> To:            DESIGNER@SMTP [log in to unmask]
> > Hi,
> >
> > Yipes, I just wrote over my finished board file !!
> > What software is available to convert PADS .pho
> > files BACK into a database file????  Is there any
> > help out there?  (I am using good 'ole
> > PADS-Perform.)
>
> I assume .pho are Gerber artwork files?
> If nothing else helps, try to locate somebody who has CAM350 or ask
> the CAM350 manufacturer ACT (http://www.ecam.com) for assistance
> (maybe ask PADS themselves, they acquired ACT recently). This software
> has the possibility for reverse engineering. Hard work, however:
> Import All gerber artwork, then assign "dumb" pad patterns to
> components, create all necessary components, then CAM350 can recreate
> the netlist intelligence WITH components. Then (assumed you have the
> additional option) you can export "native CAD data", in this case PADS
> ASCII. But be aware, many things can get lost nevertheless.
>


Greetings CAD fans

Our company just bought CAM350 with the "Direct CAD Interface"
We bought it so I can bring get our jobs off the Cadnetix and the
dieing Sparc 1 systems. We have the Pads interface, and I found it
was almost painless and easy to learn. A full working demo copy can
be downloaded from  (http://www.ecam.com). From there call ACT at
1-800-535-3266 and ask for a temporary acess number and tutorial.
You will have 2 weeks to play with it.

Hope this helps

################################################################
DesignerCouncil E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c
################################################################
To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body:
To subscribe:   SUBSCRIBE DesignerCouncil <your full name>
To unsubscribe:   SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil 
################################################################
Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section for additional information.
For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312
################################################################