HAM Radio 1/HamRadio.cdr/tech/droege/features.doc

Text File | 1986-10-20 | 11KB | 236 lines

FEATURES.DOC

For $100.00 (prices subject to change after 1 Jan. 1987) we will send you a
copy of the enhanced version of DROEGE.  Also available is the latest revision
of this "free" version for $10.00.  The Date of this version is   --  VERSION
1.81 -- 15 OCTOBER 1986 -- .  If your copy is more than six months old we have
probably made significant revisions.

The principal reason for ordering the enhanced version is the extended storage
space.  It also runs somewhat faster.  Depending on the amount of memory
available to you on your system, you will have up to 10 times the storage space
of the demo.  A PC  with 640 k will have 8 times the actual space, which is
even more times the useful space after loading a symbol library.  While we
quickly run out of room with the demo, we have been able to do 1000 component,
4000 hole boards with less than half the space used in the full version (640 k
PC).   For the price above, we plan to also include support of the EGA and
OR'ing of colors so that one line does not obscure another.  We will either
ship these additional features or send updates when they have been tested.




To:     Environmental Optics Corp.
        P.O. Box 296
        Batavia, IL 60515

Please ship the following:

_____   Enhanced copy of DROEGE          @ $100.00

_____   Current "Free Use" Copy         @  $10.00

Residents of Illinois include current sales tax.

Please print name and address as you want it to appear in the program:

Name:   ________________________________________

Address:________________________________________

        ________________________________________

        ________________________________________






Environmental Optics Plotter Software Features:

General Features:

The Software Package has been designed to demonstrate the features of the
Environmental Optics photoplotter.  It is a general purpose CAD package and
contains sufficient features to produce printed circuit photomasters.  It is an
inexpensive introductory system which is not intended to compete with the much
more comprehensive packages that are available on large systems.

The package allows entry of lines, pads, symbols, arcs, and lettering on  12
layers in the colors available with the IBM PC in medium resolution mode.  A
significant feature is the ability to "nest" symbols (call symbols from within
symbols).  Symbols may also be mirrored and rotated as they are placed.  Later
we will provide the ability to scale symbols.

Hardware Required:

IBM PC, AT, or Compatible with at least 320k memory, color monitor and color
adapter card, 2 floppy disk drives, optional printer.

Lines:

Lines can be entered on 12 levels in three colors.  Any color can be attached
to any level.  Color assignments can be changed to suit the operator.  Lines
can be entered in 10 widths.  Lines can be entered as a center indication or
can be drawn at width.  Lines can be found and deleted.  Lines can be found by
searching near any line point.  A "found" line is displayed dashed and its
starting point is displayed.  Points within a line can be found and deleted.
Later enhancements will allow moving and copying lines, and adding points
within lines.

Pads:

Pads are  formed by flashing the apertures at fixed locations.  Any aperture
may be used as a pad.  Pads can be found and deleted.  Later pad move and copy
will be  allowed.

Symbols:

Symbol provisions of this program are very powerful.  Nesting is allowed to
level 20, although much deeper nesting could be provided if needed.  It is very
desirable to make everything a symbol since there is almost no penalty in speed
or convenience for doing so.  Symbols can be created in place on a job or on
another symbol where they can be fit to existing connects.  Once closed they
disappear from the job and can be placed where needed.  As an example, when
faced with the repetitive pattern of a computer memory section it is convenient
with this system to make a symbol of one of the interconnecting lines in place
on the job.  When closed, this symbol can be placed repetitively to form the
memory bus pattern.  Even better, such a pattern can be repeated as a third
level symbol on a second level chip symbol.  This symbol could be repeated to
form a first level memory symbol.  Latter the memory symbol could be placed in
a processor symbol.

Use of symbols greatly reduce storage space used.  A complex symbol which uses
thousands of storage locations uses only an additional space if repeated.  A
line of more than two points conserves space if made a symbol.  Even a two
point line conserves space as a symbol if used more than twice.

Symbols can be entered rotated at 90 degree increments and can be mirrored.
Later we will allow symbols to be scaled as they are entered.

Symbols can be found and deleted.  Later "move" and "copy" will be added.

Labels:

A text string can be created at any time.  This can be located repetitively and
uses only a single space each time entered.  Labels can be rotated, mirrored,
and scaled.  In addition, letters can be rotated within a label so that a
vertical label still reads horizontally.

Labels can be found and deleted.  Later "move" and "copy" will be added.

Arcs:

Circles are a special case of arcs.  Arcs are entered by entering three points
using the cursor.  Circles are entered by specifying a radius and locating the
center with the cursor.  Arcs can be found and deleted.  Later "move" and
"copy" will be added.

Display:

The system operates on a single precision grid 12 layers deep.  Thus, there are
+/- 32000 points in x and y.  The display may be set up to show as much or as
little of this space as desired.  When redraw is entered,  a menu of 15 preset
named displays is presented for selection.  Redraw initiates redraw of the
selected space.  The display menu can be changed at any time by the user who
can give then long names like "upper left hand corner memory driver".  There is
no restriction on scale factor, so it is always possible to arrange for a
selected section to fill the screen.  Layers can be turned on and off so that
the display is not cluttered with uninteresting layers.

The cursor is shown as a flashing square which can always be distinguished from
the background.  Movement of the cursor is presently done by the arrow keys,
which surprisingly, we find to be quit adequate.  A function key allows change
of speed of movement with the current speed being displayed.  Also displayed is
the current x,y position of the cursor.

The data entry location as shown by the x,y position may be moved beyond the
visible screen.  When this is done the cursor hangs at the screen edge so that
its location can be determined.  Data can be entered off the screen.  This is
sometimes useful when the screen display is not quite big enough or when it is
desirable to draw a box around something that already extends to the screen
edge.  There is a continuous display of the % of available data space to warn
of the possibility of running out of space.

The user may select any grid, and can change grids as desired.  For normal
layouts a 0.025" grid is convenient, however, one might switch to a 0.156" grid
to enter a connector (or better still to make a connector symbol), then switch
back.

Storage Space:

All data is stored in memory to provide fast redraw.  About 20,000 locations
are available with a 512k machine.  This would provide for 20,000 drill spots
if the worst possible organization were used.  If symbols are used effectively,
space is greatly conserved.  For example, a reasonable symbol might be a
sixteen pin IC layout with pads of different sizes on different layers,
sixteen drill spots, outline silk screen, identification label, etc..  While it
might require several dozen spaces to define (less if a multi-layer pad was
defined as a second level symbol) such a symbol, each use would require only a
single location.  We have not yet succeeded in using more than a few percent of
available memory.  Indications are that space is sufficient for at least two
hundred chip boards.  We find that we use about 70 locations per chip for small
boards where the economy of symbol usage is less than it would be on a large
board.

Garbage Collection:

The program creates little garbage and continuously collects that which is
produced.  Deleted memory locations are immediately available for reuse.

Menus:

Operation is by multi-layer menus which are selected by the function keys.  We
find it quite convenient to operate with one hand on the arrow keys ond the
other on the function keys, the keyboard in our lap and leaning back in our
favorite chair.  The only time the hands need move is to select a symbol or a
label name.

Each time a function key is pressed a new menu appears at the bottom of the
screen.  Menus are arranged so that the needed items are usually only a few key
strokes away.  One key always backs up to the previous menu (and stops long
operations).  It is easy to get around the menus and it is necessary to learn
only a few key locations.  Attention can be kept on the screen since the active
keys are always displayed there.

Libraries:

There are two types of libraries, symbols and labels, which are treated
the same internally i.e., they are all symbols.  When starting a job any
libraries anticipated can be merged into the job.  Later, others can be added
as needed.  A library might be the current symbol assignment for the
keyboard, electrical or mechanical symbols, etc..

When a label is entered the system looks in the library for symbols with
specific names related to the string of keys pressed. These are then located
with the scaling, spacing, rotation, and mirroring as specified.  While we give
you a set of symbols with conventional A, B, C, ...  formats, there is nothing
to keep you from drawing anything desired for presentation (i.e. Katakana) when
a particular latter is pressed.  We expect users to create wonderful character
sets, as well as libraries of electrical and mechanical symbols.  We have
already started a collection.

Output:

The system provides ASCII plot files in a very easy format.  Normal operation
is to read these files with a simple BASIC program which then drives our
photoplotter or other output device.  We will provide drivers for most popular
plotting devices.  Later we will provide a screen dump to a dot matrix printer.

Bugs:

This program is large and complex and surely has bugs.  The program has several
built in recovery techniques which allow saving the days work.  The program
periodically reminds the user to back up the job.  Later we will add an
optional automatic backup.  Jobs that will redraw can usually be saved and
recovered.  Redraw and save-restore usually guarantee that the job as seen is
in good shape.  For professional bug hunters we can provide a special version
which contains bug analysis programs.