> > Dear Lawrence, > > I've loaded all the user forum files but, as I'm not very familiar with > > Eagle, would you, please, explain me > > how to proceed? Could you attach the autorouter control files you mention > > for the two solutions? > > It seems you are the best in Eagle on the PIC list. Well, I may not be the best, but I do use the program. ;-) There are a few bumps on the learning curve for getting Gerbers out of Eagle. Here is my procedure, you might find it useful. A few of these things puzzled me before I realized that the designers of the program rely HEAVILY on UserLanguage Programs (ULP's) to get anything done, and some of these ULP's do not come with the program! Starred items are things that were not obvious to me when I started. Here are several CAM and ULP files that I use. The procedure I go through to produce a board is like this: 1. Lay out the schematic in the Eagle schmatic editor. This usually involves creating one or two parts that are not already in the database (which is extensive). I have a pretty big library of custom parts that I use, mostly special parts that nobody else would be interested in. **Be careful to lay out the wires in your circuit using the NET command, not the WIRE command. WIRE does not put dots at connections, generating errors later. 2. Print the schematic for reference. I usually do this by porting it to AutoCad using DXF.ULP (file:run then pick DXF.ULP) which comes with your program. I don't like the way Eagle prints on my printer by default, you will no doubt have a different experience. 3. Draw the board outline in the Board editor. Focus in on an area of the board, and place a part by selecting the move command, then ***typing the name of the part, such as R1. The part pops onto your cursor and you can place it. 4. ***Set trace widths and spacings for various sections of your circuit in the Schematic editor under Edit:NetClasses and Edit:Change:NetClass 5. When the parts are where you want them, start the autorouter, and ***load 1LAYER.CTL file. Immediately save this under another name in the project directory, as you will no doubt want to modify it. 6. I usuallly rip the whole thing up, move parts, and re-route a half dozen times before I am satisfied. Sometimes I still need to hand route a track or two. I also fiddle around with the variables in autorouter control file until the routing goes the way I want it. You can set it to hug close to other traces, avoid other traces, put 45's at corners, round corners, put lots of tracks on the tops side, only a few on the top side, and so on. 7. When I'm satisfied with the route, I run ****Smashall (File: Run Smashall.ulp) This separates the part names from the parts and allows you to move them around, change font size, and so on. 8. I then run ***Auto-Dim which dimensions the edges and major holes on the board. 9. IN the Board Editor, go to ***Options:Drill:Set. Don't ask me why you have to do this, I don't know except that the next ULP works right if you do. 10. Run ***drill-cfg.ulp (File:Run Drillcfg.ulp) This generates an Excellon Drill format file. 11. Run ***Drill-Plan.ULP (File:Run Drill-Plan2_0.ulp) This puts a nice list of your drill sizes on your board layout for the board house. 12. In the CAM editor, load either 1-side.cam or 2-side.cam, and change the outputs filenames and settings to your liking. This creates the gerber files 13. Check the gerbers in another program such as GC-Prevue (free). --Lawrence > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Cristian C." > To: "Lawrence Lile" > Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2002 2:18 AM > Subject: Re: [PIC]: Eagle Help > > > > > > > > > > > At 12/20/2001, you wrote: > > >There are some autorouter control files specifically made to produce a > > >single sided board. I use two different ones - one that just produces > > >traces on the bottom side, and the other that produces bottom traces, but > > >forces the top traces to be short and straight, creating "links" which > > >then can be installed using wires. > > >You load a *.ctl file into the autorouter and then can customize it a > > >little to meet your needs. I end up saving several versions before I > find one > > >that really hits the spot. > > >Look around the Eagle user forum for one-side *.ctl files first - if you > > >come up dry then ask again here. > > > > Dear Lawrence, > > I've loaded all the user forum files but, as I'm not very familiar with > > Eagle, would you, please, explain me > > how to proceed? Could you attach the autorouter control files you mention > > for the two solutions? > > It seems you are the best in Eagle on the PIC list. > > Thanks, > > Cristian. > > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.