Post by thread:[OT] Eagle PCB editor

I've been trying out the freeware version of Eagle PCB. Getting quite proficient with it I thought. However, I've been told by one PCB mftr, who's aware of Eagle, that Eagle's Gerber files are not compatible with the preferred industry programs Protel and Pads. Am I wasting my time ? I can get hold of Protel 1.5 but now that effort has gone into Eagle I'd like to stick with it. I would find it extremely short-sighted of the Eagle authors to invent their own system. Frankly I don't believe that they have, but a couple of hundred second opinions would be welcome. Jinx

> I've been trying out the freeware version of Eagle PCB. Getting > quite proficient with it I thought. However, I've been told by one > PCB mftr, who's aware of Eagle, that Eagle's Gerber files are > not compatible with the preferred industry programs Protel and > Pads. Am I wasting my time ? I can get hold of Protel 1.5 but now > that effort has gone into Eagle I'd like to stick with it. I would find it > extremely short-sighted of the Eagle authors to invent their own > system. Frankly I don't believe that they have, but a couple of > hundred second opinions would be welcome. > > Jinx This dosen't make sense to me.. Gerber is a "final output" format, not a format for going between other cad packages. Check that you are outputting 274X files, that may be what he's complaining about.

At 04:26 PM 1/19/00 +1300, Jinx wrote: >I've been trying out the freeware version of Eagle PCB. Getting >quite proficient with it I thought. However, I've been told by one >PCB mftr, who's aware of Eagle, that Eagle's Gerber files are >not compatible with the preferred industry programs Protel and >Pads. Am I wasting my time ? I can get hold of Protel 1.5 but now >that effort has gone into Eagle I'd like to stick with it. I would find it >extremely short-sighted of the Eagle authors to invent their own >system. Frankly I don't believe that they have, but a couple of >hundred second opinions would be welcome. > I have been using Eagle for some years and have never had a complaint from any board house. Either someone is pulling your leg or is misinformed. Bob McClure

Eagle is doing just fine for me. The support has been the best I have ever received. I have been working with Advanced Circuits, http://www.4pcb.com best prices, and the only problems were the problems I invented, all solved now. JohnG Jinx wrote: {Quote hidden}> I've been trying out the freeware version of Eagle PCB. Getting > quite proficient with it I thought. However, I've been told by one > PCB mftr, who's aware of Eagle, that Eagle's Gerber files are > not compatible with the preferred industry programs Protel and > Pads. Am I wasting my time ? I can get hold of Protel 1.5 but now > that effort has gone into Eagle I'd like to stick with it. I would find it > extremely short-sighted of the Eagle authors to invent their own > system. Frankly I don't believe that they have, but a couple of > hundred second opinions would be welcome. > > Jinx

Jinx, I have used the gerber files from EAGLE to have boards made, with no problems. Roland ----- Original Message ----- From: Jinx <spam_OUTjoecolquittTakeThisOuTCLEAR.NET.NZ> To: <.....PICLISTKILLspam@spam@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2000 5:26 AM Subject: [OT] Eagle PCB editor {Quote hidden}> I've been trying out the freeware version of Eagle PCB. Getting > quite proficient with it I thought. However, I've been told by one > PCB mftr, who's aware of Eagle, that Eagle's Gerber files are > not compatible with the preferred industry programs Protel and > Pads. Am I wasting my time ? I can get hold of Protel 1.5 but now > that effort has gone into Eagle I'd like to stick with it. I would find it > extremely short-sighted of the Eagle authors to invent their own > system. Frankly I don't believe that they have, but a couple of > hundred second opinions would be welcome. > > Jinx >

I also have had no problem sending Eagle generated Gerber files to Advanced Circuits http://www.4pcb.com which BTW is also a good board house. So far Eagle has done everything I need it to do. {Original Message removed}

David, Try using the RATSNEST command after you make your polygon. It will magically fill in a nice ground plane. This confused me at first, too. I believe the CAM processor will always fill the polygon, although I just checked and the PRINT command will not automatically fill before printing, so beware.. Best to RATS before any printing or CAM output. -- Lawrence From: David Olson +ADw-dolson+AEA-twinwire.com+AD4- To: Lawrence Lile +ADw-lilel+AEA-toastmaster.com+AD4- Date: Thursday, January 20, 2000 3:58 PM Subject: RE: +AFs-OT+AF0- Eagle PCB editor Sorry to ping you off list but, I've just started to use Eagle (coming from ExpressPCB's editor) and I've got to put in some ground planes in my boards. Eagle supports polygons, which is what I need, but they don't show up as filled regions. If I look at the info for the polygon it does say filled - unlike the rectangles that do show up filled. Question is - if I create a filled polygon it is filled, right? BTW - Do you use the +ACI-lite+ACI- version? The legit one is not all that expensive and it seems like a good investment. Thanks. -DO

Lawrence Lile wrote: >I >believe the CAM processor will always fill the polygon, although I just >checked and the PRINT command will not automatically fill before printing, >so beware.. Best to RATS before any printing or CAM output. CAM processor will always process polygons first, so no need to worry there. And you can change whether or not ratsnest processes polygons...sometimes it's useful to turn that off for a while while still working on a board, then turn it back on near the end. Dave Johnson