PROGRAMMING

      ... Providing solutions to make your design efforts easier
                                                     so you can get back to designing...

Mindlink Technologies offers programs and custom programming solutions for CAD software. Currently all programming is in Visual Basic, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) or various implementations of VB scripting.  Generally, the scripts and programs referred to here are related to PADS PowerPCB,  PowerLogic and Orcad but also include or link to other CAD, database or documentation applications. See listing below. Combining nearly 20 years of experience with PADS software and PCB design with VB and VBA programming knowledge allows us to provide applications and scripts to solve various design obstacles.

Solutions are available for many tasks that are either very time consuming, limiting or non-existent. For example:

     -you need to provide a report to the engineering manager on all trace

      lengths from a high-speed data bus driver to each of the devices it is

      driving "and I'd like that in Excel format so I can easily sort and format

      the data".

     -or you might want to manage a CAD library, updating decals, attributes,

       layer assignments, padstack listings, ect. for all parts in the library and

       print out in PDF format a range of decals and their parameters - this could

       take days, even months for a large complex user CAD library but with a

       programmed application can be mere minutes.

These are just a few examples ranging from simple to complex -both accomplishable -and any range in between.

Many times a particular program function is limited in what it can access or report. This is usually due to the need to get a CAD program or upgrade to market in a reasonable time, so the scope of a function is limited or the entire function is left out. Depending on what system programmers or marketing feels is most important, these functions may never be updated or included in the next rev. This is where a custom application interface or add-in takes over, providing additional functionality and program improvement.

Possible solutions:

All programs (ready-made or custom) are fully supported for 1 year with upgrades and bug fixes provided free of charge during this period. Custom programming is based on a quote and varies depending on complexity, copyright ownership and support required. In most cases custom scripts and report applications can be written and tested in 1 - 2 days. Fees are reasonable and often negotiable. Please contact us for additional details on custom VB programming solutions.

A number of application utilities have been written or are in progress and additions are made frequently -see our Software page for some examples.

You can also find a listing of freeware scripts for download on our VB Scripts page.