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 General Issues
 Dual Screen Bug, Back Annotation
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edrees

United Kingdom
763 Posts

Posted - 21 Nov 2012 :  10:30:11  Show Profile  Visit edrees's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Running 15.0.7 in Dual screen mode, Windows7/64.
If changes are performed in PCB layout, Back Annotation does not work properly. "Delete Renames" and "OK" do nothing, if the back annotation has already been performed manually on the schematic, but "Forward Design Changes" from Schematic fails as it reports a do "Back Annotation" first! Deleting the "Back Annotation Rename Report.txt file doesn't help either. Re-starting in single screen mode enables the back annotation error to be subsequently corrected/deleted, then re-start in dual screen mode and all is OK.

Peter Johnson

United Kingdom
488 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2013 :  09:33:31  Show Profile  Visit Peter Johnson's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I don't know if this has been resolved in V15.0.8, but there's certainly been some work done on it in V16.

It's worth trying this immediately after the program has been started. The block seems to happen when other operations have been carried out first. OK, it's not ideal, because you still have to close and re-open, but if it works on your machine, it's less hassle than switching to single screen mode.
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Kieran Jefferies

Ireland
10 Posts

Posted - 07 Apr 2022 :  13:28:38  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Re-starting in single screen mode enables the back annotation error to be subsequently corrected/deleted, then re-start in dual screen mode and all is OK.

The above solution from edrees posted back in 2012 solved a back-annotation problem I encountered today with V25.02 where Back Annotation from PCB to Schematic was not working & Forward Design Changes from Schematic to PCB was not possible because of back annotation issue. Only for finding endrees solution, I was snookered! Thanks edrees
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edrees

United Kingdom
763 Posts

Posted - 07 Apr 2022 :  13:47:40  Show Profile  Visit edrees's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Over the years, I've found using two PC monitors (in extended mode) the best way to work.

You can, for example then have the schematic "full screen" on one monitor, whilst the pcb is "full screen" on the other with full interaction.

Alternatively, one Easy-PC Project on the Left monitor whilst another Easy-PC Project running on the right monitor, - all without problems and full cut and paste capability between Projects too. A much better solution than running in "Dual Screen Mode".
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Peter Johnson

United Kingdom
488 Posts

Posted - 07 Apr 2022 :  15:14:04  Show Profile  Visit Peter Johnson's Homepage  Reply with Quote
If two copies of the program were opened normally, any design open in one would be locked and couldn't be accessed by the other. In dual screen mode, a built-in Windows utility called 'pipes' is used to let the two instances communicate. Unfortunately this has proved flaky. The longer a session, the more likely the pipes are to stop working, preventing interactions between schematics and pcbs. A fairly reliable way to restart the function is [File], [Save All], though this isn't 100%. If that doesn't work, exiting and re-opening the program is the only thing that works.

Of course, as Ed has suggested, working in single screen mode but stretching across two monitors would avoid the issue, but brings its own disadvantages as tabbed designs only work with maximised windows which would defeat the point of having dual screens.
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Ampdoctor

United Kingdom
24 Posts

Posted - 08 Apr 2022 :  08:23:15  Show Profile  Visit Ampdoctor's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I've had occasional issues with this in a complex design. Program says to back annotate but then can't find the schematic.

I save all then close and reopen, and the situation seems to resolve itself.

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toni9999

United Kingdom
39 Posts

Posted - 25 May 2022 :  15:57:24  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
As Peter says this has been a bug/flaky feature for over a decade.
The only way it can be kept working is to save all then do a back annotation or forward design changes.

If you don't the connection will be lost and then you have to close the PCB and reopen it to allow it to work again
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