Powering a daughterboard from a STM32F4 Discovery Board for prototype

[LMorr.3]

I need 16 DAC outputs for my project. I was planning on using Texas Instrument's DAC8168IAPW over I2C and making a daughter board to connect to the Disco board. I also plan on adding an IC to drive LEDs. Do I power the daughterboard using the Disco board's voltage regulator or should I power the daughterboard with it's own supply? Do I connect a wallwart to the Dicso board even though I still have it connected to my USB port? I don't want to damage my USB port or the board.

[LMorr.3]

I plan on building a power daughterboard with 5v and 3.3v regulators, as well as +-12v. The 5v and digital GND will feed into the DISCO's gnd, P2.3 and P2.4, and the 3.3v and +-12v, Digital GND and Analog GND will power 3 other 'daughterboards'.

What is the best way to connect from the power daughterboard to the 3 daughterboards? Should I just connect using screw headers and wires in a star pattern, or should I send the power and grounds in and out of the 1st daughterboard, into and out of the 2nd daughterboard into the 3rd? I would usually use make/female headers but cannot in this case.

I know Eurorack uses a ribbon cable to connect power to modules... I suspect using a ribbon cable like this for power is not recommended. Should I use molex connectors?

I want to make sure I use the right connectors/cables for ground planes/power to ensure I don't risk continuously resetting the DISCO board.

[S.Ma]

Because each board clips 5v to 3v3 through individual regulators, voltage droops are minimized. Now remains possible supply and ground bounce which comes only if you have high transiants. Physics suggests to minimize the strong fast signals to ground power loops areas (EMI and EMC related topics)

[LMorr.3]

Ok thanks. I'll send +-12v and 5v from the power daughterboard to all daughterboards and 5v to the DISCO board. I'll have a 3.3v regulator on all daughterboards.

Unlike Eurorack, I rather not use ribbon cable for sending power to daughterboards so I guess I'll use molex connectors and have PWR in and PWR out on each daughterboard to daisy-chain the power?

[LMorr.3]

Which direction does the BAT60J go? I'm not sure if I want to protect the F4-DISCO from the 5V I will be feeding into it via P2.3 and P2.4, or if I need to protect my power board from the F4-DISCO sending 5V to it. UPDATE: Never mind this part of my question as I have resolved it. ( it can only go 1 way looking at the DISCO schematic :) )

Also, @Community member​ I plan on using a VXO7805-500-M with a Eurorack 12V source, so I won't be using 7V as you suggest. I hope that is ok. Let me know why I should aim for 7V. ( is it because that is the min. value allowed to feed into my 5v voltage regulator to be efficient? )

Thanks!