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April 2015
This file contains important last-minute information about Circuit Design Suite 14.0 for Windows, including installation and compatibility issues.
Refer to Getting Started with NI Circuit Design Suite for information about getting started with Circuit Design Suite. You can access this PDF from Start»All Programs»National Instruments»Circuit Design Suite 14.0»Documentation»Circuit Design Suite 14.0 Getting Started.
You can also access this from the Multisim or Ultiboard Help menu.
Supported Platforms
Installing Circuit Design Suite 14.0
Product Security and Critical Updates
Known Issues
Bug Fixes
New Components
Circuit Design Suite 14.0 supports Windows 8.1/8/7/Vista 32-bit and 64-bit editions, Windows XP 32-bit edition, Windows Server 2003 R2 (32-bit) and Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit). Circuit Design Suite 14.0 does not support Windows 2000/NT/Me/98/95, Windows XP 64-bit edition, or the Windows Server non-R2 editions.
National Instruments Circuit Design Suite will drop support for Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 as of July 1, 2016. Versions of Circuit Design Suite that ship after July 1, 2016 will not install or run on Windows Vista, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003. For detailed information about Circuit Design Suite's product life cycle, visit NI Multisim OS Support and System Requirements. The information on this page applies to Multisim and Ultiboard.
Circuit Design Suite 14.0 installs side-by-side with previous versions of Circuit Design Suite.
National Instruments recommends that you regularly back up the files created within the Multisim and Ultiboard components of NI Circuit Design Suite. Additionally, you should back up internal files that store user-created data, such as databases. For more information about which files to backup and where to find them, refer to the Help.
Uninstalling Circuit Design Suite will not remove user data. For more information about the locations of user database and configuration files, refer to the Archiving Data Help topic.
National Instruments posts information about critical updates and security notifications on ni.com. Visit ni.com/info and enter Info Code updates to access this information.
You can automate the installation of most NI products using command-line arguments to suppress some or all of the installer user interface and dialog boxes. However, starting with the August 2012 releases (products using NI Installers version 3.1 or later), you may need to perform additional steps before or during an automatic installation of NI software.
If the NI product you are installing uses Microsoft .NET 4.0, the .NET installer may run before any NI software installs and may require a reboot before the installation of NI software begins. To avoid a .NET reboot, install .NET 4.0 separately before you install NI software.
For more information, refer to the following KnowledgeBase articles:
When you install National Instruments software on Microsoft Windows 8.x, you will notice a few additional tiles on the Start screen, including shortcuts to NI application software products.
NI Launcher helps you find and launch installed NI products. It provides you with a method of finding NI products similar to the Start menu in previous versions of Microsoft Windows. To use NI Launcher, click the NI Launcher tile on the Start screen. NI Launcher launches the desktop and opens a menu containing a list of NI products. Click any NI product to launch it.
For convenience, you can pin your most-used NI applications to either the Start screen or the Taskbar on the desktop, as necessary:
| Current Application | Icon Location | Pin to Action |
| Windows 8 Desktop | Desktop Taskbar | Right-click application and select Pin to Taskbar |
| Windows 8 Desktop | Start screen | Right-click application and select Pin to Start |
| Windows 8 Start screen | Desktop Taskbar | Right-click application and select Pin to taskbar from the menu bar on the bottom of the screen |
If you want to find a particular application or related files, such as documentation files, from the Start screen, you can access all installed files by right-clicking anywhere on the Start screen and selecting All apps. A list of all installed software and related files appears, in alphabetical order by creator or type.
For more information about NI support for Windows 8.x, visit ni.com/windows8.
Visit ni.com/security to view and subscribe to receive security notifications about National Instruments products. Visit ni.com/critical-updates for information about critical updates from National Instruments.
LabVIEW functionality (LabVIEW instruments and grapher interpolation) will not work if the installation path uses characters that are not native to the "Language for non-Unicode programs" setting, available by selecting Start»Control Panel»Regional and Language Options and selecting the Advanced tab. In the Vista OS, use the "Current language for non-Unicode programs:" setting in the Administrative tab. LabVIEW functionality works for Unicode characters that are native to this setting.
You cannot install Circuit Design Suite 14.0 on Windows Vista Starter edition.
Multisim and Ultiboard leak GDI resource handles when used over extended periods of time, eventually leading to unpredictable user interface behavior and crashes. This is an issue with MFC applications running on Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003. For more information and workarounds, refer to KB 4JREGSXL:Multisim or Ultiboard Leaking GDI Resource Handles.
The following is a subset of the issues fixed since the last release of Circuit Design Suite.
| Multisim ( 61 ) | |
| Bug ID | Description |
|---|---|
| 518929 | Update components sometimes do not detect ELVISmx instruments components from an ELVIS schematic. |
| 517825 | Pasting a Title Block will not preserve the field values on multi-page sheet. |
| 514757 | Net names with special internal character $ is being allowed to be created, which may cause issues with the netlist. |
| 515526 | Importing a .cir file sometimes causes Multisim to crash. |
| 501065 | Schematic wires sometimes may appear as connected but in reality are not. |
| 509888 | Imported files can sometimes show a component's database location incorrectly. |
| 479149 | Unable to change the value for a RLC custom part. |
| 465428 | Setting a component value visible will sometimes place the RefDes away from the schematic symbol. |
| 490625 | Single pin source changes do not create an undo point. |
| 491624 | Modifying values on single pin sources, the SPICE netlist viewer does not get its "out of date" message. |
| 511469 | Multisim sometimes does not display correctly a component's value compared to the actual value. |
| 466171 | Component Wizard fails to provide all model nodes when line continuations are separated by comment lines. |
| 506416 | Replacing some components by hierarchical block or subcircuit within an hierarchical block will sometimes crash Multisim. |
| 504931 | Default digital graph color is difficult to see with default background. |
| 274344 | Editing a component in database should modify and not create a new component. |
| 493395 | SPICE model type is no longer shown in table view for basic RLC device models. |
| 491327 | Undo sometimes causes inconsistency between netlist and shematic. |
| 503533 | Multisim hangs when scope with normal trigger and non-default trigger value is used. |
| 500035 | Cannot use exponential number format in probe parameter values. |
| 368543 | Cannot save analysis settings without specifying output variables. |
| 465372 | The LVM source generates incorrect negative polarity signal. |
| 274752 | Oscillopscope's AC coupling generates a poor result. |
| 479847 | Uninstalling 13.0.1 causes an error message next time 12.0.1 is started. |
| 396771 | Checking for current sources in series will only check the first two nodes of objects defined in the netlist. |
| 282395 | Attribute Device incorrectly repeats attribute Value in non-RLC components. |
| 367605 | Adding a new bus line should use net name as its default bus line name. |
| 461943 | Non-ideal resistor doesn't behave correctly without brackets around its model expression. |
| 473601 | Using Update Components should report any broken connections. |
| 487152 | When adding device parameters to analysis setup, unwanted parameters are also added. |
| 478607 | Cmod S6 config files are missing internal clock pins. |
| 490907 | Renaming a DGND component will not update other DGND instances. |
| 440051 | Malconfigured pulse source causes an internal error during simulation. |
| 485982 | Hierarchical PLD design sometimes prompts for net name collision continuosly. |
| 488395 | Exponential voltage/current source has different behaviour than in PSPICE. |
| 485448 | Octave AC sweep disregards logarithmic y axis. |
| 486102 | Error mesasge is not clear when simulating with an expression that evaluates a divided by zero value. |
| 403700 | LabVIEW microphone instrument is not able to acquire data for more than 10 sec. |
| 274615 | Multisim sometimes shows a white screen for a period of time while opening a file. |
| 424840 | Component Wizard allows different number of symbol pins in ANSI vs IEC. |
| 467540 | Some frequency-domain analyses display seconds as the unit in the simulation status bar. |
| 323705 | DMM uses 1e-9ohm series resistor to measure current, which causes convergence issues. |
| 394799 | Unable to set the Xilinx path in Multisim for all users using the same computer. |
| 443707 | Fourier analysis doesn't display DC component in graph. |
| 393295 | Grapher does not appear to handle very small values well and rounds them off to zero. |
| 462216 | The grapher's Y-axis marks do not match up with trace values. |
| 480780 | AC Phase confined to and jumps between -180 and 180. |
| 478305 | RefDes and Value are 'top aligned' when part is rotated in the vertical position. |
| 269360 | Pole-zero analysis does not remember the analysis type setting. |
| 465765 | Vertical symbol text renders horizontally when placed on schematic. |
| 472570 | Triangular current source seems to only reach the peak current on the first period. |
| 469208 | Unable to assign a footprint to a component with no footprints, assignment from the spreadsheet no longer works. |
| 195405 | No clean way of stopping Wait for Next Output in Multisim COM API. |
| 466133 | Logic Converter sometimes crashes when converting an expression to logic circuit. |
| 465748 | Simulation slows down after changing parameters on the Function Generator. |
| 465038 | Certain symbols from master database are reported as invalid when saving to user database. |
| 347561 | The Schematic Statistic Report incorrectly counts each section of a multi-section component as a part. |
| 456597 | Components with unmapped model nodes can be saved to database from the model template view without warning. |
| 274318 | Placing a component with a user-created footprint will reset it to a default footprint. |
| 456610 | Adding a section to a component with custom section names doesn't map all pins. |
| 458840 | Copy and paste components to a new design will re-enumerate its refdeses. |
| 459432 | PLD components not flagged correctly after saving to database. |
| Ultiboard ( 40 ) | |
| Bug ID | Description |
| 470546 | Importing a DXF file sometimes does not draw the pads correctly. |
| 507801 | Ultiboard sometimes places annotated components on top of existing components. |
| 512407 | Moving a part around a group of parts object will cause to crash Ultiboard. |
| 480776 | Toggling layer visibility for copper stack up layers with micro via placed on them may lead to Multisim crash. |
| 268382 | Autorouting of buses should not have vertical trace segments. |
| 275699 | Ultiroute incorrectly runs traces over a custom pad shape. |
| 444411 | Non-standard fill styles do not work on copper areas that are not power planes. |
| 495370 | Ultiboard crashes when follow-me router is used after changing clearance. |
| 274648 | Rule precision should not round to significant digits. |
| 320661 | The unit dropdown in Global options >> PCB design does not seem to get affected when units are changed from main toolbar control. |
| 266630 | Fanout SMD does not work well in BGA packages. |
| 264328 | Follow me router violates DRC when auto narrow traces is enabled. |
| 275664 | Trace running over a via without copper ring doesn't cause connectivity error. |
| 387633 | Duplicate footprint is added to the PCB when a footprint without pin is forward annotated. |
| 443579 | Fiducial marks are located incorrectly when text attribute is used outside the board outline. |
| 445863 | Text attribute voiding uses larger boundary box when attribute is rotated. |
| 450179 | When parts are set to transparent, one can no longer see through parts in 3D view |
| 286414 | NC Drill export generates incorrect file due to some decimal points in the coordinate area of the drill. |
| 362253 | Attempting to change the RefDes visibility for multiple components will prompt an error message and will still allow to proceed. |
| 440295 | Through-hole pad properties window is missing rounded rectangle as an option. |
| 351243 | Ultiboard does not show properly when there is a µ in the component's value tag. |
| 445866 | Soldermask option in via only allows none or all of the via covered. |
| 284242 | Placing a hole does not have a soldermask on the hole by default. |
| 467306 | Ultiboard database browser failing to refresh preview and place the selected part. |
| 275527 | Net shielding field in Net Edit dialog looses focus during edit. |
| 290268 | Cannot add a vertex by simply right clicking on the vertex. |
| 461581 | Ultiboard's grab-and-drag layout behaviour is different than Multisim. |
| 263206 | Import from Protel sometimes loses via connection. |
| 274339 | Grouped components edited via spreadsheet do not undo correctly. |
| 274629 | Cannot ungroup multiple group objects at once. |
| 276402 | Using the delete Open Trace Ends tool sometimes removes complete connections. |
| 274708 | Unknown footprint is sometimes ignored when importing from an older netlist. |
| 324536 | Test point sometimes generates an invalid DRC message. |
| 346268 | Changing a value in the spreadsheet view sometimes does not update the DRC result tab. |
| 269514 | Incorrect pad radius will generate error message when ultiroute is run. |
| 275732 | False DRC errors created when placing a net bridge underneath a component. |
| 278859 | When replacing a footprint on the design, text attributes sometimes changes unexpectedly. |
| 272973 | Router sometimes will not start due to an object in the silkscreen layer. |
| 420397 | Cancelling the Gerber-D Import dialog will prompt a invalid warning message. |
| 420320 | Net bridges do not export properly to DXF. |
Refer to the Database section of the Multisim 14.0 Features and Improvements topic of Multisim Help for a list of new components.
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