==PCBPLUS.DOC================TANGO-PCB PLUS=============Version 2.11A== INTRODUCTION Tango-PCB PLUS Version 2.11A contains the enhancements and bug fixes, described below. Please note the following compatibility issues: While Tango-PCB PLUS Version 2.11A PCB files are backward compatible with Version 2.02, they are not backwards compatible with versions prior to Version 2.00. Files saved with Binary Save option in Version 2.11A are not compatible with the current version of Tango Route PRO. When you are ready route your file you must use the ASCII save option. Files saved using the Binary Save option cannot be read by any PCB Version prior to 2.11. INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ACCEL has standardized on an automatic installation program, INSTALL, which uses compressed files on the distribution diskettes. The Tango- PCB PLUS Reference Manual contains complete instructions for using this utility. The minimum free disk space required for a full installation of this release is 3.0 MB. NEW FEATURES AND ENHANCEMENTS The following features have been added or improved in this release. Please consult the Release Notes for a detailed description of these enhancements. SMART NETS - The new Nets Reconnect feature adds Nets information to lines, vias, polys, arcs. Deleting a line after Nets Reconnect will result in a blue connection line being drawn. IMPROVED PERFORMANCE - Most operations will run 10% to 30% faster. POLYGON EDITING - Polygons can now be edited to modify edges and to add or remove vertices. BLOCK OPERATIONS - Delete, Move, and Copy Block now allow selection by Item and/or by Layer. Place Block Copy allows you to copy a block of items to a new layer. BINARY FILE SUPPORT - You can choose ASCII or binary file format when saving files. Binary files require approximately 50% less disk space then ASCII files. File Load and File Save operations are much faster using binary files. AUTOSAVE - You can now automatically save at user specified intervals. MOVE LINE - Gives the user the option of adding new lines during the move, or moving endpoints (like in Version 1.16) LIBRARY SORT - User can now sort parts within libraries. Browsing parts in libraries is also faster. Page 1 ==PCBPLUS.DOC================TANGO-PCB PLUS=============Version 2.11A== ZOOM WINDOW - Users can now select the centerpoint for the window, or specify the two corners for the window. ENHANCED PACIFIERS - Many operations now have pacifiers with counters to provide feedback on the work in progress. COMPONENT VALUES - You can now add a .value string to components that can be used for both display and output purposes. DIALOG BOX NAVIGATION - New pushbuttons have been added to Output Apertures and Output CAM menus to speed up the navigation through dialog boxes. SEE THROUGH DISPLAY - Allows you to see items that are 'underneath' other items. DRAFT DISPLAY MODE - Allows selection of 'draft mode' to speed up redraw speed. DXF LINES - Allows user to select lines or polylines on output. The selection of lines will reduce file size, and speed up redraw in CAD packages. POSTSCRIPT PAGE SIZES - Now supports A, A3, A4, and B sized paper. GRAPHICS DRIVERS - Several new graphics drivers have been added. The list of drivers , and the popular cards that they support, is contained in this file. See your Release Notes for information on customizing svga.drv for use with your graphics card. AUTO-APERTURE ASSIGN - The program now allows you to auto-assign apertures (if an appropriate aperture has been described). METRIC SUPPORT - We have added metric placement assist. When Metric Grids are selected, the x,y coordinate locations display in .1mm increments. See Other Considerations for more details on this feature. COMPONENT PATTERNS - Several new patterns have been added to PCBMAIN.LIB to support the INTEL 80386, and 80486 parts that were added to Tango-Schematic. CURSOR SPEED CONTROL - We now provide several mouse cursor speeds for the user to select from. Page 2 ==PCBPLUS.DOC================TANGO-PCB PLUS=============Version 2.11A== PROBLEM FIXES The following bugs were fixed in this release: 1. MOUSE PROBLEM - We have fixed the mouse problem that caused erratic movement and autopan problems with several high resolution drivers. 2. CORRUPTED PIN DESIGNATORS - We fixed the problem that caused Pin Designator corruption when a component was moved after Nets Load. 3. DRAFT MODE PLOT/PRINT - Draft Mode printing no longer produces stray lines. Polygons are no longer filled in if Draft Mode is used. 4. FILE LOAD - File Load list boxes now filter on the correct extensions for PCB, Block, and Photoplot files. 5. DRC PROBLEM - We fixed a DRC clearance problem that caused erroneous errors to be reported for SMT components on the Bottom layer. 6. MACROS - Macros now 'release' memory after executing. The CTRL_T key now works correctly for Macros. 7. PAD/COMP DESIGNATORS - Edit Pad and Edit Component correctly 'uppercase' Reference Designators. 8. NETS LOAD - Nets Optimize operation is much faster for boards with large PWR and GND Nets. 9. SELECTING PADS - The 'selecting' of Round Rectangle Pads has been improved. 10. BLOCK OPERATIONS - Block selection of Arcs and connections has been cleaned up. 11. MTG HOLES - You can now make the hole in MTG Hole pads the same as the x,y dimensions. 12. EDIT PATTERN - Changing the Pattern Info of a component using Edit (in Place Component) is much faster in this release. 13. BLOCK SAVE - Block Save no longer saves extraneous component information. 14. GRID ENABLE - The Enable box for 10x grids now works correctly. 15. PLACE ARC - The correct message now displays if you try to place an ARC that has a radius that is less than twice the current line width. In the previous version it said 'memory limit reached' in this scenario. Page 3 ==PCBPLUS.DOC================TANGO-PCB PLUS=============Version 2.11A== KNOWN PROBLEMS 1. SQUARE APERTURES - If you use a Square Aperture draw aperture you may see some 'chunks' missing from corners of your polygons when you load your photoplot file. 2. BLUE LINES - Deleting Polygons or Arcs, or Lines that are not routed to Pad Centers, will not give 'blue lines' if they are deleted. 3. MACROS - Under extreme low-memory conditions, you may receive two out-of-memory error messages while recording a macro. After acknowledging the first, the program may appear to be hung but it is actually waiting for another acknowledgment: hit <Enter> to return to normal processing. 4. POLYGONS - "Busy" polygons are those with many simultaneous vertical edges; e.g., a polygon that looks like a horizontal saw, with all of its points at the same y-coordinate. Busy polygons outline correctly, but do not fill correctly on the display. Also, there may not be enough memory to output busy polygons, depending on the size, scaling factors, available memory, and driver used (the Postscript drivers are not affected). If you run out of memory while outputting, you can try purging the Undo information (File DOS will do this), break the polygon into two or more smaller polygons, or rotate the image to change the vertical edges into horizontal ones. Also, extremely narrow polygons may not be displayed at some zoom levels. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 1. AUTOSAVE - If an Autosave hits during a Zoom command, the ...
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