LogicWorks 4 FAQ
LogicWorks 3 Owners please check out the LogicWorks 3 FAQ as the As and the Qs tend to be different!
This page answers the most common tech support questions we get for LogicWorks 4. Please have a look here before you call or email for support!General Support Questions
Compatibility
 | Does LogicWorks work with Windows 95? |
| Does LogicWorks work with Windows NT4.0? |
| Does LogicWorks work with Windows 2000? |
| Can I share my files with LogicWorks on Macintosh? |
| How can I open files that were created on a pre-3.0 version of LogicWorks for the Macintosh? |
| Can LogicWorks be installed on a Novell Server? |
General Operation
Where can I buy LogicWorks?
LogicWorks is published by Prentice Hall publishing and can be ordered through any bookstore that accepts special orders or can be bought online through:
| Amazon.com |
| Chapters (Canada) - Note: If you want to save some $$$, Chapters actually sells the same package for the same price in Canadian $, so it comes out quite a bit cheaper than Amazon, although shipping to the U.S. will be slower. |
IMPORTANT: Make sure you order LogicWorks 4, as other, older versions may still be listed in catalogs. Quote the ISBN number 0-201-32682-5 to ensure you get the right thing.
Educators interested in adopting LogicWorks for their courses should contact their Prentice Hall representative or contact the Pearson Education Order Fulfillment Center by calling 1-800-922-0579 or click here for a list of offices worldwide. For more information, contact Prentice Hall (North and Latin American customers) or Pearson Education (Europe, Middle East and Africa).
Where can I get more schematics?
LogicWorks users can take advantage of Capilano Computing's Free Schematic Archive to get more schematic examples and cookbook circuits submitted by users. Most of these circuits don't have any simulation function, but they may give you ideas for other projects.
How do I get technical support for LogicWorks?
Installation Support is available through the Pearson Higher Education Media Product Assistance Hotline at:
- Tel: 1-800-677-6337 M-F (8:00AM to 5:00PM CST)
- Fax: 847-486-2595
- email: media.support@pearsoned.com
PLEASE NOTE: Capilano Computing does not provide direct phone technical support for LogicWorks. If Pearson cannot answer your question, they will contact us.
We regret that we cannot provide direct support to students on circuit design or general program operation issues. Other support issues that are not covered in this FAQ can be directed by email to tech@capilano.com.
What are the differences between LogicWorks 3 and LogicWorks 4?
LogicWorks 4 was a major new version of LogicWorks, released December, 1998, with a number of smaller updates since. Here is a summary of the changes:
Windows Version
| LW 4 is a full 32-bit application. This means that it is faster and does not have the directory restrictions in LW 3, but it also means that LW 4 will not run under Windows 3.x. |
| LW 4 has an updated user interface with adjustable toolbars, docking windows, etc. |
| New library parts palette with preview and "all libraries" option. |
| New copy/paste options with Windows Metafile export for enhanced graphics. |
| New PROM/RAM/PLA Wizard simplifies creating programmable devices. |
| New Sheet Size Wizard provides many border and sheet size options. |
| Many small editing features. |
Macintosh Version
| New PROM/RAM/PLA Assistant simplifies creating programmable devices. |
In addition, LogicWorks 4 owners are eligible to download an ongoing series of free upgrade patches as they become available.
How do I get an Upgrade from LogicWorks 3 to LogicWorks 4?
Sorry, there are no upgrades available. You must buy a complete new package.
When I re-install LogicWorks 4, why do I get a lot of messages like "Setup cannot open file...".
When you install LogicWorks 4.0, some of the sample circuit files and symbol library files are marked as "read only" to prevent accidental modification of the release files. If you re-install LogicWorks 4 into the same location to reset your files to their original state, the setup program attempts to replace these files but is not permitted to by the system. You can safely click the Ignore button when you see these messages as these files will not have been modified.
Setup programs for LogicWorks 4.01 and later have been modified to get rid of these messages.
When I start LogicWorks 4, I get a message "A low-severity error has been detected, code 59001"
This message is caused by invalid information received from the current printer driver and is not fatal, but can admittedly be irritating.
The explanation: When LogicWorks starts up or creates a new document, it queries the current printer to find out about the paper size and printable area. This message occurs with some versions of printer drivers that provide invalid information, such as the printable area being zero or bigger than the paper size. This information is only used when the "center image in page" option is on, which it is by default. This option attempts to place the printed image in the center of the paper on printers that have asymetrical print margins.
The solution: Turn off the "center image in page" option. To do this,
| Open the file "LW.INI" using NotePad or a similar simple text editor. This file is located in the LogicWorks program folder, usually c:\Program Files\LogicWorks4\Program. |
| Locate the following lines, which should be present in the file (some settings might be slightly different): |
[System] PrinterScaleLines=All PrinterColors=ToBlack
| Add a new line anywhere after the [System] line that looks like this: |
PrinterCenterImage=Off
Next time you restart the program, the new setting will take effect and you should get no more messages.
Does LogicWorks work with Windows 95?
LogicWorks versions 3.0.1 and later work with Windows 95.
Does LogicWorks work with Windows NT4.0?
LogicWorks 3.0.3 and later work with Windows NT 4.0. Earlier versions do not work correctly.
Does LogicWorks work with Windows 2000?
LogicWorks 3.0.3 and LogicWorks 4.03 and later have been tested and work with Windows 2000 RC1.
Why doesn't LogicWorks open my Libraries at Startup?
LogicWorks uses its initialization file (lw.ini) to determine which library files to open. See the appendix section in the manual for information on the format and keywords of the initialization file.
Can I share my files with LogicWorks on Macintosh?
LogicWorks files saved using Version 3.0 and later are directly compatible across both platforms. Due to differences in fonts and graphics storage mechanisms, you may get some differences in display on the two systems, but general circuit structure will remain intact.
How can I open files that were created on a pre-3.0 version of LogicWorks for the Macintosh?
LogicWorks was originally developed on the Macintosh, and early versions of the program used some data formats that were not compatible with the PC. For this reason, the file format was changed starting with version 3.0 in about 1995. Since it has been more than 6 years since this change, we no longer include the file conversion utility modules with LogicWorks 4 for the Mac, but you can click here to download them.
This download is a StuffIt archive that contains two modules: a circuit file converter and a library file converter. These modules need to be placed in the Tools folder inside the LogicWorks 4 folder. See the Read Me file in the archive for more information.
Can LogicWorks be installed on a Novell Server?
Yes, but there is only one initialization file (LW.INI) for all users and there is only one state file for all users (LWSTATE.INI). The state file is used to save window positions between invocations of LogicWorks. Windows will "jump" between sessions if more than one user has write access to this directory.
Why don't my switches toggle state when I click on them?
The Simulator must be running. Select Simulator from the Tools menu, click on the run button and ensure the simulator speed is appropriate.
Why can't I get rid of the Unknown values (X in a probe, undetermined values in the Timing Window)?
Some circuits with feedback will propagate unknowns indefinitely. In the real world the circuit would reach a determinate state because of the analog characteristics of real electronics. Unfortunately, LogicWorks only does digital simulations. Manual intervention is required to clear these unknowns. Select Simulator from the Tools menu, click on the Clear X button (to clear these unknowns).
Why don't my signals always connect?
LogicWorks only tests the end points and corners of a moving or new signal when determining if it should be attached to an existing signal.
For example, placing a breakout and dragging a bus ACROSS the breakout without terminating the bus AT the breakout will NOT result in a connection of the breakout to the bus.
When I open my symbol library file, I get a message saying "parsing error" and I can't use it
If a library file is not closed properly due to a hardware or software malfunction, it is possible for the file to be left in an inconsistent state that renders it unusable, even though most of the data is still intact. In LogicWorks for Windows version 4.1, several features have been added to correct this situation. Many corrupted files will be corrected automatically when you open them in this version. However, if some parts still have errors or are missing, there is also a "Repair" button that has been added to the Lib Maintenance command that does a more thorough check of the library. To select the Lib Maintenance command, right click in the parts list.A free update patch to LogicWorks 4.1 for LogicWorks 4 users can be downloaded from our update page.