mark this as a "Solutinon" but there is no button.

Craig Smith

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