PCB Layers changing on MultiSim Forward Annotate to Ultiboard

[ajt]

I am running Ultiboard and MultiSim Power Pro v 10.1.1 (10.1.372)

I have this Copper Layer definition in Ultiboard:

 and the Design Toolbox in Ultiboard is:

I have 4 layers defined in MultiSim but the only option for a 4 layer board is: Top, Innner1, Inner2, Bottom like this:

If I do my layout, adding microvias and buried vias, all is well until I forward annote from MutiSim.  Then my layers in Ultiboard are "automatically" changed to:

 and all of my microvias and buried vias disappear!!  I can change the PCB properties in Ultiboard by returning the layer pairs to 1 vs the 2 and re-checking the vias I want and it is back to the right layers but my microvias and buried vias are gone forever.  

How do I stop this from happening?  

[stressed_user]

Hi,

I'm also working with the V10.1.

But i never use buried nor blind via's.

My best guess is that you should keep the layer names standard as they were, being Inner1 and Inner 2.

Succes!

[Tien_P]

Hi Ajt,

After you changed the layer names in Ultiboard, you should back annotate that change to Multisim. The reason you have to do that is because Multisim still have the default layer names and the next time you forward annotate, any differences in Ultiboard will be overwritten. Since buried is not a valid via type using the Multisim layer settings, those vias likely be changed.

To back annotate the layer name change, you will have to place a part then delete it or rename a reference ID or do something to create a log file because since Ultiboard doesn't create a log file if you only change the layer name and you need the  log file for back annotation in Multisim.

[ajt]

Hi Tien

I did this but it didn't work:

1. Deleted the existing Ultiboard log file
2. Opened the schematic in MultiSim and layout in Ultiboard
3. added a part in MultiSim
4. Forward annotated to Ultiboard (which messed up the layers again - it added a layer pair and changed a layer name)
5. Added a part in Ultiboard
6. Changed the layer structure in Ultiboard to one (vs 2 layer pairs)
7. Ultiboard now showed my original layer names
8. Changed my layer names for the inners to something else so the layer names are also changed
9. Verified there was a new log file created in Ultiboard 
10. Back annotated to MultiSim (logfile only contained the part I added in Ultiboard)
11. Added a part in MultiSim 
12. Foward annotated to Ultiboard  
13. Result: Layers messed up again!!

So what am I doing wrong?

Al

[ajt]

Either there is a bug in Ultiboard 10.1.1 or my defaults and configfiles are bad.

I created a completely separate and renamed copy of my schematic file in MultiSim and did a Transfer to Ultiboard.  This created a file in UB with

this layer configuration:

 I then changed the layer confiuration to this:

and added a part in UB and deleted another one to force the creation of a log file.  After back annotating I got an error that adding the component wasn't supported but the deletion of a component was. There was nothing in the log file about layers.  I then added a part to MS and forward annotated.  The new part appeared in UB as expected but again the layers were corrupted and looked like this:

and the Design Toolbox looked like this which doesn't even match the PCB Properties!! :

Is anyone successfully using microvias which means also using layer buildups?  What's the secret???

[ajt]

This is now a CRITICAL problem as I have a design to complete and the tools I purchased that are supposed to have the required features do not work. 

It's now pretty clear this is a problem with NI Circuit Design Suite!

I created a new schematic (with 4 PCB layers) on a different computer with a basically freshly installed version of the software (except for UI changes I wanted).  I did all the steps I would do to transfer to UB.  In UB, I changed the layers to a top and bottom buildup with two inner layers and selected the type of vias I needed.  I added a component in UB and back annotated the from UB to MS.  The new part was not transferred but that mayt be as designed and my big problem is in layers getting messed up.

After adding a new part to the schematic, I forwarded annotated to UB and the layers got screwed up again.  I did no layer remaiming.  I also did this whole procedure over where I also renamed the layers back to the (unchangeable) names in Multisim (e.g. Top build up to Top, etc.)

I have spent a couple of days trying to make this work and have wasted all of that time. I need a workaround ASAP for this as I must complete this design.  

[Tien_P]

If you had the log file, you don't need to add part. On step 3, I only added a part in Ultiboard so that a log file will be created. When I was doing my test, if I just rename the layers in Ultiboard there is no log file and without this file, I can't back annotate.

This response is for message 4.

[Tien_P]

If you still are having trouble, send me a private message with your files I can take a look.

To send a private message click the envelope then "Compose New Message", send to Tien_P

[ajt]

Tien,

I PM'ed you.  Did you get it?

Al

[Tien_P]

Hi Al,

Please have a look at the attached word document, I did a quick test and the blind/buried seems to work maintain the setting.

I do suggest you use the default layer name, when I did a test the one the copper bottom layer was renamed to Copper Inner 1.