6 Hacks to Master Allegro-HDL®
My first schematic tool was Mechanical Pencils, Graph Paper, a Ruler and Plastic templates to draw electronic symbols for resistors, caps and inductors, transistors and diodes, and gates.
It could take several hours to draw one small circuit, and then we had the pleasure of creating the ‘NetList’ by hand.
After about a year of drawing schematics using those power tools, (better called torture), I was introduced to OrCad which cut weeks out of my schematic drawing time and automated the creation of the PartsList and NetList.
As time went on, I gained extensive experience using more EDA Tools, including OrCad, (now Cadence Capture CIS), PADS Logic, and Mentor DxDesigner. I’ve also dabbled in Zuken Cr-8000 and Altium Designer.
But the majority of my designs were created with Allegro HDL
The Cadence® Allegro Design Authoring™ Schematic Capture Tool was formerly known as Design Entry HDL, or DE-HDL, formerly known as Allegro HDL, formerly known as Concept-HDL or if you are as old as me, just plain old Concept.
Whatever name it goes by, it is a very powerful tool, but it can be intimidating to first time users. It's deceptive in its simplicity, and there are many hidden features that even a grizzly old veteran can learn if they take the time to look for new tricks.
Now I’d like to share the tricks I’ve learned in over 25 years of using the Allegro HDL
We created this e-Book, the Cliffs’Notes™ version teaching you our six “Hacks” which can save you countless hours/days in your design cycles.
We also created a Video channel to go along with the E-Book… If a picture is worth one thousand words, then these must be worth millions!
Our goal is to show you tricks to produce quality designs in a fraction of the time it would take without them. Some of these Hacks you may already be familiar with, while others you may not know about.
Add these time-saving tips to your toolbox and you’ll become a more proficient schematic designer while adding precious hours back into your day.
By the way, if you have a hack worth sharing, send it to boleary@cadenhance.com and I’ll send you a small reward for your efforts.