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Using the Quick Start Guide
Getting Started and Creating/Editing Geometry Projects
The Quick Start Guide ( QSG) appears when you open the project editor or select Help => Quick Start Guide from the project editor main menu. This guide provides step by step directions in how to create a circuit geometry in the project editor, including how to import a GDSII or DXF file. The Quick Start Guide keeps track of which steps have been done allowing you to use the guide as a task list as well as an instructor.
The Quick Start Guide has two modes: File Import or Manual Creation. You must select the mode in which you wish to use the Quick Start Guide in the initial Quick Start dialog box. If you wish to import a DXF, GDSII, Gerber or ODB++ file(s), click on the Import Layout radio button. If you wish to manually enter a circuit in the project editor, click on the Draw manually in Sonnet radio button. The appropriate set of steps for your choice appears next.
The illustration to the left shows the QSG when
the import mode has been selected. Clicking on the step itself displays
a brief set of instructions for completing that particular step. Once
you have completed a step a green check mark appears next to the step.
The steps do not need to be executed in order but if you skip over a required
step in creating your project a red ''x'' appears next to the step as
a reminder that the step has not been completed. If you skip over an optional
step (indicated by an asterisk) the space is left empty. If you wish more
detailed information about how to complete a step, click on the question
mark to the right of the step. You may also click on the Help button at
the bottom of the brief description for detailed help on the step. This
takes you to the appropriate help topics. If you wish to change the mode
of the QSG from manual to import or import to
manual, click on the Switch Guide Type. If you no longer wish to
have the QSG appear when you create a new project,
click on the Don't show me Quick Start Guide checkbox. This disables
the QSG for all projects. It is still possible
to open the QSG by selecting Help => Quick
Start Guide from the project editor main menu. If you wish to enable
the Quick Start Guide for all geometry projects again, use the Hints tab in the Preferences
dialog box. The state of the QSG, including
which steps have been completed or skipped is saved when you save your
project file.
For a list of the Sonnet tutorials, click here.