Changing footprint is not being updated in layout

[AlphaSierra]

I have a component with a custom footprint. After dong the initial layout, if I edit and save the footprint, Ultiboard is not recognizing that a footprint change has occured. It is still showing the old footprint.

I tried going back to Multisim, and read in the new foot print (Edit footprint -> Select from Database), then forward annotate to Ultiboard. But Ultiboard says there are no changes. But I can clearly see from the selection menu in Multisim that the new footprint looks different, but Ultiboard still shows the old footprint.

I suspect this behavior is being driven by the name of the footprint rather than its contents.  Instead of editing the footprint if I create a new footprint, read in the new footprint in Multisim, and then forward annotate to Ultiboard, now it says footprints have changed. This is a workaround, but it seems a rather awkward way to make edits.

Any thoughts?

[Buechsenschuetz]

I do not have very much experience with Multisim/Ultiboard but have worked with different layout systems for many years.

I think the only way to modify a footprint on an existing layout is to change the footprint with the footprint editor, link it with the Multisim symbol, place the recently edited part in Multisim and forward-annotate to Ultiboard.

There are layout systems with a much better integration of schematic/board editor than Multisim/Ultiboard, probably because the latter two come from completely different sources.

[stressed_user]

Hi,

If you change the footprint, but it still has the same name, then the programs cannot see that it has to be a different footprint!

what to do?

-You could indeed change the footprint and save it under a different name, and then via a change in the component in Multsim , then upload that data to Ultiboard...etc..

But that is the long way:

the short way is to do a 'shape update' in Ultiboard.

Just go to the tools menu, and select 'update shapes' and your shape will be upadated with your changes, very simple

Stressed user.

[AlphaSierra]

Shape update was the feature I was missing. Thank you for pointing out!

[stressed_user]

Hi,

There's also another simple trick when you only changed teh footprint:

simply delete the part in your design and re-annotat your schematic design to Ultiboard

This has one advantage:

A 'shape update' will change all shapes. (so also all refdes in the silk etc..)

But this 'trick' will only update one shape.

Succes!