Design Reuse

Reuse Blocks provide a mechanism by which a collection of items in a design may be stored and reused in one or more designs.

Reuse Block

A grouped set of components in a design, typically a self-contained circuit containing nets and routing in addition to components.

Reuse File

A design file that contains just the components and nets that are found in the reuse block.

Target Design / Host Design

The design in which a reuse block and its components are placed.

Create A Reuse Block

The current selection is the basis for the new reuse block.

The selected items are transferred into a new reuse file.

Insert A Reuse Block

It is possible to insert any design as a reuse block.

It is possible to insert the same reuse block multiple times.

It is possible to insert a reuse file into many host designs.

Update A Reuse Block

The reuse block in the host design will be modified to match the reuse file.

This could involve repositioning components and rerouting connections, deleting some elements and adding others.

Reuse Files

Reuse Blocks remain linked to a the reuse file. Any changes made to the reuse file will be reflected in the reuse block only when the user chooses to update the reuse block.

Reuse Blocks In The Design Flow

Blocks created in a schematic design automatically get transferred to a PCB design when that design is created.

Full support for changes later on in the design process is made possible by adding reuse block support to back annotation and ECO update.

Reuse Blocks Management in Cadstar

Reuse block actions are available in Cadstar via

- the Actions menu

 - the Reuse Block Manager dialog

Operations such as grouped, fixed, removal, renaming and associating with different reuse files are available here.

Operations can be combined and applied to multiple or all reuse blocks at once.

- the Current Design tree

Selecting a reuse item from the tree will select that item in the design window.