Product Documentation
OrCAD Capture Reference Guide
Product Version 17.4-2020, June 2020

4

Session log command reference

This chapter covers:

File menu

New command

Open command

Save command

Save As command

Print Preview command

Print command

Print Setup command

Import Design command

Exit command

1,2,3,4 command

New command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use this command to open a new design, or library. Choose a command from the menu that appears:

  • Design
  • Library

The number of open windows you can have is only limited by your available system resources. You can use the Window menu to switch among open windows (see 1,2.... command).
Shortcuts:

Toolbar:

Keyboard:

  • ALT, F, N

Open command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use this command to open an existing project, design, library, in a new window. Choose a command from the menu that appears:

Design

Library

Project

The number of open windows you can have is only limited by your available system resources. You can use the Window menu to switch among open windows (see 1,2.... command).

When you choose the Open button on the toolbar, a standard Windows Open dialog box appears, in which you can choose the type of file you want to open in the Files of type drop-down list. Among the listed choices are SDT Schematic (*.SCH) and SDT Library (*.LIB).
Shortcuts:

Toolbar:

Keyboard:

  • ALT, F, O

Save command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use this command to save the active, modified projects, designs, libraries, and VHDL files. You can save a design, library, VHDL file, or session log under a different name using the Save As command on the File menu.
When you save a project, Capture automatically creates a backup with a .DBK file extension. When you save a library, Capture automatically creates a backup with a.OBK file extension. If you save only a schematic page or part, no backup is generated.
Shortcuts:

Toolbar:

Keyboard:

  • CTRL+S
  • ALT, F, S

Save As command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use this command to save the active project, design, library, VHDL file, or session log under a different name or to save a new, unnamed project, design, library, VHDL file, or session log. You can save a design, library, schematic page, part, or session log with the Open command on the File menu.

The Save As command opens a standard Windows dialog box to save files.
When you save a project, Capture automatically creates a backup with a .DBK file extension. When you save a library, Capture automatically creates a backup with a.OBK file extension. If you save only a schematic page or part, no backup is generated.
When you use the Save As command, you are prompted to choose the file type from the Save As Type list in the Save As dialog box. You can choose to save the file in the current design database schema version or in a schema version that is one version prior to the application version you are currently using.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, F, A

Print Preview command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use this command to see how a schematic page or part will look when printed.

After setting the options in the Print Preview dialog box, click OK to preview the printed document. You can use the buttons at the top of the window to view different pages and to zoom in and out.
Be prepared to wait if you attempt to print multiple pages or parts. Depending on the number and size of the pages or parts you are previewing, Capture may require extra time to display the selection.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, F, V

Print command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use this command to print the active schematic page, the active part, or the selected items in the project manager.
When you print multiple copies, the copies are grouped by page, not sorted by copy.
Shortcuts:

Toolbar:

Keyboard:

  • CTRL+P
  • ALT, F, P

Print Setup command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use this command to choose a printer, paper source, and orientation before printing. The Print Setup command displays the Print Setup dialog box, a standard windows dialog box for configuring your printer or plotter. For more information on setting up printers and plotters, refer to the documentation for your configured printer driver.
Many times, the options for your printer are not available in the standard setup dialog box. If you do not find the options you need, try the printer setup in the Windows Control Panel.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, F, R

Import Design command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use this command to import EDIF and PDIF designs. EDIF designs must be graphical EDIF designs, and not EDIF netlists. Not all imported PDIF parts may be edited in Capture. Such parts won't affect netlists.

Exit command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use this command to exit the software. If necessary, you are prompted to save your changes.

You can also exit the software by choosing the Close command on the session frame Control menu (ALT, SPACEBAR, C).
Shortcuts:

Keyboard:

  • ALT+F4
  • ALT, SPACEBAR, C
  • ALT, F, X

1,2,3,4 command

Available from:

File menu
Function:

Use the numbers listed at the bottom of the File menu to open one of the last four projects or files. Choose the file you want to open.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, F, n (n = 1, 2, 3, or 4)

View menu

This section covers:

Toolbar command

Status Bar command

Command Window command

Toolbar command

Available from:

View menu
Function:

Use this command to show or hide the toolbars. This setting is stored in your .INI file and thus affects the visibility of the toolbars in subsequent sessions. You can move the toolbars anywhere on the screen by pressing the left mouse button over the toolbar, and then moving the mouse to the toolbar's new location. If the toolbar is moved to any edge of the window, the toolbar snaps into place. Otherwise, it floats on the screen wherever it is released.

If the toolbar is floating, you can hide it by choosing Toolbar from the View menu.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, V, T

Status Bar command

Available from:

View menu
Function:

Use this command to show or hide the status bar. This setting is stored in your .INI file and thus affects the visibility of the status bar in subsequent sessions.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, V, S

Command Window command

Available from:

View - Toolbar menu
Function:

Use this command to open the TCL Command window in the OrCAD Capture workspace.

For details see the Command Window.

Edit menu

This section covers:

Copy command

Select All command

Find command

Clear Session Log command

Copy command

Available from:

Edit menu
Function:

Use this command to copy a selected object to the Clipboard without removing it from the active window. This command is available only if an object is selected.

Copying objects to the Clipboard replaces any objects previously stored there. Use the Paste command to copy objects to another page or part, or to another Windows application that supports pasting from the Clipboard.
The Cut and Copy commands are unavailable in the part editor when you have one or more pins selected with other objects (such as arcs and lines).
Shortcuts:

Toolbar:

Keyboard:

  • CTRL+C
  • ALT, E, C

Select All command

Available from:

Edit menu
Function:

Use this command to select all items in the active window.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: Ctrl+A

Find command

Available from:

Edit menu
Function:

Use this command to locate an object or string of text in the active window.

In the schematic page editor and project manager, the Find command finds all instances of the specified text search string, parts, part pins, DRC markers and constraints. The Find command supports wildcard searches. Use an asterisk (*) to match any string of characters, and a question mark (?) to match any single character.

In the session log, the Find command will find the next occurrence of the specified text search string from the current position. However, it does not support wildcard searches.

The Find window in part editor can search only pin and text, and it supports wildcard searches.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard:

  • CTRL+F
  • ALT, E, F

Clear Session Log command

Available from:

Edit menu
Function:

Use this command to clear the session log.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, E, S or CTRL+DEL

Options menu

Preferences command

Design Template command

Autobackup command

Preferences command

Available from:

Options menu
Function:

Use this command to set your environment preferences for the current project (and all future projects) on your system. The options you specify affect the behavior of the software, and are saved in the .INI file.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, O, P

Design Template command

Available from:

Options menu
Function:

Use this command to specify default settings for new projects, designs, and schematic pages. The values specified in this dialog box do not affect existing projects or designs.
To change the properties of an active design, use the Design Properties command. To change the properties of an active schematic page, use the Schematic Page Properties command. You cannot change the default title block of an active schematic page.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, O, D

Autobackup command

Available from:

Options menu
Function:

Determines the frequency, location, and the number of copies of autobackup done by Capture.

The Multi-level backup Settings dialog box appears when you choose Autobackup option from the Options menu.

Enter the values for the following fields to determine the duration, number of backups, and its storage.

Backup time (in minutes) - Enables you to determine the time after which Capture will perform automatic backup.

No of backups to keep - Enables you to determine the total number of backups that will be stored.

Directory for backup - Enables you to determine the storage location for the backup
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, O, B

Window menu

Cascade command

Tile Horizontally command

Tile Vertically command

Arrange Icons command

1,2.... command

Close All Windows

Cascade command

Available from:

Window menu
Function:

Use this command to "stack" all open Capture windows so that just their title bars are visible. The active window stays on top.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, W, C

Tile Horizontally command

Available from:

Window menu
Function:

Use this command to arrange open Capture windows, one above another, so that all are visible.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, W, H

Tile Vertically command

Available from:

Window menu
Function:

Use this command to arrange open Capture windows, one beside another, so that all are visible.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, W, V

Arrange Icons command

Available from:

Window menu
Function:

Use this command to arrange the icons for minimized windows across the bottom of the session frame.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, W, A

1,2.... command

Available from:

Window menu
Function:

Use the numbers listed at the bottom of the Window menu to view which windows are currently open, and to determine which window is active. (The active window is indicated by a check mark.) When you choose a window from this list, Capture restores that window if it was in icon form, pops it to the front of the Capture session, and makes it the active window.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, W, n (n = 1, 2, . . .)

Close All Windows

Available from:

Window menu
Function:

Use this command to close all open windows.

Help menu

PSpice for TI Help command

Known Problems and Solutions command

What’s New command

About PSpice for TI command

Documentation command

To use the context-sensitive menu commands, select one or more items, then press the right mouse button. The contents of the menu differ depending on the objects selected.

PSpice for TI Help command

Available from:

Help menu
Function:

Use this command to display the Capture Help window.
Shortcuts:

Toolbar:

Keyboard:

  • F1
  • ALT, H, H

Known Problems and Solutions command

Available from:

Help menu
Function:

Use this command to display a document listing the known problems in this release of OrCAD Capture and tells you how to solve or work around these problems.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, H, K

What’s New command

Available from:

Help menu
Function:

Use this command to display a document describing the new features and enhancements in this release.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, H, K

About PSpice for TI command

Available from:

Help menu
Function:

Use this command to get the software version number, copyright information, registration number, and license information.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, H, A

Documentation command

Available from:

In the project manager or schematic page editor, from the Help menu, choose Documentation.
Function:

Use this command to launch the help HTML page, which contains links to all the documentation types (manuals and online help), product tutorial, and multimedia demonstrations shipped with this product release.
Shortcuts:

Keyboard: ALT, H, D


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