About CSV Files

CSV files are commonly used to transport large amounts of tabular data between either companies or applications that are not directly connected. The files are easily editable using common spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel.

This page provides information about the CSV file that can be associated, when importing and exporting, to take into account the original MCAD or ECAD environment.

Most of the time, the component position on the board and the associated part number have origin coordinates and references which are different depending on the environment taken into account (ECAD or MCAD).

To import or export data respecting the original environment, it is possible to use a CSV (comma delimited-like format) file when using the database. The default column separator used by Circuit Board Design for CSV files is the semi-colon ";".

A line in the CSV file is made up of a pair "keyword - value" separated by semi-colons.

The CSV file contains a positioning matrix maps the mechanical and electrical references: the matrix defines the translation on dx and dy as well as the rotation teta around dz axis to be applied to the database component.

Let's see an example: 

package name;resistor;part number;RES11;dx;10;dy;10;dz;0;teta;30;package
name;resistorElec;part number;RES11ELEC;
package name;PHONEJACK;part number;PN4;dx;15;dy;1;dz;0;teta;30;package
name;PHONEJACKELEC;part number;PN4ELEC;

package name;resistor: corresponds to the package number of the MCAD component.

part number;RES11: corresponds to the part number of the MCAD component.

dx;10: indicates a translation to the x axis direction.

dy;10: indicates a translation to the y axis direction.

dz;0: indicates a translation to the z axis direction.

teta;30: indicates a rotation around the z axis.

package name;resistorELEC: corresponds to the package number of the respective ECAD component.

part number;RES11ELEC: corresponds to the part number of the ECAD component.

The component references (part number and package number) can also be different and are stored in the CSV file.

Note: When a CSV file has been used for import, this option is stored in the temporary user settings. If you export the same data again, the Use a CSV file option will be selected in the Export dialog box.