Circuit Board Cad.

[mliptack]

Standard suite of DXP is $3995. Just called.
Are you guys using demo?

Steve

Not sure which version it is, but my business partner has a copy of it from his workplace.

[mixedgas]

What specific problem are you having with EAGLE? I generate gerbers with EAGLE all the time, and I've never once had a board shop complain.

-Alex

Express PCB rejects my stuff as not showing a few layers.

Or the layers are repeated.

I guess I need a good script file for the gerber generation.

Steve

[laseralex]

Express PCB rejects my stuff as not showing a few layers.

Or the layers are repeated.

I guess I need a good script file for the gerber generation.

Steve

Try the CAM file from Sparkfun: http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorial/Eag...e-gerb274x.cam

Or try making your own -- if you play with it for 20 minutes you'll have learned everything you need to know. It's not actually as difficult as you'd expect!

The most common error is probably reversed lasers: the defult CAM file mirrors the bottom layers but most board houses are upset about that.

Finally, you can test your gerbers for free and get great instant feedback at http://www.freedfm.com.

If you still have trouble, PM me and I'll walk you through it. EAGLE is great software, once you get past the initial learning curve.

[sbk]

Another alternative for Windows is http://www.lis.inpg.fr/realise_au_lis/kicad/. It looks to have more features than Eagle (e.g. 3D viewer), and no board size limit. I haven't used it personally, but I know of some people who do.

KiCad just rocks!!! Me and some friends we tryed a lot of different CAD softs, but it is clear this is the best one, relegate Eagle and others free soft to nothing. And fast and easy to use, well documented and you can find almost every components!

[james]

Uh.... This looks like a dead thread..... But....

I'm currently trying to learn Eagle CAD to design a very simple single layer PCB. Would anyone out there be willing to take a look at what I'm doing and offer some tips? I'm trying to get as much of it as I can so I can have a somewhat intelligent conversation.

I'm a noob when it comes to PCB fabrication!

I just want to make sure I have all of my ducks in a row before I try to submit this to a fab house.

James.

[macona]

Eagle sucks.

I use EasyPC. Works well and not a bad price for a basic auto router.

Then the boards go to OSHPark.com. The absolute best boards for a good price.

[stanwax]

I dont know eagle at all - I learned my craft in the mid 80s on a 286 running DOS something (prob -1.5) and a CAD package called Vutrax. These days I use Labcentre Proteus, and have done since about 1999. Its very good and I favour it mainly as I know it so well these days I can get the basics of a board down in no time. it does have an auto router but wheres the fun in that!
As an exercise at the end of a job I sometimes delete all the traces and let the auto router do its stuff - just for fun. Quite often there are odd traces that it cant route - that makes me smile
*edit* I did use Easy PC in a Dos version in the early to mid 90s and got on well with it, but when Proteus came along there was no comparisson for me.
Rob

[chad]

Steve, I really like diptrace I gave up on eagle too. http://www.diptrace.com/

chad

[james]

Well, I did a "hand drawn" DXF file of what I want, to prove that it could be done in a single layer of copper.

So far, no matter how I set up the auto router, it can't figure it out.

So I guess I'm going to have to rout it myself in Eagle or something.

The project I'm working on isn't exactly top secret. Ultimately, I think I would be glad to share the design files as open source.

I want to print up a bunch of boards for the last revised version of the LaserBoy Correction Amp.

The schemos are already open source.

I would like to put it together as a kit to be able to sell the "Official" version.

I kinda' like the idea of using Eagle CAD because it has been pretty well accepted as the goto within the hobby electronics development community.

And there is a free version.

So if anyone would like to look at what I have so far and give me some tips, I would really appreciate it. Not only do I want to make the PCB, but I also want to learn how to do it!

James.

[dnar]

Altium here, expensive but worth it.

http://www.altium.com/

I tried Eagle a few times out of interest and it drove me mad.

As a hobbiest in the 70's I used a Dalo resist pen. In the 80's I progressed to the cutting edge tape method. Boy I am glad computers took over...