How to Import PCB Footprints Into Cadence Allegro & OrCAD Layout

In this video I’ll be showing you how to import footprints downloaded from SnapEDA (snapeda.com) into Cadence Allegro and OrCAD Layout.

There are two methods of importing files into Allegro and OrCAD Layout that have been downloaded from SnapEDA. The automated method, using a batch script, and manual. Let’s first look at the automated method, which is the simplest and recommended method.

After downloading a component from SnapEDA, you’ll see a folder containing several files. The .edf file is for the symbol. The rest of the files are used to generate the footprint.

To import the footprint simply double click on the batch file.

After doing so, a dialog may popup that this is an unknown application. Click on More Info and Run anyway to run the batch file. Click yes to accept the dimension change, then select the Allegro version you’re importing into.

You’ll see the footprint generated immediately, and that's it.

The files can also be imported manually if for some reason you're not able to run the batch script. Here are the instructions for the manual method:

Manually Import Padstacks

Repeat the following for each of the Pad Designer script files (*_pad.scr) contained within the ZIP archive file:
From the Windows Start Menu, navigate to the Cadence application folder, then select PCB Editor Utilities and then Pad Designer...
In the Pad Designer window, select File and then Script...
In the Scripting window, click Browse...
In the file browser window, change "File of Type" to "Script Files" (*.scr).
Select a script file ending in "_pad.scr", then click Open.
In the Scripting window, click Replay.

Manually Import Pad Shapes

Repeat the following for each of the Pad Shape script files (*.psx) contained within the ZIP archive file:
In Allegro, select File and then Script...
In the Scripting window, click Browse...
In the file browser window, change "File of Type" to "All Files" (*.*).
Select the script file ending in ".psx", then click Open.
In the Scripting window, click Replay.
Note: Not all parts will contain Pad Shape script file(s) (*.psx). Therefore, this step can be skipped if no Pad Shape script file(s) exist.

-If you're having trouble running the batch file, watch this video on setting the padstack path : youtube.com/watch?v=zztjKXVFWfw