I keep running backups.

We do run library expert using an FPX that is in a network folder location

We've seen this happen many times.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Carl Goldenbusky 

Electrical CAD Manager 

Banner Engineering

Everyone else creates unique FPX files on their local computer but everyone has Read access to the Master so you can search and see what you have and don't have. 

When a user adds parts to their local FPX file, they forward it the the master librarian to import into the Master. 

The import process will not allow duplication of Part Numbers unless the master librarian allows it. 

You cannot have multiple users simultaneously updating a single master FPX file on a server. This causes multiple problems. 

We typically only use this to have the one master librarian of the day create the geometry.

Then the librarians download the file as the HKP to the network working library to create the footprint and then the "cell Drawing"

We should in theory only have one person writing at any one time TO the fpx..

We have a multinational corporation, with 9 pcb designers making parts and 5 Master Librarians (1 per day) setting up the footprints, reviewing the parts and cells and then approving the final outputs before they move into the released library.

A network folder is the only way this works for us.

I appreciate the feedback.. and will push to have my team limit their access in down times to eliminate the unknowns.

Carl Goldenbusky

Electrical CAD Manager 

Banner Engineering

Eventually, all those unique FPX files must be available to the Master Librarian who oversees the updating of the Master FPX file. 

You can have multiple Master Librarians who update the Master FPX file round the clock, but they must synchronize on who owns the Master FPX file at any given time. 

Also, many companies support multiple Master FPX files broken up by family, mounting type, discretes, semiconductors, connectors, etc. because the FPX file size limit is around 10,000 entries. We have FPX files that are 100,000 parts each. The only issue is that when you add a new part to a large FPX file, the software performs a check routine for duplicate part numbers. This may take a couple minutes for one part, but if your importing 100 parts into a 20,000 part FPX file, the import process may take up to 5 minutes. The user is unaware that the program is paused due to this checking process and opt to end the task. 

Note: V2020 will be released Sunday 8/2/20 and it is the last release of that generation software. V2021 will be released in September with an entirely new FPX file format that has twice as much data because we're adding schematic symbols for the new Symbol Expert program and custom 3D STEP models. The new data columns will be there, but you don't have to use them. 

If you use POD for free parts, the new PCBPOD.com website turns on in September and will only deliver V2021 FPX file format. PCBPOD.com allows the user to select (from a menu) the pieces you need to download for symbols, footprints and 3D models.