Last year Cadence announced the OrCAD Capture Marketplace, a web-based capability within the OrCAD Capture environment that provides an on-line store with free and paid plug-in tools, or "apps." Since then the list of available apps for OrCAD Capture and OrCAD PCB Editor has grown to 22, and a free trial period is available for most of the paid apps.
Apps provide a new way to bring new functionality to PCB designers. They're available instantly -- no need to wait for the next software release. You select only the features you need, and you don't have to pay for new capabilities you don't need. And, over time, a community will emerge in which apps will come from a variety of sources.
Accessing an app is as easy as buying or downloading any on-line product (see below). Most paid apps, such as SymbolGen shown below, let you either buy the app outright or click "trial" to give it a test drive for free. If you decide to purchase the app after the trial period, a new app installer is downloaded to turn the app on permanently.
A recent blog post by Jerry Grzenia provides a step-by-step guide on how to access apps from the OrCAD Capture environment. Below is a list of free and paid apps, with free trial periods noted for the paid apps. You need OrCAD version 16.5 or above to use them.
Free Capture Apps
- Capture Cached Object Reporting -- Reports out-of-date cached objects in the active Capture design
- Capture INI Manager -- Framework for manipulating the Capture INI file
- CIPinCIS -- Instant access to search and download component data for millions of parts without having to leave OrCAD Capture
- Customize Page on Creation -- Pre-defines automatic callback procedures to customize schematic page creation and attribute
- Extended Preferences Dialog -- Provides a GUI for modifying several additional application settings available in OrCAD Capture
- Find and Replace Text -- Searches for and replaces text globally in a Capture design
- Intelligent PDF -- Shares design intent with intelligent PDF generation for OrCAD
- Locked Object Reporter -- Identifies and reports locked objects in the currently active Capture design
- Show Open Libraries and Designs -- Lists all open libraries and designs currently active in Capture
Paid Capture Apps
- CircuitFit ($499 - free 15 day trial) -- Performs early fit studies at the schematic level before you commit to placement
- CIS Quick Start ($99 - no trial) -- Creates a shared, searchable component database for OrCAD Capture CIS in minutes, including a 1000 part starter library
- Find in Design ($99 -free 15 day trial) -- Quickly search for common values, like part numbers, across multiple schematics and projects
- Status Display Highlight Property ($99 -free 15 day trial) - Helps avoid errors with fully customizable visual indicators of part properties like production status and value
- SymbolGen ($999 - free 7 day trial) -- Automated symbol generation tool using advanced PDF datasheet extraction technology
- Testpoint Annotation ($99 - free 15 day trial) - Enables synchronization of test points placed in the PCB to nets in the Schematic
Free PCB Editor App
- nsWare ShapeUtils -- Free utility to help with shape creation and editing in PCB Editor
Paid PCB Editor Apps
- FloWare Cross Section ($980 - free 15 day trial) -- Creates a dynamic table of the design stackup
- FloWare LabelTune ($980 - free 30 day trial) -- Automatically adjusts PCB Editor RefDes labels to match part orientation and size
- FloWare PCB Panelization ($3500 - free 10 day trial) -- FloWare Module for Cadence Allegro and OrCAD PCB Editor to generate a fabrication panel
- nsWare Automatic Artwork Film Setup ($100 - no trial) -- Create artwork (Gerber) film setup in seconds
- nsWare PDF Generator ($250 - no trial) -- Create a complete PDF document set for your PCB Design in just seconds
- nsWare Planar transformer Generator ($250 - no trial) -- Dramatically decrease the time to create planar transformers in PCB Editor
That's quite a list, and it will only grow over time. Happy designing!
Richard Goering