( ESNUG 354 Item 11 ) --------------------------------------------- [6/1/00]
Subject: ( ESNUG 353 #7 ) Overcoming Newbie Escalade DesignBook Problems
> I've just started using Escalade DesignBook on Solaris 2.6. While
> testing several cases, I've got serveral questions that couldn't
> overcome as far as reading PDF documents.
>
> - [ From The Land Of Hello Kitty ]
From: John Vincent
Hi, John,
We're using Escalade DesignBook 3.8c on Solaris 2.6. This has several
important bug fixes and I would recommend using it rather than the previous
versions. It was available for download from the Escalade web site.
However, in the wake of the recent acquisition of Escalade by Mentor, the
download page is no longer working. You will probably have to call
Escalade support, (408) 654-1600, to get the upgrade.
As for the problems mentioned:
> 1. The Help doesn't work. The format of help file seems to be Windows
> help format(.hlp), so can't I use Help on Solaris? Why?
> 3. I set the header information from the menu (Options)- (code generation)
> - (copyright) - (Use Project Copyright). But the properties such as
> $name, $date aren't expanded.
- #1 and #3 are probably installation / setup problems. We have not had
problems with these.
> 2. When I check a block with Ctrl-F9 in the block editor, a small window
> appears and reports only Error/Warning counts. Is there any way to
> get further information?
- #2 - try using Windows >> Output Window to make the Output Window
appear. It may also help to toggle off and back on the "Bring up
Output Window on errors or warnings" button on the Miscellaneous
tab in the View Options window from Options >> View.
You may also occassionally have the same problem when doing checks
on HDL code blocks using a 3rd party checker (compiler), toggling
off and then on again the "Show External Syntax Checker log output
on Design Check" button on the General tab of the Code Generation
window from Options >> View should solve this.
> 4. When I rotate a block with wire and connector 270 degree, the port
> description and connector description faces the opposite side. I can
> correct it by rotating only connectors, but it's troublesome. How
> can I move the port/connector/wire description?
- #4 - You made an interesting observation. The text for connectors,
for ports, and inside symbols behave differently as they are
rotated. Connector text rotates in the opposite direction from
that for ports. Text inside the symbol follows the port text on the
first rotation, but the connector text on the third rotation. I had
not noticed that previously.
> 5. How to set the Printer and printing size? Although I can set the
> working page size in the menu (Option)-(Edit Preference)-(Page),
> printing page size seems fixed to A4 Portrait.
- #5 - Printer setups need to be defined by the win.ini file in the
user's home directory to control the print options used. Here are
the changes I made to mine:
[windows]
device=lp,PSCRIPT,DEFAULT
[ports]
DEFAULT=lp -c -o letter "%s"
DBOOK_PRINTER1=lp -d hp1 -c -o letter "%s"
DBOOK_PRINTER2=lp -d hp1 -c -o letter -o landscape "%s"
DBOOK_PRINTER3=lp -d hp1 -c -o 11x17 "%s"
DBOOK_PRINTER4=lp -d hp1 -c -o 11x17 -o landscape "%s"
...
[Devices]
A size Portrait=PSCRIPT,DBOOK_PRINTER1
A size Landscape=PSCRIPT,DBOOK_PRINTER2
B size (Tabloid) Portrait=PSCRIPT,DBOOK_PRINTER3
B size (Tabloid) Landscape=PSCRIPT,DBOOK_PRINTER4
The ports section defines the commands issued when particular printer
"devices" are selected. The Devices section sets the descriptions that
appear in DesignBook when selecting the printer to use.
Printing changed somewhat in version 3.8x. You need to perform the
printer setup before doing any printing. The selection applies to all
printing operations until changed.
You need to make sure the printing setup matches the page being printed;
both size and orientation. DesignBook formats the output according to
the selections specified. If this does not match the printer "device",
you will not get what you want.
Words of warning:
- The win.ini may be used by other applications which also used MainWin
for porting to UNIX, e.g.Altera Max+plus II, so you may have to watch
for that.
- Avoid using rotated text, it does not work well in UNIX - the
position often gets messed up - but is fine using Windows
(possibly a MainWin porting problem?)
Hope this helps you, "Hello Kitty".
- John Vincent
Eastman Kodak Rochester, NY
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