Expedition PCB Flow: Automation and Scripting

Course Highlights

You will be introduced to the Object model. Using a VBScripting environment, you will learn how the Object Model concept is applied within scripts, how to use the available methods to access, manipulate, and/or report object properties, as well as some basic scripting techniques. You will learn how to create GUIs which encapsulate different aspects of your flow, or extend the tool’s functionality. You will also learn how to modify the user interface by adding, or removing menus and toolbars.

The course is not intended as exhaustive treatise on scripting, nor the entirety of the DxDesigner and Expedition PCB object models. The purpose is to give you enough of an understanding of the object models and the available methods, properties, events, and enumerations, that you will be able to correctly structure the scripting statements to satisfy the needs of your environment.

You will learn how to

• Create and run scripts on DxDesigner Schematics
• Create and run scripts on Expedition PCB layout files
• Access the DxDesigner and Expedition PCB object models in order to modify the design
• Access the DxDesigner and Expedition PCB object models in order to generate reports
• Manipulate the user interface as it pertains to menus, toolbar buttons, and keybindings
• Manipulate files by creating, writing to, opening, closing, moving, deleting, etc.
• Basic string manipulations
• Customize the DxDesigner and Expedition PCB menu and toolbar objects
• Run the Expedition PCB batch engines from a script

Hands-On Labs

• Searching a design for pins and components
• Searching for the length of traces
• Event handling
• Adding/modifying graphical objects
• Customizing the user interface
• Adding vias (Expedition PCB)
• Adding Nets and net properties (DxDesigner)
• Using Motion Graphics
• Communicating with the user through message and input boxes
• Generating log and report files
• Creating customized forms
• Customizing the graphical user interface