2/9/'99


Hello all,
Sorry that this is a lot OT but...
I have to use a software package that I must review for my Masters, and
well I have not spent much time (Only got 3 hours at it so far)

Last night was the first time that I have used ORCAD EXPRESS (To implement
an FPGA), and well...
One thing I did nottice is that you can not perform top down design, it
requires bottom up. I aslo seen that the design itself in the directory
structure does not hold the same hierachial format and appears flat,
including the need to set one of the schematics as the root (No default).
Errors during compilation for simulation don't point you to the error

On simulation I could not figure out how to activte a word patten generator
(Does it have one, or do I have to use some text file?)

You can get caught with saving a project vs saving the current work

In general I must admit that I have not given this tool much of my time
(Did implement and test an 8 to 1 MUX as a hierachial format of 2 to 1 MUX
to form a 4to1 and simulate it), but first impressions are important and
the ease of driving and expectations are also important (Perhaps I an a bit
biased due to me testing software applications on a daily basis)

While other aspects are the same old same'o' which made be fell NEC (Nice
Easy and Comftable). So I would say (Ignoring all the bugs that I was able
to create etc (Not listed here)) that this tool is good but has a few
quirks (But the again so do all the others) and does not seem as
intergrated as the Altera MAX2 (Just from the FPGA point of view), but then
again this tool will do ccts and other FPGAS etc.

Do you blokes have any comments that may sway my thoughts, what problems
have you found with it etc. (Plase don't say that tool X does Y, I have to
look at this tool on its own)?

Dennis