Why can't I edit the Master Database

[gvan]

Can someone from NI please explain the reasoning behind not letting the user edit the master database?  I want to do something simple like remove one of the redundant + and "dot" polarity indicators on some of the capacitor footprints without having to, one by one, change each capacitor to use my custom footprint.

I have found several errors in the master database yet I can't fix those parts or footprints or remove them, thus increasing the likely hood that they will get used by mistake/unknowingly again.

The only explanation that I can come up with is poor database design and fear of me "breaking" it.   Something as simple as editing a part through the GUI should be simple enough to do to, please let me.  No offense, but your master database is not good enough to warrant "no edits".  Most parts I use are from the local database, but that is not an option for special case parts like resistors and capacitors.

Also, why I can't edit the database itself without using the GUI? (as is an option in all other CAD packages that I've used).  The GUI entry point is extremely time consuming and error prone when a database script can often easily create error/typo free part numbers using existing symbols and footprints.

Greg

[lacy]

You can technically edit the Master Database in a way. I am not sure if you are refering to Multisim or Ultiboard, but in both you can make a copy of parts to the user dtatabase and edit them there. In Ultiboard, you can copy the entire Master Database to the User Database. This last option I dio not believe is available in Multisim, but I an going to look and see. Also in Ultiboard there is an In-Place editor to where you can edit the part and save it to the user database after editing.

The reason behind this is sound. It keeps the user from permantly damaging the database by editing it directly. In my opinion (with some exceptions like interactive components in Multisim) it is a real good idea. It this wasn't the case and a user messed up their database, then you would have to re-install the entire program from scratch as I do not believe the database is a separate entity on the instalation disc. But as with any Master you can make a copy and edit the copy. I know I would have screwed it up numerous times if it wasn't for this feature.

I think there is a way to lock out the databases you don't want to use, but I will have to ivestigate this further to be sure since I have never had a situation where I needed to do this.

This may have been of no help to you, but this is all I can tell you. If there are any other ways of doing what you want then NI will have to come in at this point and let you you what they think.

[gvan]

I think you missed the point of my post.  I know I can copy parts to the user database, but capacitors and resistors are special cases linked only the a fixed list of footprints in the master database and some of those footprints are wrong and/or poor (have two polarity markers for the same part).

I disagree that the application should force me to use a fixed database "so I don't break it".  Database backup and recovery would accomplish the same thing.  OR, put the resistor, capacitor "special case" parts in the user database and let me change their list of footprint options...  and then I can do away with the master database all together.    

As it is, I have to one-by-one change the footprint of every capacitor and resistor in Multisim in order to use the fixed footprints from  my user database.  Boooooo.

Ultiboard has the option to "change all of similar shapes", but that breaks the link to the schematic (forward annotate) and  Back-annotate doesn't seem to work right ever.

Greg

[lacy]

O.k I think I see now what you mean. I tried saving a component from my schematic to the user database and it only saved the one footprint that was assigned to it and not all of the rest of them. I tried also doing if from the database manager and it didn't save none of the footprints to the part. This was in Multisim.  But once I copied the component I could add as many footprints to it as I liked, but this had to be done manually in the database manager. There is no option in Multisim to copy the entire Master database over to the user database that I can find. This is an option in Ultiboard however as I have done this for all my footprints just in case I needed to edit them. I would have to review how I did it, but if you need that information I can supply it.

If this is what you were refering to, then I agree that when copying components from the master to the user database everything should be copied for that component including all the original  footprints.

I will let NI address anything further concerning this since I am not exactly sure of how to accomplish what you need it to do. Sorry for my confusion about this and also for not being of much help with this situation. 

[Trent P]

Judging by the date of this post, this thread may be dead, but nonetheless it needs to be addressed.  I am in the same boat as Greg, specifically that I would like to edit the master database collection of resistors to change the default footprints that Multisim presents to me.  I agree with Greg that you should be able to do an "all at once" edit of these parts in which by changing the available footprints on one specific resistor (say 1k), you also change the available footprints for the rest of the resistor values.  Whats worse is that you cant even copy these templated resistors to a user database for editing, they seem to be locked into the master database and completely uneditable until they are placed onto the schematic.  I understand NI's reasoning behind locking the master database parts, but there should still be an option to create your own templated resistors/capacitors/inductors etc with the footprints of your choosing.  Does NI have any plans to release a feature such as this?  Or is there already a means to accomplish this in version 10.1?  Any help on this matter is greatly appreciated

Trent 

[GarretF]

There are several ways you can achieve the results you looking for with respect to RLCs.

Ultiboard first searchs the User then Corporate the Master database when looking for footprints. So, if you want to make a modification to a footprint, make the copy the appropriate in Ultiboard into your User database. Then modify the footprint. When you transfer from Multisim to Ultiboard, Ultiboard will pick the footprint you customized (or fixed).

One thing to watch out for is determining the correct name in Ultiboard. The name in Multisim is often not the name in Ultiboard. I don't know of any simple way of determing the mapping.

1. Place the component with the footprint that you want to change (in Multisim)
2. Double click the component, and click Edit Footprint on the Value page
3. Click Select from Database. The footprint should be selected. The name in Ultiboard is the Ultiboard Footprint column (if it is blank, then the name in Multisim and Ultiboard is the same).

You can add new footprints to the list in the Place Component dialog. You do this in the Database Manager.

1. Go to Tools > Database > Database Manager
2. Select the RLC Components tab
3. Click the Add button to add a new definition. Note, the definition will appear for all components of the same type. Also watch out for the polarity of capacitors and other components where relevant.

[Trent P]

Thanks for the quick response GarretF.  I am aware of the first solution you give, to simply change the footprint for every instance of the component that needs a custom footprint.  However, I never plan on using the default Multisim footprints and would like a more elegant solution than simply having to change the footprint every time I place an RLC component on the schematic. 

Solution 2 is more of what I am looking for, however, it too has its drawbacks.  I have tried editing the Database Manager as you have suggested and do not achieve the desired result of having the custom footprints included in the footprint options of the RLC components located in the Master Database.  I realize that you can copy a predesigned version of these RLC components to your user database, but when that is done you end up losing the templated form of the RLC components of the Master Database which is what I am truly looking for.  I am running version 10.1, perhaps this feature was added in version 10.1.1? 

To sum up what I am trying to do:  I would like an option to create RLC components in the user database in a templated style similar to those in the Master Database.  I would like to remove the default footprints in these templates and include my own custom footprints.  In addition to custom footprints, I would still like the ability to specify resistor tolerance (1%, 5%, etc) and type (thick film, wirewound, etc).  Are these capabilities possible with version 10.1?  

-Trent

[GarretF]

I think you've found it. I tried my steps in 10.1 and they did not work. I tried again in 10.1.1, and they did work. I believe this was changed in 10.1.1.

In 10.1.1, you cannot remove all default footprints (I've created a separate feature request that would have the same effect). You just see the ones you've defined after the ones in the Master database.

[Trent P]

I'm glad we could get to the bottom of this issue.  I will see about getting upgraded to version 10.1.1 so I can have the features we discussed here.  Also thank you for submitting the feature request to remove all the default footprints; that would be quite a nice feature to have in place!  Thanks again for all your help Garret

-Trent