Re: PCB layout software

On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:34:48 -0700, Adam Smith <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>What is a good reliable PCB layout software, open source or freeware, if
>not the best, that is available?
>
>last posting on this was in early 2008, things might have changed - just
>wanted to be up to date.

There are some from "board houses" that require that you use that
board house. OK but not impressive. Then there is the tools in Kicad
and gEDA.

JosephKK wrote:

> On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:34:48 -0700, Adam Smith <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>
>>What is a good reliable PCB layout software, open source or freeware, if
>>not the best, that is available?
>>
>>last posting on this was in early 2008, things might have changed - just
>>wanted to be up to date.
>
>
> There are some from "board houses" that require that you use that
> board house. OK but not impressive. Then there is the tools in Kicad
> and gEDA.
How good is the windows version of KiCad ? do you use it, is it really
usable ?

On Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:23:36 -0400, Jamie
<jamie_ka1lpa_not_valid_after_ka1lpa_@charter.ne t> wrote:

>JosephKK wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:34:48 -0700, Adam Smith <(E-Mail Removed)>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>What is a good reliable PCB layout software, open source or freeware, if
>>>not the best, that is available?
>>>
>>>last posting on this was in early 2008, things might have changed - just
>>>wanted to be up to date.
>>
>>
>> There are some from "board houses" that require that you use that
>> board house. OK but not impressive. Then there is the tools in Kicad
>> and gEDA.
>How good is the windows version of KiCad ? do you use it, is it really
>usable ?
>
>
I have only the linux version. AIUI the two versions track, so look
to be needing to enter a lot of library stuff.

JosephKK wrote:

> On Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:23:36 -0400, Jamie
> <jamie_ka1lpa_not_valid_after_ka1lpa_@charter.ne t> wrote:
>
>
>>JosephKK wrote:
>>
>>
>>>On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:34:48 -0700, Adam Smith <(E-Mail Removed)>
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>What is a good reliable PCB layout software, open source or freeware, if
>>>>not the best, that is available?
>>>>
>>>>last posting on this was in early 2008, things might have changed - just
>>>>wanted to be up to date.
>>>
>>>
>>>There are some from "board houses" that require that you use that
>>>board house. OK but not impressive. Then there is the tools in Kicad
>>>and gEDA.
>>
>>How good is the windows version of KiCad ? do you use it, is it really
>>usable ?
>>
>>
>
> I have only the linux version. AIUI the two versions track, so look
> to be needing to enter a lot of library stuff.
I installed it last night, 110megs later and then the need for the
wing3d to see the 3D view.. It seems to work and it does 16 layers
which is far more than I ever think of doing..

Now the question is, does board houses accept the format?


There are a few things in the program I would've done differently but
what the hell, you can't have everything.

On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:27:03 -0400, Jamie
<jamie_ka1lpa_not_valid_after_ka1lpa_@charter.ne t> wrote:

>JosephKK wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:23:36 -0400, Jamie
>> <jamie_ka1lpa_not_valid_after_ka1lpa_@charter.ne t> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>JosephKK wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:34:48 -0700, Adam Smith <(E-Mail Removed)>
>>>>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>What is a good reliable PCB layout software, open source or freeware, if
>>>>>not the best, that is available?
>>>>>
>>>>>last posting on this was in early 2008, things might have changed - just
>>>>>wanted to be up to date.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>There are some from "board houses" that require that you use that
>>>>board house. OK but not impressive. Then there is the tools in Kicad
>>>>and gEDA.
>>>
>>>How good is the windows version of KiCad ? do you use it, is it really
>>>usable ?
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I have only the linux version. AIUI the two versions track, so look
>> to be needing to enter a lot of library stuff.
>I installed it last night, 110megs later and then the need for the
>wing3d to see the 3D view.. It seems to work and it does 16 layers
>which is far more than I ever think of doing..
>
> Now the question is, does board houses accept the format?
>
>
> There are a few things in the program I would've done differently but
>what the hell, you can't have everything.
>
>
Never took it far enough to worry about that. I just presumed it
would produce Gerbers and 2X pdfs and a couple others.

On Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:20:46 -0700, "JosephKK"<(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:27:03 -0400, Jamie
><jamie_ka1lpa_not_valid_after_ka1lpa_@charter.net > wrote:
>
>>JosephKK wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:23:36 -0400, Jamie
>>> <jamie_ka1lpa_not_valid_after_ka1lpa_@charter.ne t> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>JosephKK wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:34:48 -0700, Adam Smith <(E-Mail Removed)>
>>>>>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>What is a good reliable PCB layout software, open source or freeware, if
>>>>>>not the best, that is available?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>last posting on this was in early 2008, things might have changed - just
>>>>>>wanted to be up to date.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>There are some from "board houses" that require that you use that
>>>>>board house. OK but not impressive. Then there is the tools in Kicad
>>>>>and gEDA.
>>>>
>>>>How good is the windows version of KiCad ? do you use it, is it really
>>>>usable ?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> I have only the linux version. AIUI the two versions track, so look
>>> to be needing to enter a lot of library stuff.
>>I installed it last night, 110megs later and then the need for the
>>wing3d to see the 3D view.. It seems to work and it does 16 layers
>>which is far more than I ever think of doing..
>>
>> Now the question is, does board houses accept the format?
>>
>>
>> There are a few things in the program I would've done differently but
>>what the hell, you can't have everything.
>>
>>
>Never took it far enough to worry about that. I just presumed it
>would produce Gerbers and 2X pdfs and a couple others.

Note that Wings 3D is only required to create *new* 3D models, not to
view a 3D layout that uses existing models.

Once upon a time, the Kicad distribution included a version of Wings.
Not sure why they stopped, whether it was concern over keeping the
versions in sync or if the Wings folks complained. Both are FOSS so I'd
guess it was to ensure that anyone wanting to create 3D models picked up
the latest version directly.

FWIW, Wings is a decent modeler for this. I recently did up one of the
EA DOG http://www.lcd-module.com/produkte/dog.html displays, including
the LED backlight slab. Went together pretty quickly.

--
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA

JosephKK wrote:

> On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:27:03 -0400, Jamie
> <jamie_ka1lpa_not_valid_after_ka1lpa_@charter.ne t> wrote:
>
>
>>JosephKK wrote:
>>
>>
>>>On Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:23:36 -0400, Jamie
>>><jamie_ka1lpa_not_valid_after_ka1lpa_@charter.n et> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>JosephKK wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>On Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:34:48 -0700, Adam Smith <(E-Mail Removed)>
>>>>>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>What is a good reliable PCB layout software, open source or freeware, if
>>>>>>not the best, that is available?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>last posting on this was in early 2008, things might have changed - just
>>>>>>wanted to be up to date.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>There are some from "board houses" that require that you use that
>>>>>board house. OK but not impressive. Then there is the tools in Kicad
>>>>>and gEDA.
>>>>
>>>>How good is the windows version of KiCad ? do you use it, is it really
>>>>usable ?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>I have only the linux version. AIUI the two versions track, so look
>>>to be needing to enter a lot of library stuff.
>>
>>I installed it last night, 110megs later and then the need for the
>>wing3d to see the 3D view.. It seems to work and it does 16 layers
>>which is far more than I ever think of doing..
>>
>> Now the question is, does board houses accept the format?
>>
>>
>> There are a few things in the program I would've done differently but
>>what the hell, you can't have everything.
>>
>>
>
> Never took it far enough to worry about that. I just presumed it
> would produce Gerbers and 2X pdfs and a couple others.
well it does seem to produce Gerbers from what I gather. In the drill
file it allows to select Gerber as a option..