Re: gEDA-user: [pcb] Fab drawings and outlines

[Stephen Meier <smeier@AlchemyResearch.com>]

DJ Delorie wrote:

> I'm working on a patch to PCB to emit a fab drawing along with all the
> other layers.  So far it has this on it:
>
> * board outline
> * flash for each drill
> * silkscreen for elements (but not other silkscreen)
> * note documenting board outline
> * list of drills with counts, types, and overall totals
> * data block - title, author, date, dimensions
>
> Anything else?
>
> Also, I'm thinking of making "print board outline" default to on,
> instead of off (the user can still override it).  The shop I dealt
> with noted that they prefer the outline there, but I suppose having it
> on the fab drawing is sufficient (since pcb only supports simple
> rectangle outlines anyway).  
Actually, you can make any shape as long as it is built with lines.

I keep thinking this is why an extra input layer is needed so that we 
can inject really complex shapes into pcb... layers which have polygons 
with so many point that they might as well be rounded off.

> Comments?
>
> Note that the "outline" option in PCB adds it to the outer copper
> layers only.  The fab drawing will always have it, the others will
> never have it.
>
>
>  
Well,

Output larger then life (2x, 3x what ever it takes to make it 
readable... this gets more important as parts get smaller and smaller 
and ... where did that resistor go?). Option to print out pin and pad 
names (Vcc, Vee, Clk ...) Ohh and print out component values... 100 ohms 
or 10 uF. The assembly drawing should be the silk screen layers with 
extra information.

Steve M.