Creating a new project in Cadence

1. In Windows, open the Design Entry CIS program. This program allows you to edit schematics, and will be used to export a netlist describing your schematic into the PCB Editor.

2. Choose "New > Project..." (see Figure 1), type a name for the project, choose a place to save your project files, choose "PC Board Wizard", and click OK (see Figure 2). WARNING: Do not use spaces or non-alphanumeric characters in the file name for your project.

Figure 1: New Project menu

Figure 2: Making a New Project

3. The window in Figure 3 will appear. Since we will not be simulating the circuit in this tutorial, leave "Enable project simulation" unselected and click "Next >".

Figure 3: Project Simulation Window

4. Next, the PCB part symbol library selection window will appear (see Figure 4). You may not know what parts will be used in your design yet, so it's best to select all of the libraries and click "Add >>" to add them to your project.

Figure 4: PCB Part Symbol Library Selection Window

5. If you need to add a library at a later time (e.g., after the new project has been created):

First, click on the Add Part button (which looks like an integrated circuit with a green plus sign) on the toolbar (see Figure 5)

Figure 5: Toolbar with Add Part button

Second, click the Add Library button (which looks like a dotted square with yellow on the upper left hand corner) in the Place Part dialog box (see Figure 6)

Figure 6: Place Part dialog box

Finally, select all of the files in the library folder and click Open (see Figure 7)

Figure 7: Browse File dialog box to add libraries

The default location where library files are stored is
C:\Program Files\Cadence\SPB_17.2\tools\capture\library

6. If you plan to use any schematic symbols not built into Cadence, it is a good idea to create a custom library in which to store the symbols. Further instructions are available on the Creating a Custom Library in Cadence page.

Video Walkthrough

Based on tutorials written by Josh Carroll and Cody Van Cleve

Dr. Shawn Jordan

is an Associate Professor, electrical engineer, maker, and engineering education researcher.

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About Me

SHAWN JORDAN, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of engineering in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. He teaches context-centered electrical engineering and embedded systems design courses, and studies the use of context and storytelling in both K-12 and undergraduate engineering design education. He received his Ph.D. in Engineering Education (2010) and M.S./B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Purdue University, and received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2017.