UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH

PROTEUS SOFTWARE PACKAGE

This package splits into three parts very conveniently namely: ISIS Intelligent Schematic Input System - for drawing circuit diagrams etc.
ARES Advanced Routing and Editing Software - for producing pcb layout drawings.
LISA Labcenter Integrated Simulation Architecture - for simulation of circuit diagram. Separate handout.
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
Aims To present the necessary features of this package to enable the layout of a printed circuit board.
Objectives Log on by entering student number and at the end of this exercise, the student should be able to: Page Reference
Format a floppy disk
1
Save design to floppy disk or hard drive
1
Draw schematic diagram using ISIS
2
Component selection, placement and Drawing Lines
2
Label components and lines and use of Instant Edit facility
2
Power Lines and labelling
3
Presentation of work using Header and Border
3
PCB Layout using ARES, making a Netlist
3
Package Selector
4
Board Outline and Label
4
Placing Components, Design Rules and Track Strategies
5
Arranging components, Ratsnest and Force Vectors
5
Laying, Deleting and Modifying Tracks. Also links
6
Links and Design Rule Check
6
Printing, Layout Example, Earth Plane and Component Design
7
Exporting diagram to Microsoft Word
8
Icon charts
9/10
FORMATTING 720k or 1.4M DISK
'Click left' twice on My Computer on the desk top screen.
'Click left and then right' on '3 1/2 Floppy' icon.
'Click left' on Format.
Select 'Capacity' either 720k or 1.4MB disk.
'Click left' on Start, now formatting A. Wait until lower window fills and Format Complete
appears.

'Click left' on OK and then close My Computer screen.

GETTING STARTED
From Desk Top in Windows, Click left twice on SECEE Applications.
Click left twice on icon 'ISIS'
Click left on 'full screen' icon in top right hand corner of screen, middle button, to enlarge display.
SAVING A FILE IN ISIS
Saving to (E:) drive on hard disk:
Select 'File - Save Design As' and select drive/directory E:cadwork
Delete 'untitled' and insert 'file name'.
'Click left' on 'Save'. This saves your work in E:cadwork.
REMEMBER to save work regularly while working i.e. 'click left ' on File - Save Design or press
'S' on keyboard. Also remember to save your design onto a floppy disk at the end of each session
in drive (A:) and also save to your (U:) drive. One copy being a back-up for the other.
Saving to floppy disk in (A:) drive.
Select
'File - Save Design As'
Select '3 1/2 Floppy (A:) and type in 'file name'.
Click left on 'Save' or press 'Return or Enter' (Saves 'file' on floppy disk)
NOTE: that ALL files are removed from E:cadwork at daily switch on.

DRAWING SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM IN ISIS

New Design - Blank Screen.
Press 'G' on keyboard for option of a grid or blank screen.
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UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH
At the top of the screen are 'pull down' menus, click left to display and also to close.
To the right are three windows, namely from the top, 'Overview', 'Icon' and 'Object'.
Beneath these windows are the X - Y co-ordinates in thousandths of an inch and to the bottom
left hand side is the cursor option display.
COMPONENTS

left

The components selected below are for a simple binary adder circuit.
Make sure icons Main Placement Mode and Component are selected.
To select components 'click left' on 'P' in 'Object Window', now displaying DEVICES.
'Click left' on heading under 'Libraries', EA_DEV using scroll arrows.
"
" twice on 74LS02, 74LS04 and Pin or select and press 'Enter'.
"
"
"
in top left hand corner.
Selected components are now in Object window, the last item selected being highlighted.
This component is displayed in the Overview window.
Orientation of this component depends on orientation of 'blue' arrow i.e. the 'Rotate' icon, click
or right on it to rotate component.
Position mouse pointer on screen and 'click left'. Component selected appears on the screen.
Components, once placed, may be: Moved
Rotated
Deleted
Labelled

-click right on component to 'tag' it and 'drag' ( i.e. hold down left hand mouse
button and move ) component to required location and release button.
Click right in a clear area of the screen to 'untag' it.
-'tag' component , turn 'Rotate' icon as required and 'untag'.
-'tag' component and click right, i.e. click right twice on component.
-'tag' component and click left on component. See section labelling circuit.

DRAWING LINES
Make sure icons Main Placement Mode and Component are selected for drawing circuit diagram.
Position all components. To join up circuit components place pointer near tip of component
terminal. Notice a 'x' appears. 'Click left', move pointer to next terminal tip, a line follows the
pointer and 'clicking left' joins the two terminals together. Complete the circuit diagram.
Lines may be routed manually by clicking left at each change of direction. Sloping lines should not be
drawn.

untag.

Lines may be moved by positioning pointer near line, 'click right' to 'tag' and 'drag' line to new
location, by dragging middle first and then ends. Click right in a clear area of the screen to
Connected components may be moved also, all lines being routed automatically.

BLOCK COMMANDS

hand

A group of components may be copied, moved or deleted by selecting them and using the
appropriate Block Command Icon. To select the components simply place pointer at top left
corner and holding the right mouse button down drag to bottom right hand corner.
Note: - The U key on the keyboard will undo the last command made.

LABELLING CIRCUIT
Each component requires three labels namely reference, value and package (or footprint).
To label a component 'tag it' and then 'click left'. Enter reference and value and
under Properties confirm that package is correct i.e. {Package = Pin}. Some examples
follow: 14C3
8
Reference
JA
R1
U1:D
Value
PIN
27k
10n
74LS04
Package
PIN
RES40
CAP20C
DIL14
Package information is automatically included but may be changed as required.
Value information is sometimes correct but will need changing for resistors, capacitors etc.
D in order of placement.
C
Reference - use 'Tools - Annotate', but note components numbered

Note gates from the same integrated circuit package mustAhave the same U number and
A
B
labelled similarly to the following example for a quad, two-input
NOR gate, namely
74LS02
2
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UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH
U1:A, U1:B, U1:C & U1:D

74LS02
Once labelled the gates assume their correct
pin numbers. This information is available
by selecting [7402] from the object window.
INSTANT EDIT
Components may also be labelled using the 'Instant Edit' icon by simply clicking left on each
component in turn.
LINES
Lines may be labelled by selecting icon LBL and tagging or clicking left on the line. A box appears
to type the string ( label) in and may be rotated or justified to suit. This string may be tagged and
moved just like a component.
POWER LINES
Connect all ground points to the 'Ground' symbol, labelled 'GND'.
Connect all VCC points to the 'Power' symbol, labelled 'VCC'.
These symbols are found in 'Gadgets Placement Mode' and selecting the 'Terminals' icon.
HEADER
Select icons '2D Graphics Placement Mode' & 'Symbol'.
Click left on 'P' of Object window.
Click left on 'UOPHEADER' in library USERSYM.
Click left twice in top left hand corner, to exit.
Move pointer to screen and 'click left' to display the blue header.
This may be moved by tagging outline and dragging to required position. Click right in a clear area
of
the screen to untag it.
To complete header use pull down menu Design and select
Edit Design Properties and then
Edit Sheet Properties.
Pressing key R on the keyboard inserts this information into header.
BORDER
Select icon '2D Graphics Placement Mode'.
Select Box icon and 2D GRAPHIC from object window.
Position mouse pointer to the top left of overall work and drag to bottom right corner.
The border should be positioned symmetrically around your work.

ARES

P.C.B.

PACKAGE

After labelling and saving design 'click left' on

to go to track layout mode.

'Tools - Netlist To ARES'

Note: if there is an error in your circuit, i.e. two components labelled the same, then an error
message appears indicating a duplicate part. Close screen and modify diagram accordingly.
SCREEN DESCRIPTION
There is a row of pull down menu's at the top of the screen. Click left to view and also to close.
The overview window at the top right shows the whole layout. The area displayed on the screen is
achieved by 'clicking left' in this window.
Below this window is the toolbox comprising four rows of 'icons' the third row has three mode
select icons, which provides an alternative selection of icons in the two top rows.

UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH
The lower or object window is presently displaying the components. Its contents vary with
which 'icon' is high lighted.
At the bottom of the screen is the Layer and Mask Selector, which changes with which icon is
selected. Pressing the space bar toggles between top and bottom layers. Use Bottom Copper for
single sided boards, all tracks will then be in blue.
To the right are the co-ordinates indicating the position of the mouse pointer from the centre of the
screen. These readings can represent thousandth of an inch or mm's by simply toggling the 'M' key.
Pressing the 'O' key sets a false origin and the co-ordinates are displayed in magenta as a
cautionary warning.
PACKAGE SELECTOR

NB.

Not necessary to do this section if you have just selected

'Tools - Netlist To ARES' in ISIS.

If the component Packages or Footprints have not been defined in ISIS then they will need to be
entered before laying out circuit.
Package Selector panel is displayed.
Select required library, e.g. 'APKG'.
Find the correct package for the part displayed and click left on it.
'Click left' on 'OK' or press 'Enter' on keyboard.
Repeat as necessary.

click.

NO ISIS DRAWING To lay out a board without an ISIS Drawing, select Package icon and
click left on P in object
window. Select packages from selected library with a double left

BOARD OUTLINE USING SYMBOL

clear

Select icons '2D Graphics Placement Mode' & 'Symbol'.

Select 'Board Edge' from the layer palette.
Click left on 'P' of Object window.
Click left on 'USERSYM'.
Click left on 'HLFADDBOL', e.g. for simple binary adder circuit.
Click left twice in top left hand corner to close screen.
Select F7 zoom key. Zoom keys are listed under pull down menu Display.
Move pointer to centre of screen and 'click left' to display a yellow board outline.
This outline may be moved by tagging outline and dragging to required position. Click right in a
area of the screen to untag it.

BOARD OUTLINE OF YOUR CHOICE

outline.

To place your own board size simply select 2D Graphics Placement Mode and Box icons, with
Board Edge selected in the layer palette. Place pointer in required position and press the O
key
to set false origin and drag mouse to required size. De-select false origin. Board has a yellow

LABEL BOARD
Select '2D Graphics Placement Mode' and 'Text' icons and Board Edge from the layer
palette.
Position pointer inside board outline. Click left.
Select 'Caps Lock' on keyboard.
Type in your 'Name/Course/Group' in 'String' box.
Select 'OK'
Legend is in yellow, tag it and select 'Mirror' icon, 'drag' to correct location and click right
outside board outline. De-select 'Mirror' icon. Do not put components over this legend.
Legend is back to front, which will be the correct way round when looking at the copper side of the
board.
PLACING COMPONENTS
Select 'Display - Snap 50th' or function key (F4) for laying out components or moving them later
on.
Click left on icons 'Place/Route mode' and Component. All components are now listed in
'Object Window'. Select a component, which is then displayed in the Overview window and may
be rotated. 'Click left' inside yellow board outline. Repeat for other components placing
them
roughly in position. They may be moved later, see section 'Arranging Components'
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UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH
WARNING the 'Mirror' icon must not be selected (i.e. an 'X' or Y, in icon) while
placing components. The package outlines should be cyan not violet.
DESIGN RULES
Select 'System - Set Design Rules'
Check the following dimensions (set if necessary)
Pad - Pad
15
Pad - Track
10
Track - Track
13
leave others as set.
'Click left' on 'OK' or press 'Enter' key.
Select 'System - Save Preferences'.
STRATEGIES
Select 'System - Set Strategies' and with 'Power' selected.
At Pass 1 (Hor) change to Bottom Copper for single sided printed circuit board when using auto
routing facility.
At Trace Style change DEFAULT to say T40 for track width of 0.04", or select as required.
Select 'Signal'.
At Pass 1 (Hor) change to Bottom Copper. Leave Trace Style set to DEFAULT.
Click left on 'OK'.
Select 'System - Save Preferences'.
ARRANGING COMPONENTS
All circuit connections are now made in thin green lines termed a 'ratsnest' and yellow force
vectors are present.
The ratsnest is auto-minimising, i.e. as components are moved the ratsnest will take the newest
shortest route available. The ratsnest shows only the connections that have to be made, and not the route that
the tracks have to take.
its

Force Vectors (yellow arrows) also appear, from the centre point of a component to the place where
total current ratsnest length is the shortest. Optimising the force vectors should help to optimise the
layout!
Force vectors may be turned off by clicking left on the bar at the bottom of the screen. A chart titled
Displayed Layers appears, simply de-select the tick against the label vector. Reverse this
procedure to turn them on again.
Click left on icons 'Place/Route Mode' and 'Component'.
Components may be moved to give the preferred layout.
To move a component simply tag and drag it to new location and untag it. To tag component it is
necessary to click left on its 'outline'.
To move a 'group of components' position pointer at top right corner of group, and hold down right
button'. Move pointer to bottom left hand corner and release, this encapsulates the packages with a
blue line. 'Click left' on 'Block Move' icon and then move components to new location, 'click left'.
Click right' in clear area of screen to 'untag' it.
Block Copy and Block Delete commands are used in a similar manner.
In future exercises, to help to 'untangle' the ratsnest, the gates may be relabelled. If so
select 'Alt - Tab' and in Isis 'Re-label', 'Save Design' and select 'Tools - Netlist To Ares', not
'Alt - Tab'. Try investigating Tools - Gateswap Optimizer.

LAYING TRACK

(Bottom Copper for single sided boards)

Select 'Display Snap 25th' i.e. (F3) for laying track.

Select icons 'Place/Route Mode' and 'Trace'.

now

This paragraph covers the course exercise but still covers the principles involved.
'Click left' on Pad 14 of U2 and move to Pin J1. Click left' again. Blue track ( 40th wide) is
laid between the two points.
Note: Green line goes from U2/14 to U1/14 and may pass through other pins, depending on your
layout, but is not connected to them. When laying track use circuit diagram to note correct
connections. If you make an error, the system flashes up a message and prompts if you wish to abort
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UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH
route entry. You cannot proceed until you do. Draw this track using a combination of diagonal and
straight lines, 'clicking left' after each portion of track.
If the Design Rules are not adhered to then a message appears at bottom of screen. It is then your
choice to change the last track placed.
SAVE DESIGN EVERY 10 MINUTES.
Complete the track laying exercise. Components may be moved to enable this to be achieved.
DELETING TRACKS
Blue tracks
Select icons 'Place/Route Mode' and 'Trace' and choose 'Bottom Copper' layer.
Position mouse pointer on track and click right three times.
Red tracks
Select icons 'Place/Route Mode' and 'Trace' and choose 'Top Copper' layer.
Similarly click right three times on track.
MODIFYING TRACKS
Select 'Bottom Copper' layer and icons 'Place/Route Mode' and 'Trace'.
Position mouse pointer on track and click right once only.
Blue track now appears as an outline. Position pointer on track at required place and click left.
Draw new portion of track and finally click left on the outline track again. Click right in a clear
area
of the screen.
LINKS
A link is a component and must be laid in a single straight line.
It is formed initially by clicking left twice in the same position. A via is created at that point.
Move the mouse horizontally or vertically to other end of link and again click left twice.
A red track is drawn between the two vias representing the link.
on

If a Via is accidentally formed it may be deleted by selecting the icon 'Via' and clicking right twice
the via, or drawing a green box around it by dragging the right mouse button and selecting the 'Block
Delete' command.
NB.

A link is normally 0.04 to 0.06 long i.e. quite short.

DESIGN RULE CHECK

SAVE YOUR DESIGN
Position track layout on the screen.
Select Tools - Design Rule Checker.
Select OK on the next screen.
The number of violations are printed at the bottom of the screen and are indicated by orange
circles on the layout.
Position pointer on a circle and press either F5 or F6 zoom keys to evaluate the problem.
Correct all violations before using the 'R' (Regen) key as this command clears the orange
circles.
Apply the Design Rule Check again and if no violations SAVE YOUR DESIGN.
BACK-UP DISK
When the design represents many hours of work it is advisable to save it on two separate
disks. When submitting a disk for pcb manufacture please have both ISIS and ARES
layouts on that disk.

Save your design to your (U:) drive now! It makes sense.

PRINTING
Set area to be printed by using Output Set Area and click left on print.
Select bottom copper and top silk for single sided board. The size of print may be
enlarged. To remove set area press R on keyboard.
ARES LAYOUT
Below is a possible layout showing how many tracks may pass under a DIL14
integrated circuit
socket.
Signal track i.e. 15th wide (0.015 - default width) may pass between
two adjacent vias.
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UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH
Power track greater than 15th wide must not be placed between
adjacent vias as the track width is reduced, i.e. necking or thinning
occurs, thus reducing the current carrying capacity of the track.

EARTH PLANE
To place an earth plane around the track layout click left on icon zone and
using the left mouse button drag the area out to be so covered. A chart appears titled
EDIT ZONE and select under the
following headings:- Net:
GND=POWER
Layer:
Bottom copper
Boundary:
Relief
Relief:
T65 or power trace width
Type:
Solid or Hatched as desired
Clearance:
40th or as desired
To remove earth plane click right twice on the edge of this plane with Bottom
Copper selected.
DESIGNING COMPONENTS
In the following years here in the University it may be necessary for you to use a
component not listed in
the current libraries.
John Eastment room 6 Smb, Project Lab. has written a document for this, ref.
file: TECHGEN4.DOC
IMPORTING AN ISIS OR ARES FILE INTO A MICROSOFT WORD FILE
ISIS file
Load ISIS file onto screen, and set area using File Set Area
Select File - Export Graphics.
Select Export Metafile ( Windows WMF type file ).
Choose Horizontal or Vertical mode.
Click left on OK. Drawing is now stored on the Clip Board.
Open the required Microsoft Word file ready for pasting diagram.
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UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH
Paste in ISIS drawing and click left twice on it to size it.
Pull frame lines into drawing by using double arrows in the top and side rulers. Close screen.
Click left on drawing and drag to size using a corner double arrow. The corner is used so as to keep
the required aspect ratio.
Click right on drawing and select Frame Picture.
Position frame by finding the four arrow icon, near drawing, and drag mouse holding left button
down.
Click right on drawing and select Format Frame.
Select

Text Wrapping
Size

None or Around.
Width Auto and Height Auto and close screen.

ARES file
Load ARES file onto screen, and set area using Output Set Area
Select Output - Export Metafile.
Select Bottom Copper and Top Silk etc.
Choose Horizontal or Vertical mode.
Click left on OK. Drawing is now stored on the Clip Board.
Open the required Microsoft Word file ready for pasting diagram.
Insert a Frame in the space reserved for this drawing found from pull down menu Insert.
If the drawing requires sizing use method as for ISIS above/
Place cursor in frame and select Paste.
To shrink or expand this drawing click left in frame and drag the frame corner to the required size.
The corner is used so as to keep the required aspect ratio.

Prepared by Dave Lockwood

University of Plymouth
Smeaton
Proteus versions 4.12 (ISIS and ARES)
Word\Documents\Doc6\Ea\proteus99

Engineering Applications Lab.

D:\Microsoft

Room 304 Smeaton

Office Room 317