Use Availability to check your product, host, build, and service. A feature in Trace desktop is not automatically supported by Trace Plugin or a CLI.
AI Design Assistant
Context window limits
Long conversations can be summarized, and earlier details can be lost. Restate important constraints and check them against the current design. A remembered preference is not evidence that a design meets it.
Long tasks may pause to wrap up
Tasks can reach usage, time, or resource limits, or wait for an answer. Read the final status and remaining work. Use Resume only for the existing task when offered; do not repeat an uncertain mutation as a new request.
Ask mode is read-only
Ask is for explanation and review, not persistent CAD edits. Agent can make supported changes, and Plan proposes work for approval. All three modes use metered AI; see Billing.
Schematic Editor
Symbol library resolution
A missing symbol or placeholder does not guarantee correct pins or nets. Restore the actual library definition and verify pin numbers, electrical types, connections, and footprint assignments before proceeding.
File encoding and dependencies
Imported text and paths can expose encoding or missing-dependency problems. Preserve the original project and use supported import controls. Do not rewrite native files in a text editor just to silence an import error.
Generated parts need review
Generation and library installation are separate from validation for your board. Check the exact part/package, symbol units, pin-to-pad mapping, dimensions, and manufacturer drawing. A generated 3D model is not a fit or tolerance certification.
See Component Editor.
PCB Editor
Autoroute timeout
Placement or routing can finish with unresolved connections or reach its time budget. Review the final board, DRC, unrouted state, and charge. A completed job does not certify signal integrity, thermal behavior, or manufacturing yield.
Board outlines and fixed placement
Confirm the actual outline, layers, clearances, and approved fixed positions before layout. Protected placement is not the same as the editor's Lock flag.
The layout engines act on a whole board; asking to route one net or move one part does not authorize a whole-board run. See Placement and routing.
PCB persistence between sessions
Native .trace_pcb and .trace_sch files are saved design files, with additional data in paired .xo files. Keep the project together. A failed save or reload is not fixed by deleting sidecars, renaming extensions, or asking the AI to reapply uncertain changes.
Conversion (Altium Import)
Import is not a promise of lossless round-trip compatibility. Preserve the source and review drawings, connectivity, libraries, design rules, variants, and 3D links in the imported project.
Supported conversions and their outcomes depend on the importer and version. Trace Plugin editing in Altium is a different workflow from importing an Altium design into Trace desktop.
See Importing formats and Trace Plugin.
Simulation
Simulation needs supported models, current pin bindings, and known operating conditions. Missing conditions or models can leave a requirement not evaluated.
Partial, failed, cancelled, historical, or no-assertion results do not certify the current circuit. Plots are views of saved samples, not physical measurements. See Simulation.
Cloud projects and recovery
Workspaces synchronization is not simultaneous live co-editing. Saving a local file, committing it, publishing it, and opening the cloud project are different steps.
Read-only access, unpublished edits, permission changes, or an uncertain operation can block a transition. Preserve the existing project and recovery data; use the original operation's controls. See Workspaces.
Platform-Specific
Trace Plugin host differences
Trace Plugin does not provide native Workspaces or the native AI Workflows/simulation viewer merely because it shares chat UI.
KiCad save/reload automation and screenshots have platform-specific permission requirements. Altium requires a supported Windows host. Host reload can affect undo history; use the relevant KiCad or Altium guide.
Installation and updates
Use official installers for your product and architecture. Do not bypass operating-system security warnings or assume every platform's update notification performs an in-place update.
See Installation and Troubleshooting.
Report a limitation
Send a reproducible problem to support@buildwithtrace.com or Discord. Include your product, version, host, and a non-confidential example where possible.
For an improvement, use Feature requests. That page does not promise a delivery date.