Is bus branching supported?

[DoubleEuser]

I found I could construct a bus tree by dragging bus segment endpoints into other existing buses.  For example, starting with two seperate buses arranged as an unconnected "T", the endpoint that forms the gap can be dragged into the neighboring bus to form a single bus.  The process of dragging the enpoint to form a single bus can be repeated to form a larger bus mesh.  The file can be saved and loaded without a problem.

Is this feature supported?  Officially?  Unofficially?

[nestor-sg]

Yes, it is supported, you can merge two buses into a single one by connecting the endpoints and the pop-up window will guide you through the process.

Be aware that you cannot 'un-merge' a bigger bus into smaller ones.

[DoubleEuser]

I did not link the busses through the endpoints.  I basically dragged one endpoint of a bus into the body of another bus forming a "T".  There was no menu, and manual bus placement does not permit it.

[nestor-sg]

Ok, I guess you might be using version 9 or older then... on those versions the bus merge did not presented a window like the one I am saying and it only merged them together... sometimes not in the way you would want it to.

Version 10 changed the bus merge procedure (or connecting buses together) and is more user friendly. If you don't have version 10 you can download the evaluation version at:

ftp://ftp.ni.com/evaluation/EWB/NI_Circuit_Design_Suite_10_0.exe

In that way you can see how it changed...

[DoubleEuser]

The same procedure works on v9 and v10.

I have a file with two bus segments.  Drag the right endpoint of bus2 so that it intersects bus1.  The bus2 label will change to bus1 showing that the buses are merged.

[nestor-sg]

Sure, that is supposed to happen, you don't have any lines inside the buses. Now try your same file, but add lines to the buses... so on BUS2 add some lines... then in BUS1 add other lines... then connect the endpoint of BUS2 to BUS1 and you should get a dialog asking how to merge them.

This is what got improved in 10 that was not available on 9 or older versions.

[kittmaster]

This still isn't the proper and intuative way to create busses. Nester I see your point regarding the after the bus entries are added dialog merge.......thats fine.

The way it "should" work is that you should be able to T "JUNCTION" a bus just as you do with wire junctions or be able to ADD a junction point in the bus body and then allow connection to that junction. The merging is fine if things are already established but if your starting a micro design or multiplexed display from scratch, your mostly like just laying out parts and its a real PITA to try to get a "singular" bus running around the schematic. Ususally a bus will be run above or below a row of bus devices and the entries go to an intersecting bus that should T itself into the the bus running above and below the IC rows. The merge endpoint doesn't show a "junction" based on the attachement given here..........but at least it connects together "like" if there are no entry points.

It still needs a major overhaul. I even sent pictures following Orcads model with is one of the most efficient ways to do junctions and its been ignored or "we'll get around to it"........this is ongoing since version 8 and hence why I have not been a very active v10 beta return.....I wish they would take our advise more seriously.......these are basic interface things that need attention.......the simulation stuff is secondary to functionality of basic circuit capture.....IMO.

Best Regards,
Chris Bertrand

[nestor-sg]

Thanks for your great feedback Chris, I will make sure R&D has this feature request in their roadmap.

[Ridis]

Kittmaster wrote:"these are basic interface things that need attention.......the simulation stuff is secondary to functionality of basic circuit capture..."

I'm a former OrCAD user and I'm switching to CDS. I'm still using 10.0.1 and I agree completely with Chris, that's exactly my thinking.

I can add that I'm not able to "move" the bus segment drawn at 45°and that's not nice when you want to change a 45° to a right angle from where start new branch.

Drawing wire (that sometime has a crazy behaviour) and buses are basic activities.

I hope 10.1 will be better.