Exporting a Design to OrCAD from Altium Designer

Altium Designer includes a range of design file export options that allow native design files and data to be transferred to OrCAD^® design software. The exported files relate to schematic based data, and apply to both older legacy (DOS) systems and more recent OrCAD programs.

The OrCAD design file exporter is accessed through Altium Designer's Export menu (File » Export), where the available range of export options is relative to the currently active design file.

Export OrCAD Capture Schematic

To convert an Altium Designer Schematic document (*.SchDoc) to a binary OrCAD Capture^™ schematic file (*.dsn), use the File » Export » Orcad v7 Capture Design command while a schematic is the currently active Altium Designer document. The exported file’s target name and folder can be specified in the browser dialog that opens.

Export OrCAD Capture Schematic Library

To convert an Altium Designer Schematic Library document (*.SchLib) to an OrCAD Capture Schematic Library file (*.olb), select the File » Export » Orcad Capture Schematic library command while a schematic library is the currently active Altium Designer document. The exported file’s target name and folder can be specified in the browser dialog that opens.

Export OrCAD SDT Schematic

To convert an Altium Designer Schematic document (*.SchDoc) to an OrCAD SDT^™ file (*.sch), select the File » Export » Orcad SDT Schematic command while a schematic design is the currently active Altium Designer document. The exported file’s target name and folder can be specified in the browser dialog that opens. The exported schematic applies to legacy OrCAD products such as OrCAD SDT^™, PC2^™ and 386+^™.

Export OrCAD Netlist

To generate and export an OrCAD-compatible netlist (*.net) from an Altium Designer Schematic document (*.SchDoc), select the File » Export » Netlist Schematic command while a schematic design is the currently active Altium Designer document. Specify the exported file’s target name and folder in the browser dialog that opens.

Next, then set the NetList format to  OrCad/PCB2 netlist using the drop-down in the Export NetList dialog. Select a Scope option of Project or Document to specify netlist generation for all available project schematics or just the currently active schematic, respectively.