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How can I insert my design into a project?

This tutorial requires:

DesignSpark PCB V11.0.0

It is recommended that you start a new design with a project and create a schematic which is used to generate a PCB layout.

This provides the best options for performing a designs rules check especially for connectivity.
It also provides a tidy structure keeping all your design files in one project folder. Creating a backup is also easier as you simply make a copy of the project folder.

However, you may have already started or completed your schematic and/or your PCB layout and now wish to create a project. The steps are detailed below:

1. Launch DesignSpark PCB and from the File menu select "New" and in the window click the button "Project", now click "Browse".

Launch DesignSpark PCB and select New

 

2. We now create our project folder. Navigate to where you save your designs and create the new project folder which will be used to contain all the project files.

create our project folder

 

3. Select the new project folder and now name the project and save.

name the project and save

 

4. The New Design window will now contain the new project and path, click "OK".

new project and path, click "OK"

5. The new but empty project has now been created as can be seen in the project tab.

From the menu bar select "Project" and "Add Files to Project" which will open a new window to navigate the schematic (or PCB) design.

NOTE. If you have the schematic or PCB file that you are going to add to the project open, close this now to avoid confusion.

Add Files to Project

 

6. Navigate to the folder containing the design that you wish to add to the project. Select the file and click 'Open'.

Select the file and click 'Open'

 

7. A warning will be issued as the selected file is not currently in the project folder.

Click "Yes" as we require this file within the project. A copy of the existing file will be made to the new project folder.

Make a copy

 

8. DesignSpark PCB has detected in this instance that the schematic was created in an earlier version and warns that this newly created copy will be saved in the latest version format and will no longer be usable in the earlier version. Click "Yes" to accept and load it into the new project.

Overwritten file warning

 

9. The project tab contents are now updated and contain the schematic which can now be opened and the design continued.

project tab contents are now updated

 

At this point, if you only had produced the schematic you may continue your design process as normal. From now on always start DesignSpark PCB and open the "Project".

If your earlier design also contained a PCB design, add this to the new project by the same method illustrated above.

10. Here we have also added the related PCB design.

related PCB design

 

11. The new project containing the schematic and PCB files is now complete.

new project containing the schematic and PCB files

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