What's New > What's New in 2021

December

Thursday 30 December 2021

Fixes

•Updated Add/Edit Resistor - add color bands.

•Updated Axia Parameters - add color bands.

•If color bands added then the footprint value is hidden.

•If turning off color bands, footprint value made visible and color auto-set.

•Fix for symbols referencing pads in other footprints - very rare, only one instance detected.

Tuesday 14 December 2021

Improved Eagle Part Import

New Panasonic Capacitor Silkscreen

November

Tuesday 30 November 2021

Open Project/Part/Art Dialog

Now shows preview.

All other open/save/import/export dialogs updated to the same theme / functionality (where possible).

Wednesday 24 November 2021

Improved Eagle Project Import

Import of Eagle schematics and PCBs is greatly improved.

Sparkfun Arduino Nano C3.3

Wednesday 17 November 2021

External Designs (PCB) Properties

Updated properties panel.

Tuesday 16 November 2021

Adding External Designs (PCB)

This video shows you how to add an external designs' PCB to your current project.

Friday 5 November 2021

Collada 3D Import

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Collada 3D import added. Read more...

At the moment, this is work in progress. Collada from FreeCAD works but Collada from other sources may not work: Collada is a complex file format.

FreeCAD Support

With Collada import, this allows you to design your own 3D parts using the free, open source FreeCAD parametric solid modeller.

YouTUBE Video...

Download FreeCAD from here...

IPhone case design downloaded from GrabCAD. Go to website...

FreeCAD model exported as Collada and imported into DEX.

Monday 1 November 2021

VRML2 Import

Fix for some files not importing from 3D Content Central. https: //www.3dcontentcentral.com/

October

Sunday 31 October 2021

Improved Parametric Symbol Selector

Improved Crystal Parameters Editor

Friday 29 October 2021

Added TO252 (DPAK) Parametric Part

Friday 22 October 2021

Now uses .NET 4.8

DEX now uses .NET 4.8. It previously used .NET 4.5.

NET Framework 4.8 was released on 18 April 2019.

It can be installed on.

•Windows 7 SP1, 8.1 Update, 10 v1607-v1809

•Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, 2012, 2012 R2 Update, 2016, v1803-v1809, 2019

It is included in Windows 10 v1903-v21H1 and Windows Server v1903-v20H2, 2022

Download NET 4.8 (if you need to. DEX should install it for you.) from: here...

Wednesday 20 October 2021

Improved PCB Footprint View

Sometime the view did not show content full size.

Improved New Part

Simplified dialog for custom parts.

Default symbol for parts improved.

Tuesday 19 October 2021

Schematic wires with no Tracks - DRC

Optional DRC rule. If checked, then schematic wires with no associated PCB track/node will be drawn dotted. On by default.

Sunday 17 October 2021

Parametric Schematic Symbols

Added LED and Crystal symbols.

Parametric New Parts

Radial parts split into 3 sub-types.

Tip of the Day

Font size increased.

Friday 15 October 2021

Windows 10 Updates

This Windows update has a graphics GDI+ breaking change. It causes lines that should be drawn 1 pixel wide to be drawn grossly oversized. Earlier version are OK.

With new GDI+ API Change

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Changed for the new GDI+ API

DEX has worked fine for the last 14 years but Microsoft broke the GDI+ API.

DEX is now changed to work with the latest Windows 10 GDI+.

Rebuild

Saturday 9 October 2021

Rebuild

•Added button to rebuild part. Select part in either the schematic or PCB (Projects). You can use this to repair modified parts.

•You may need to assign pads to symbol terminals.

Thursday 7 October 2021

•Added electrolytic capacitor symbol.

•Correct rendering in 3D for gold plated pads. In 3D, an additional thickness for the gold is added.

•Improved pop-up temporary messages.

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Wednesday 6 October 2021

•Fix for place around border ignoring footprint already around border.

•Add parametric footprint for symbol with no footprint.

Sunday 3 October 2021

•Fix for Female Header default Z height being too small.

•Fix for Add Resistor and Add Capacitor dialog layouts.

•Removed Active3D, Sketcher, PartCreator. All their functionality is now in DEX.

•Fixed bug where thumbwheel rotate in viewports did not update ribbon menu.

•Clear PCB now clears 3D copper.

•Clear PCB deletes all schematic nodes.

•Extended Symbol Editor. You can now do all that was in the Part Builder.

•PartBuilder only visible in edit part. All functionality now in the Symbol Editor for parts in projects.

Symbol Editor

You can now do all that was in the Part Builder.

Friday 1 October 2021

Part Creation

You can now easily create parts in-place inside projects. There is no need to create a part separately and save to the library. However, once created you can easily add the part to the library.

September

Monday 27 September 2021

Tool-Tips

All tool-tips have been updated and/or extended. This makes it easier for you to use DEX and discover what things do.

Open Parts in New DEX Instance

You now have the option to open existing parts in a new instance of DEX, leaving your current instance unmodified. For example, you could be editing a project; double click on a part in the library panel to open it without closing the current project.

Renaming Pad/Pin named

You can now rename pads in schematics/symbols by selecting the terminal and changing the name in the properties panel.

User Interface

New text editor with auto vertical scroll-bars for terminal names etc.

Note Boxes

Optional auto-size

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Symbol Reference Selector

You can now select from many standard prefixes.

Several Bug Fixes

Including wrong prefixes for some parametric part types.

Sunday 19 September 2021

Note-Box

•optionally auto-size to enclose text.

Editor Dialog Boxes

•Updated tool-tips for editors.

•Fixed some layouts.

Object Manipulators

If the selected object is displayed small on the screen, then manipulators are simplified. This make it easier to move objects.

Simplified manipulators for smaller objects. Zoom in will show full set of manipulators.

Special Character Selector for Text Editors

Sunday 12 September 2021

•Default snap to object profiles is on.

•New Part Dialog – symbol and footprint view now not read only.

•Fix for description for designator not showing.

•Save-As dialog now has default name set.

•Library panel icon view updated after save.

•Part Wizard maximized on first start-up

•Improvements to New Part dialog - removed duplicate type and prefix editor in symbol builder.

•Fixed size of top buttons in Part Builder.

•The courtyard and placement point are both visible on new parts.

Saturday 11 September 2021

Part Builder

You can now change part types and all their parameters in the Part Builder for projects as well as parts.

For instance you can easily change from a 16 pin DIP to an 18 pin SOIC in-place in a project.

Friday 10 September 2021

Part Type Prefix Selector

Improved Text Size in 3D

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•Several Bug Fixes

•Several User Interface Layout Fixes

Saturday 4 September 2021

More Parametric Parts

Wednesday 1 September 2021

AutoRepeat

You can now double click on Addxxx to auto-repeat adding.

Tantalum Parameteric Chip Capacitors

August

Monday 30 August 2021

New Chip Parameters Editor

This will be extended to cover all parametric parts in the coming month.

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Fully Interactive 3D editing

Moving and scaling in either the 2D PCB view or the 3D immediately update in both.

Optional Automatic Silkscreen Generation

As you add and move/scale pads, the silkscreen automatically position itself inside the pads (optional), else outside the pads.

Wednesday 18 August 2021

Create New Part Dialog

When you create a new part you will see the dialog below.

1.Select the part type

oSet the parametric parameters such as pad pitch, and pad count.

oSet pad sizes, shapes

oSelect the package material

oSet the name

oSet the reference prefix

Click

This will get you most of the way there.

1.set the symbol terminal names

2.Save and use.

•Loads of fixes for parametric parts.

Sunday 15 August 2021

1.3D Zoom Extent improved.

2.Courtyards and placement points hidden by default.

Header Parametric Part

Now split into:

•Male Header

•Female Header

•Boxed Connector

•XT Connector

Parametric Part Selector

Updated for new connector types.

XH Angled Parametric Connectors

•Wednesday 11 August 2021

•Solder and pads now not shown for parts off-board.

•Moving or rotating grouped entities in the 3D viewport moves all in the group.

•Moving or rotating footprints in the 3D viewport moves all in the footprint. Sub-items now not individually selected.

•Several bug fixes.

Monday 9 August 2021

XH Parametric Connectors

XH Parametric Part

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Sunday 8 August 2021

3D transformations

•Fix for translation, scale, and rotation of imported models in footprints that have been rotated.

Model Transform Manipulators

Saturday 7 August 2021

DIP Switch Array and DIP LED array

Type Selection

Optional for Parametric DIP to be:

Standard DIP

LED Array

Switch Array

Friday 6 August 2021

Melf Parametric Parts

Optional colors codes for resistor values.

Melf with Resistor Color Codes

Thursday 5 August 2021

Parametric Headers

Male Header

Female Header

Boxed Header

Side Facing Boxed Header

Tuesday 3 August 2021

Silkscreens

You can now optionally lock silkscreens to the courtyard or the bounding area of the footprint's pads.

Locked to Courtyard

Locked to Pads

Monday 2 August 2021

Headers

Left and right block headers

Left

Right

Left and right angled block headers

Left

Right

Sunday 1 August 2021

Block Headers

Correct size.

Boxed Header

PCB Pad Hole Manipulator

You can now resize PCB pad hole by dragging on the corners or sides of its manipulator.

Pad Manipulators

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Polygon Pad Manipulators with Slotted Hole

July

Saturday 31 July 2021

PCB Hole Manipulator

You can now resize PCB holes by dragging on the corners or sides of its manipulator.

PCB Hole and Manipulator

Via Manipulator

You can now resize via diameters and their hole sizes by dragging on the corners or sides of its manipulator.

Via and Manipulators

Wednesday 28 July 2021

Improved Parts Catalog

•New more compact silkscreens.

•SOT223 supported.

Improved Parametric Part Silkscreens

•More compact silkscreens. This will make part placement easier and more compact.

DIP

MELF

Quad

Tuesday 27 July 2021

New IDC Connector Parametric Part

This is a variant of a header parametric part.

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Saturday 24 July 2021

New Parts Catalog

Over 50,000 parts! All with automatic 3D generation.

Gerber File and Ucamco

•Fix for Gerber output where Ucamco software expects light to be turned on after each aperture change.

•Friday 23 July 2021

Updated Parts Catalog

Tuesday 20 July 2021

PCB Footprints

•Fix for some lines in Eagle libraries imported as a rectangle.

•Fix for symbol reference and footprint reference editors not updating correctly.

Sunday 18 July 2021

Automatic Parametric Symbols

You can now automatically generate symbols for the following parametric parts:

•Axial

•Block

•Radial

•SOD323

•CHIP

•DISC

•Crystal

•LED

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All the rest can have the following:

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Saturday 17 July 2021

MELF Parametric Part

You have 3 types. Standard, Mini and Micro.

Symbol automatically generated.

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MELF Parameter Editor

Wednesday 14 July 2021

MELF Parametric Part

Added new MELF parametric part. Currently it is a Mini-MELF but I will add other types soon.

Mini-MELF

Monday 12 July 2021

Quad Parametric Package Silkscreen

Now draws corners. Works well with a center pad.

Friday 9 July 2021

Eagle Library Import

Improved conversion to parametric parts.

Wednesday 7 July 2021

Classic Drop-down menu

All menu items and toolbar items now have tool-tips.

Tooltip

Fixed problems with hiding/showing docking Panels.

June

Saturday 26 June 2021

Classic Drop-down menu

Improved appearance and extra drop-down top menus added - Schematic, PCB, Symbol and Footprints to match the Ribbon menu. See more...

Thursday 24 June 2021

Ribbon Menu Changes

Order of top ribbon names changed. This is to keep common menus on the left. Classic drop-down menus ordered similarly.

Previous Layout

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New Layout for Schematics

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New Layout for PCBs

Wednesday 9 June 2021

Headers

Female header pins can now extend below the base of the PCB; for example in Aurduino shields.

Sunday 6 June 2021

Copper Pour

Faster loading and drawing for PCB with complex copper pours.

May

Thursday 20 May 2021

•Internal admin. improvements and code optimization.

•Some UI updates e.g.

Group Box Text and Icon Changes

Wednesday 5 May 2021

PCB Footprints

Parts (footprints) placed on the bottom of a PCB are correctly positioned if you change the PCB thickness.

PCB 3D Objects such as Boxes, Spheres, Cylinders etc. in Footprints

Fix for these objects remaining on top when the footprint is switched to the bottom side.

Sunday 2 May 2021

PCB Design Rule Checker

Fix for not picking up errors for some tracks being too close.

Improved checks for rounded tracks.

April

Thursday 22 April 2021

Thermal Relief

Fix for thermal relief errors.

Wednesday 21 April 2021

Mantis Bug Reporter

The Mantis Bug Reporter has been improved (internally) making it faster and more reliable. Data sent compressed and encrypted. It is more secure and your projects are not kept in the server's database.

Sunday 18 April 2021

New User Forum

The forum has now moved to https: //forum.dexpcb.com/

To join click here: https://dexpcb.com/Account/RequestForumMembership

Thursday 15 April 2021

Library Panel : Parts Catalog

Faster update from DEX web services.

Tuesday 13 April 2021

Library Panel : Parts and Designs

Faster update from DEX web services.

Thursday 8 April 2021

Website

Updated new web services.

Saturday 3 April 2021

Software License

Updated web services for software license. Sometimes it would not retrieve the license; now fixed.

March

Saturday 27 March 2021

ELECTRA

The Electra router settings panel tab now displays even if DEX cannot find Electra. You can enter the location manually.

Friday 19 March 2021

Website Moved

The website hosting is now provided by interServer.net

The website response is faster - though it was fast before.

However, due to a change in the web services, older versions of DEX may not detect new versions. If your version is older than Version 2021.3.22 then you may need to do a one off download direct from here.

Monday 15 March 2021

•Improved Measure Distance tool. You can now:

o drag to start and release to finish or

oClick to start, drag the mouse and click again to end.

•Setting the current layer did not update the ribbon menu - fixed.

•Fix for simple straight lines placed on copper layers inside footprints not generating correct 3D model.

•Copy and pasting symbols: the footprint are now placed around the border - they were place on the top of the original footprints.

•No solder mask areas drawn solid black - fixed.

•No solder mask areas for SMT pads drawn solid black - fixed.

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Sunday 14 March 2021

Checklist Panel

New Parts and Connections checklists.

The Parts Checklist

The Connections Checklist

Wednesday 10 March 2021

Hide Unrouted

•Improved behaviour.

•Setting now saved and restored with the project. Default if off.

Tuesday 9 March 2021

Hide Unrouted

When manually routing a PCB, it often difficult to find a path because the un-routed track segments from other nets obscure you vision; You cannot 'see the wood for the trees'. This video on the right shows you how DEX solves this problem by using auto-dimming and auto-hiding.

If the button is checked and a net/track has been chosen, then all unrouted track segments on all nets are hidden except for the chosen net/track.

You can chose a net/track by:

•Clicking on the net in the viewport or

•Click on the net’s row in the Route Panel.

If unchecked the all unrouted track segments will be visible if no net/track is selected.

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