problem with transfer and forward annotate with updated multisim and ultiboard

[rschoele]

I have the Multisim and Ultiboard Full Edition,  the update service updated my software and it now shows 11.0.458.

This morning I'm trying to do a board design.  I started my schematic then transferred to ultiboard.  I then added components to my schematic and tried to forward annotate to the same ultiboard file.  It won't update ultiboard with the new net file and components - I get no change on the ultiboard side regardless of what I add or remove from the schematic.

I tried restarting my system, no good.  I tried deleting the ultiboard net file in the directory - no good.  I deleted all the ultiboard files and tried a new transfer - ultiboard sits blank and nothing happens.  At that point I could start a new ultiboard design but there seems to be no communication between multisim and ultiboard.

I closed ultiboard while writing that post.  I just tried to transfer again (after deleting all ultiboard files) - this time it created the ultiboard file with all the components.  Then I added a component and tried forwarding and same problem - no new component in ultiboard..

Since upgrading to 11 I've had nothing but bugs transferring layouts, prior to the update I would always have to go into ultiboard netlist editor and delete component nets that weren't removed with new forward annotations.  This is holding up work and making it very hard to continue spending $ on this software.  please advise.

[Mark J]

On the Multisim side, we have two options in the Transfer menu, "Transfer to Ultiboard", which will start a new design in Ultiboard, and "Forward Annotate To Ultiboard", which will update an existing design. In both cases, Ultiboard will be launched automatically if it is not already loaded. What happens when you click on Transfer->Forward Annotate To Ultiboard->Forward Annotate To Ultiboard 11? Is Ultiboard not being launched? Are you getting the message "No differences were detected. There is nothing to annotate." from Ultiboard? This indicates that a comparison was successfully done and nothing was detected.

You can also "force" an annotation by first creating a *.ewnet file in Multisim and then performing a forward annotation in Ultiboard.

1 - From Multisim, click Transfer->Transfer To Ultiboard->Transfer To Ultiboard file and create a *.ewnet file.
2 - Load Ultiboard, load the corresponding *.ewprj file

3 - Click Transfer->Forward Annotate From file and select the *.ewnet file from step 1

If you do this, do you seeing the "no differences" popup again?

If you do see "no differences" and you've made changes in Multisim that should corresponding to changes in your Ultiboard layout, then my recommendation would be to create a support request at ni.com/ask and attach the Multisim and Ultiboard files that you are using so we can take a closer look at this.

Mark J

Electronics Workbench Group - National Instruments

[rschoele]

either ultiboard wouldn't launch or if I already had ultiboard up then no update would happen (i.e. board outline with components would not appear).

I had no problem with version 11 projects created before the update.  I performed the "forced' annotation and I could open an ultiboard file, but then not forward to it again.

I just deleted the whole project and recreated it and now everything works - dunno? good to go now.

thanks for your help