RE: [PROTEL EDA USERS]: Database linking to an external database.

["Brad Shea" <brad.shea@aesltd.com.au>]

Brad,

We use this functionality extensively with Protel98 and it works well with a
few thing to keep in mind.
1)	True you can only import dBase (.dbf) format. We have written our own
component database in access and have coded a function to output the data in
dBase format.
2)	When the schematic is importing data from the database it is UNBELIEVABLY
slow, if it is a large design it can take in the order of an hour and you
can't do anything else with protel.
3)	You can't map any data to "Part Field 10", it simply over writes the data
in "Part Field 1".

>From my limited testing of Protel99SE I think point 3 above has been fixed
but I think you can still only use dBase files and it is still very very
slow.
We use all 16 part fields (except field 10) and the speed factor is the only
real problem we have.

Brad

-----Original Message-----
From: TSListServer [mailto:owner-proteledausers@techservinc.com]On
Behalf Of Brad Velander
Sent: Wednesday, 27 September 2000 6:49 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list proteledausers
Subject: [PROTEL EDA USERS]: Database linking to an external database.


Has anybody had success in accomplishing this linking, particularly with
Parts & Vendors?

Are there any tips, tricks or warnings that you would share?

I have read the measly 4 pages in the manual and then took only about 2
minutes to be stopped dead in my tracks by the fact that Protel only seems
to link to a file with an extension of .dbf while our database from P&V has
a .mvb extension.

Sincerely,

Brad Velander
PCB Design Technologist
Norsat International Inc.
#100 - 4401 Still Creek Dr.,
Burnaby, B.C., Canada.
V5C6G9.
voice: (604) 292-9089 (direct line)
fax:    (604) 292-9010
email: bvelander@norsat.com
www: www.norsat.com