December
Saturday 31 December 2022
Footprint Part Values
Fix for vastly out of place part types.
New Parts
Default 'custom' part type set for footprints.
Project and Part Files
Reduced size.
Monday 26 December 2022
Internal Data Checks
Improved internal checks for project data consistency and self repair.
Monday 19 December 2022
Code Optimization
Source code optimized. Excess code removed.
November
Sunday 27 November 2022
Help Website
The help website has been updated.
Thursday 24 November 2022
DRC Errors
•Fix for the Design Rule Checker using the wrong track width for rounded tracks.
•Sunday 20 November 2022
Cannot Delete Message
More informative message if cannot delete selected.
Strict Design
Non-Strict Design
Saturday 19 November 2022
Repair Button
New repair button to check and fix internal data inconsistencies. The fix can be undone/redone using the Undo/Redo buttons.
Wednesday 16 November 2022
Bug Fixes
•Fix for changing parametric part type, the symbol is not always viewed in full.
•Fix for footprint type values in parts loaded from the Parts Catalog being in the wrong position.
Thursday 10 November 2022
Website Moved
Website moved from dexpcb.com to dexpcb.com
Sunday 6 November 2022
Bug Fixes
•Fix for unconnected copper pour areas sometime being wrong.
•Fix for 3D WRL import sometimes rejecting files.
Tuesday 1 November 2022
Bug Fixes
•Fix for footprint reference text updated incorrectly when changing parametric parts in projects.
•Fix for rebuild terminal magnet zooming out when the terminal magnet is rebuilt.
•Fix for pad number for TO-3xx and SOT-23x.
•SOT-23x now shows pin 1 marker in 2D.
•Auto-size footprint part value text.
October
Sunday 30 October 2022
2/4/8 and 15 Pin TO-3
This video shows you how to set a symbol terminal names from a datasheet. This can save you a lot of time when you are creating custom parts. Once mastered, this technique will save you time and money.
PCB
3D View From Bottom
Tuesday 25 October 2022
Monday 24 October 2022
New SIP Parametric Part
Sunday 23 October 2022
Improved Navigation Panel
When you select a part, the relevant viewport will optionally auto zoom to display the selected part. If auto zoom is not checked, the selected part will flash so you can easily locate it.
In addition, if you are viewing the PCB in 3D, selecting a footprint or display a 3D manipulator so can easily see where the part is.
Using the Route Panel to quickly locate schematic nodes and PCB nets in your design
The route panel shows you many important statistics about your design: some of the most useful are the track length and the routing efficiency.
You can organise your nets by track length, and this will you decide which net to route next.
Improved Docking Panel Manager
Saturday 22 October 2022
All Wires Common to Node Highlighted in Red
In this example, the ground node is shown in red.
Thursday 20 October 2022
Docking and Floating Panels
All docked and floating panels now have minimum widths that prevent control clipping. This greatly improves usability.
Wednesday 19 October 2022
Properties Panel
The properties panel automatic resizing has been greatly improved so controls are not clipped.
Tuesday 18 October 2022
Popup Properties Panel
The popup properties panel automatic resizing has been greatly improved.
Sunday 16 October 2022
Fix for courtyard and footprint reference visibility being set on parametric part rebuild.
Saturday 15 October 2022
Numeric Input
Numeric coordinate input extended to all add-object commands. Previously some commands also featured line/segment length and angle input. Now, only adding angles guides uses angle input.
Tuesday 11 October 2022
New YouTube Handle
@DEXPCB
https: //www.youtube.com/@DEXPCB
Improved Indicators for Selected Nodes
Improved Indicators for Selected Terminals
Monday 10 October 2022
Sibling Parts
There is an easier way to create sibling part.
Ribbon Command
Context menu (right mouse click)
•Select the schematic symbol to create an identical symbol or
•Select symbols terminals to create a symbol with just those symbol terminals. The selected symbol terminals will be removed from the source symbol.
Window Select
In the part editor, window select will now select multiple symbol terminals.
Saturday 1 October 2022
Spreadsheets Sample Project
A sample spreadsheets project has been added. This contains several spreadsheets in single project.
September
Friday 30 September 2022
Hyperlink Button
You can now add hyperlink buttons to schematics, symbols, PCBs and footprints.
Click on the 
button
.
See DEX UNO sample.
Thursday 29 September 2022
DEX Design Contents
You have have the following data content in your project.
Projects
oSchematics
oPCB
oWord Compatible Text Documents
oExcel Compatible Spreadsheets
oAdobe PDF files
Parts
oSymbols
oFootprint
oWord Compatible Text Documents
oExcel Compatible Spreadsheets
oAdobe PDF files
Popup Project Dialog
You can now edit the project hierarchy in a popup menu.
Spreadsheets Inside DEX
You can now add spreadsheets to your design: both parts and project.
Wednesday 28 September 2022
Adobe PDF Sheets
Enhanced PDF Sheet display with layout improvements, annotations, and comments.
Annotations
You can now add highlights, strikethroughs, underlines and sticky notes. These are saved in your designs.
Comments
Sunday 25 September 2022
Bugs Fixes
Several internal bug fixes.
Sunday 4 September 2022
Option to Show Grid on Top
Normally the grid is drawn behind all objects except the PCB border.
Grid Showing Behind All Except the PCB
Now you have the option of having the grid drawn above all objects on the PCB.
Click on the small rectangle at the bottom right of the Snaps per Grid button a group and check/uncheck the Show Grid on Top check box.
Grid Showing on Top
Friday 2 September 2022
PCB Grid
Grid visibility improved when drawing filled PCBs.
Thursday 1 September 2022
Colored Background
Now if you set the page color, only the area outside the PCB is colored. The inside remains black or the PCB color if you set the PCB as filled. See the UNO sample.
Internal Auto-Router
More improvements to the internal router. This is experimental so do not use for production design.
Unoptimized routing of UNO sample.
Routed in 0.287 seconds!
August
Thursday 1 September 2022
Internal Auto-Router
Improved routing. This is experimental so do not use for production design.
Sample - routed in 122ms. Not optimized.
Thursday 25 August 2022
Internal Auto-Router
Internal auto-router now available for users with valid licenses. This is experimental and the result is not yet optimized; but it is a start. It is very fast and will form the basis of a follow me auto-router.
Result Not Optimized
Sunday 21 August 2022
Online Manual Moved
The online manual has moved to https: //manual.dexpcb.com
Wednesday 17 August 2022
Short Date Macro
A new short date macro is being added for text objects. Instead of a full date being displayed a shortened date will be displayed.
Saturday 6 August 2022
New Manual Layout
This manual has been extensively changed and reorganised. There has also been many corrections and improvements.
This is being done to enable you to use DEX get the full benefit.
There will also be many more changes over the next few days. The aim is to make this manual a comprehensive resource and reveal all the secrets hidden inside DEX, which are many and varied.
July
Saturday 30 July 2022
Improved dialog layouts in the Properties Panel.
Added thumb-wheel to set line widths in the Line Properties Editor.
Thursday 28 July 2022
Custom Line Style and Color for Symbol Terminals
Tuesday 19 July 2022
Manual Routing
Improved manual routing optimization.
Saturday 16 July 2022
Manual Routing
Fix for re-routing tracks. Sometimes optimization did not remove excess segments.
Saturday 2 July 2022
Selected Schematic Wires
Selected schematic wires now highlighted with light pink border. This allows the true color to also be displayed so that color changed made using the color panel show correctly.
Changing the wire color updates connected probes and the trace color in oscilloscopes.
June
Thursday 30 June 2022
Boxed Socket
Added extra parameters for Boxed Sockets.
 |
 |
Wednesday 22 June 2022
Snap to Objects
Greatly improved snap to objects.
Monday 20 June 2022
Copper Pour
Fix for rectangular pads connected to copper pour sometimes not fully connecting.
Sunday 19 June 2022
Imported 3D Models
Fix for imported 3D models in footprints placed on the rear of the PCB being incorrectly position in the 3D view. This did not affect Gerber output.
Saturday 18 June 2022
Strict Design
Strict Design is on by default in the DRC.
This stops you deleting footprints, tracks, etc. in the PCB that would affect the electrical integrity of the schematic. You should edit your design in the schematic.
The PCB is for layout and routing; not for changing electrical connectivity between parts.
However, if you insists on deleting things in the PCB then you can turn Strict Design on/off in the DRC Panel.
Tuesday 14 June 2022
Checklist Panel
Fix for edit cell losing focus when changing the terminal or pad name.
Monday 13 June 2022
Checklist Panel
The checklist panel will auto-zoom the PCB as well as the schematic when you select a connection.
This makes it easy to correlate schematic and PCB connections.
Thursday 9 June 2022
Bug - Yellow Pads
•Fix for yellow pads not showing when viewing from the bottom.
You can now select more than one track segment and unroute them.
Sunday 5 June 2022
Spice Advanced Model Tab
Added properties panel for all Spice model types. This allows you to enter comprehensive device model parameters for simulation.
Spice Simulation Videos
Coming soon, more videos on how to do device simulation.
Thursday 2 June 2022
Menu Commands
•Added buttons to the Status Bar to edit selected graphical enitites.
•Same for Graphics Add Menu
May
Saturday 29 May 2022
Eagle Board and Schematic Import
•Improved PCB border and cutouts.
•Improved schematics.
•Tuesday 24 May 2022
Bug / User Interface Fixes
•Editing some entities such as pads and curves did not update viewports even though the edited object was changed.
•Changing the color for top and bottom solder-masks did not work in the layers panel. However, It worked in the PCB border panel. So both methods are now OK.
Friday 20 May 2022
Eagle Import
•Now keeps original sikscreen patterns.
•3D models automatically created if part type recognized..
Wednesday 12 May 2022
Added Uncamco Reference Gerber Button
Added button in the Tools menu to display the Ucamco free online Gerber Viewer.
Ucamco, developer of the Gerber Format, now offers a free online Gerber Viewer.
Karel Tavernier brings an overview of the main features
Check out the Reference Gerber Viewer on https: //gerber-viewer.ucamco.com
Ucamco: Free Online Reference Gerber Viewer
April
Sunday 2 April 2022
Connecting Arc and Curves to Copper Pour
Added option in the properties panel for arcs and curves to connect then to bounding copper pour regions.
Friday 1 April 2022
Connecting Lines and Polylines to Copper Pour
Added option in the properties panel for lines and polylines to connect then to bounding copper pour regions.
Before Copper Pour Fill
After Copper Pour Fill
March
Friday 25 March 2022
Improved Graphics for Imported Eagle Parts
Wednesday 16 March 2022
Increased Transparency of 'Hidden' Symbol Terminal Names and Pin Names
Tuesday 15 March 2022
Improved Symbols in Eagle Library Import
Tuesday 1 March 2022
Dipped Tantalum Parametric Capacitor
•Variant of Disc Parametric part.
•
February
Saturday 26 February 2022
Design Rule Checker Panel
•Errors found are now grouped by error type. This makes it easier to view them.
Friday 25 February 2022
Design Rule Checker
•Added more extensive details to errors found.
•Added two buttons to turn on/off all checks. This makes it easier just to turn off all checks expect a single check such as unrouted tracks.
Thusday 24 February 2022
Forum
New user registration page. https: //forum.dexpcb.com/
Design Rule Checker
•Added design rule for pads assigned to power planes not connected to power plane.
•Added design rule for pads assigned to split-power planes not connected to split-power plane.
•Expanded erro listing giving more details.
Auto-Routing Pads to Power Planes
Routing Pads to Split-Power Planes
Hold down left mouse button over un-routed segment and drag track inside the split-power plane area.
Saturday 19 February 2022
New Community Page on YouTube
Convert/Edit Multiple Parametric Parts in Projects
You can now select one or more footprints in a projects and:
•Convert then all to another parametric footprint type e.g. from TPH axial resistors to SMT chip resistors.
•Edit any of the properties and all selected will be changed.
Monday 14 February 2022
3DConnection SpaceMouse Support
SpaceMouse
View 3DConnection Website
Wednesday 2 February 2022
Route Panel - Hiding Unselected Tracks
Seeing individual track routing more clearly.
Nets
Electrical properties.
3D Manipulator
Improved manipulators for translation, scaling and rotation.
Bug / User Interface Fixes
•3D Pad holes in copper pours fixed.
•3D track width fixed (wrong width in rare circumstances).
•Units buttons missing in some dialogs (microns and metres)
•Improved editor with scale.
•Improved rotator.
•Status bar optimized.
January
Friday 28 January 2022
Number Entry Controls
Rotary popup control added.
Click the 
button
Option to hide/show calculator and popup rotary value control buttons. Right click shows context menu.
Sunday 23 January 2022
Ground selector for Spice model
You can now assign a Spice terminal to ground.
Input for large/small numbers
You can now input numbers in scientific format. e.g. 1.23-e4
Popup rotary dial for varying large/small numbers.
Hold down the left mouse button shows popup rotation dial.
Wednesday 19 January 2022
Vias in Footprints
•Fixed incorrect 3D position of vias in rotated footprints.
Friday 14 January 2022
Eagle Library
The Eagle library importer has improved shape optimizer.
Friday 7 January 2022
.NET 4.8
The installer will download and install .NET 4.8 if needed. Windows 10 should already have .NET 4.8 installed.
It works on:
•Windows 7 SP1, 8.1 Update
•Windows 10 v1607-v1809
•Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, 2012, 2012 R2 Update, 2016, v1803-v1809, 2019
Thursday 6 January 2022
PCB Cutouts and Holes in 3D
You can now see the true effect of cutouts and holes in your PCB.
Note: This cutout will generate many DRC errors as tracks and pads are cut.
Tuesday 4 January 2022
PDF Export
•Fixed incorrect paragraph vertical position with empty lines at the start and/or at the end of the text entity.
•Fixed incorrect paragraph left and right alignment.
Monday 3 January 2022
Design Rule Checker
Fixed false positive error reporting un-routed track end when track ends on a track junction.
Eagle Part Import
Parts with embedded holes now position holes correctly.
Sunday 2 January 2022
Vias
Improved movement and editing of vias.
Moving Footprints
Fix for sometimes jagged movement of footprints when dragging.
Saturday 1 January 2022
Repeat Adding Resistor
Fix for bug when all resistors had terminals refering to pads in the first resistor.