MultiSim Database Structure

[nestor-sg]

Ralf, it seems to me that I dealt with your issue two weeks ago. I received from Germany some Ulticap libraries having trouble to be converted into version 10.

The library structure used in Multisim is quite different from the one used in Ulticap back then. The conversion utility in version 10 only supports converting from version 6 (also called version 2001), 7, 8 and 9 into 10. With this utility we are covering 8-year old databases.

As the Germany support engineers advised first, and I see you have discussed that here, the only partial solution to bring those old Ulticap libraries was to place the components in a file and then open the file in Multisim. The best way that could be achieved was doing it sequentially, from Ulticap to Multisim 2001, then to version 7, and then directly import the user library from any of those versions into 10. That was the best we could do in terms of integrity of the symbols, I replied about two weeks ago (or last week?) to Germany after doing this process. It is my understanding that they did contact you. There is no direct way to import a Ulticap library into Multisim.

Reading through the whole thread, let me also add, there are about 4-5 NI employees monitoring this forum (Tech Support, Mktg, R&D), usually when users are already answering other users we tend not to jump into the discussion but only to clarify or add something, for Tech Support matters most of the time is spent answering email and phone support. These Discussion Forums are created for users that don't have access to Tech Support or that prefer to see what other users (in many cases worldwide) are doing. This particular forum for Multisim and Ultiboard is relatively new (~1.5 years) compared to others like LabVIEW or CVI that have been in place for many more years and therefore have more users actively discussing things with other users. We do try to answer unanswered threads or threads that have had activity interrupted because of a lack of answer. In this particular thread we knew that Germany was handling your case and we were working on it and waiting for files... they asked me to answer also the thread, so here I am.

I do know that ultimately the problem that took you to start this thread is not answered as we would like to, I do apologize for this since our software is not prepared to do the task you were looking for, but I hope that you find other solutions and good contacts on this forum, and that you still make use of our Support team in Europe.

[Lodin]

Hello Ralf,

I am also an "Ultiboard Veteran" with nearly the same background and problems as you.

Old UC5.71 has the option to save in (older) *.sch" files, which are pure ASCII data. These data is not really selfexplaining, but maybe a point to start writing an own import filter. I still have some "quick and dirty" hacks in VisBas4.0 (!!) to read these old schematics and putting components and nets into an MS-Access database.

Maybe we should get contact outside the forum (and then in german 🙂 ).

regards,

Lodin

[Ralf@mibtec]

Hi Nestor, hi Lodin,

thank you for your reply on my thread. Sorry i was on travel and had not the possibilitiy to read my mails..

To Nestor:

As i understood it is possible for you to convert the 2001 files to UB7 up to 10.

Well? i am wondering my old Software is an ULTIBOARD 7 from Nov. 2003 - but that is not the problem Ultiboard works fine. The ULTICAP ist 5.73 from May 2001 (this should be the last ULTICAP Revision).  We where allways told that this is the latest and last Version of ULTICAP.

So the problem is that your tool is not able to convert any ULTICAP Library! 

This was the problem from the start with ewb. They ( = EWB) did not care on ULTICAP-Users who where the majoritiy in the beginning (because this customers bought a shematic and layout editor and nothing else).

It is fully clear to me - and i would never care about - that i am able to use all my MultiSIM filse and Libs from the early beginnig.It is the same Product (with minor Changes and Bugfixes) today as it was from the start.

To Lodin:

Good point but i have all Versions from 4.00 on. So i knew the old Database-Structure. I need a description of the new Database-Structure!

To Nestor:

1.) Would NI supply us with a "bluepaper" about the Database-Structure?

2.) I wrote to your german collegue a supposal about the Libraries. Because we think they are very poor (means just a few Components) compared to e.g. ORCAD or the EAGLE.

Look on EAGLE and you will see a forum with with hundreds of the shapes (for both tasks: shematic and layout) including the very last stuff. This is all supplied by users and free of cost for every one. That is a very strong argument for their programm.

Why not start a free forum with download area for users to exchange their own footprints and components and libs? That would give your programm "ultimate" power..

I am the first to donate our libs (with shapes and footprints - all without waranty but for everyones use).

What about that?

Best Regards.

Ralf Mannhardt

[Ralf@mibtec]

Hi Lodin,

please contact me directly if you like (in german..)

mib@mibtec.de

Best Regards

Ralf

[nestor-sg]

Ralf,

That is correct, your Ulticap version should be the last one that was available when Interactive Image Technologies bought Ultimate, which later came up with the 2001 versions of Multisim. Unfortunately the technical specifics of the database cannot be disclosed and as I said and you are quoting, Multisim 10, will only import libraries from Multisim 2001 and later. The import utility is not designed to import Ulticap libraries.

We did received that suggestion about creating a free download area for users to share libraries, the Marketing department has been planning on how to make this happen. Currently ni.com has a download area for LabVIEW Instrument Drivers, ideally we would love to have something like that for users. Marketing will ultimately come up with some idea for this suggestion.