How to create a library from schematic

[yaqoubdesign]

I have a schematic with components/packages/devices that come from separate libraries, and I would like to create a separate library with only these components, for use with student projects. I see there's a video tip that explains this for Eagle (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Un_Z0kis6c). In this video a ULP is used to do this. We are told to use "exp-lbrs-replace2.ulp" . I tried this in Eagle but I get a lot of errors. My plan was to create the library and then use it in Fusion 360 Electronics. What's the best way to do this? Can it be done in Fusion 360 Electronics?

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @yaqoubdesign,

I hope you're doing well. In EAGLE, just go to File > Export > Libraries, that is the most updated way to create the library.

Once the library has been created then you can upload it.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[yaqoubdesign]

Can this be done in Fusion 360 Electronics?
If not, will it be available in the future?
For that matter- is the intention that all of Eagle’s features be
incorporated into Fusuion 360 Electronics eventually?

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @yaqoubdesign,

This is being worked on. The eventual goal is to get all that functionality and more with an intuitive interface.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[yaqoubdesign]

I tried but the 3d models do not seem to carry over.

Here are my steps:

1) create a schematic in Fusion 360 electronics with parts from different libraries.

2) Export the schematic from Fusion 360 Electronics to an Eagle 9.X schematic compatible File (*.sch)

3) Open the schematic in Eagle

4) Then File-export-libraries as you suggested.   All the 3d packages are replaced by blocks:

 

What I  need is a standard workflow, using mostly Fusion 360 Electronics to do the following:

1) Generate a specific library for only the components used in the schematic.

2) Edit the library later if necessary to add more parts or change parts (Fusion 360 Elec.  or Eagle?)

3) Must include 3D package throughout this process without having to re-assign 

How to do this in the most efficient manner ? 

[jorge_garcia]

Hello @yaqoubdesign,

I hope you're doing well. If you are trying to export the libraries from a design that doesn't belong to you(or that you don't have access rights to) then you will always have to re-assign the 3D models.

Our developers are working on getting this type of functionality integrated in a more seamless way.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[yaqoubdesign]

Your response implies there is a way to do what I want if the 3D models are "owned" by me.   How is that done?

Perhaps the best approach would be to make the schematic in Eagle WITHOUT any 3D models,  then export the library as you suggested.  Then associate 3D models using Fusion 360 Electronics library editor/package generator etc..   

Thoughts?

[jorge_garcia]

Hi @yaqoubdesign,

I hope you're doing well. Sorry, there isn't a good way to get that out of Fusion360 just yet. It's being worked on.

For the approach you are suggesting, I don't see the advantage over just doing everything in Fusion Electronics.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[jcarUFNLY]

Hello, Jorge

Do you have a video tutorial that shows how to create Schematic components?  I am an Aircraft Avionics Tech and would like to use Fusion to create schematics for avionics retrofits.  Can I import a JPG file of a Garmin component into fusion and use that as a template to create a library of Garmin avionics components? 

[yaqoubdesign]

Its been about 5 months now, has this been addressed?

Can I now create my schematic,  with all components and their 3d models and export ONE library that only contains these components INCLUDING the 3D models,  and then share this with others?   

[yaqoubdesign]

you said you don't see any advantage of doing things in Eagle first.  So after I create a new library in Fusion 360,  how to I 'import' a component from the built-in libraries, to be used in my new library?  Maybe a connector from amphenol, and LED from Wurth, and so on.  

[HelenChen-ElectronicsQA]

Hi @yaqoubdesign ,

Hope all is well.

Sorry about our late response.

We have a good news to share with you that in today's latest update of Fusion 360 (version 2.0.9439), you could run Explib command in the schematic file command line, and export the libraries used in this schematic file into a separate library by checking "Merge into one library".

There are few more information for your reference:

1. I'd suggest you save the Electronics designs (sch/brd) before running explib command.

2. There is a known issue on Mac OS: after clicking OK button in above explib dialog, please click Change Position or Select Files in below pop up dialog (you could cancel the dialog once they pop up the new dialog), and then Upload button could be clickable.  (No such issue in Windows OS.)

3. If you want to share the exported library with your students and then could reuse the 3D Package you created by yourself. Please make sure they are able to access those libraries in your hub too.

Hope it helps a little.

Please feel free to let us know if need our further assistant.

Regards,

Helen

[yaqoubdesign]

I'm glad to see some progress.   Not sure what it means to create my own 3D package.  If I use Fusion 360 package generator,  does that count?  Will it then be saved when using Explib?   

What if I download a 3d package from say, Samacsys,  then I associate it with a component within Fusion 360.  Will this be saved when using Explib?  What are the criteria that Fusion 360 uses to determine if the 3D package is 'mine' or not?  Really,  from my limited point of view,  it seems very silly.  I must be missing some logic here.

What do you recommend as a design flow?  Do I first create a schematic,  then use Explib, then  assign 3D packages? Normally I try things first, but I don't have much time to experiment.  I've wasted weeks of time trying to get a proper workflow (that was months ago)  then I gave up.   

[HelenChen-ElectronicsQA]

Hi @yaqoubdesign ,

Sorry for any confusion.

Generally speaking, no matter when the 3D package is added (before or after exporting the libraries), only people who are allowed to access the 3D Package used in that library could see the 3D Model. It depends on whether they are able to access your Fusion team hub (if the library/3D Model is saved in Fusion team directly) or whether they are able to access your hub in library.io (if it's a managed library in library.io).

I just wrote a step by step document to demonstrate how you and your students could leverage the exported libraries created by you. Could you please check attached document to have a try? Hope it helps.

Please feel free to let me know if you need our further assistant.

Regards,

Helen

[yaqoubdesign]

I tried to embed a screencast below, not sure how to do that so here's the url

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/d027a41e-96d9-471a-ac9e-73a6336b7d68 

[HelenChen-ElectronicsQA]

Hi @yaqoubdesign ，

It takes time to upload libraries in this case, and the thumbnail may not be there in data panel after completing uploaded, that's fine. If you edit the library later and save it, you should see the correct thumbnail of the library then.

By the way, please kindly reminder students not to edit the library you shared to them in the team hub, because right now they have access right to that library and able to edit. (If they happened to do that, you need to prompt the correct version of the library instead).

Additionally, not sure whether you know we could create managed library and push to library.io to manage the libraries you use, and students could use the library from Library Manager if you invite them into your hub in library.io. It's another method could achieve the function you want. We could share this workflow to you later and you could experience both 2 workflows and choose the one which is fit for you.

Please stay tune.

Regards,

Helen

[yaqoubdesign]

After re-opening the design,  I still could not see the lbr thumbnail in the data panel.  You mentioned if I edit the library later then save it,  it should appear.  Not sure what that means-  I tried a few things but still it doesn't seem correct.   Here's a screen shot:

[HelenChen-ElectronicsQA]

Hi @yaqoubdesign ,

In the Upload dialog, could you please try to change the location to specify the location where you want to save the library? Hope it helps.

Regards,

Helen

[yaqoubdesign]

Helen it does not work.  Of course I uploaded the file to my current project. That's not the problem.    see screenshot below.   At first it shows up in data panel,  as I explained before.  Then after 10 minutes,  it fails.

 

[yaqoubdesign]

sorry,  i'll try a different location-  i misread your email