Re: gEDA-user: quick question

[sdb@xxxxxxxxxx (Stuart Brorson)]

PCB doesn't do this.  However, the layout editor which is part of the
open-source Kicad suite does.  Here's a link: 

http://www.lis.inpg.fr/realise_au_lis/kicad/

The utility of the 3D feature is dubious, IMO.  To use it you first
have to create mechanical models of all your parts (a real PITA), and
then it is useful only if you have already created a detailed
mechanical model of the rest of your system.

Yes, this can come in handy if you are building cards to be inserted
into a card cage, to take only one example.  In that case, you model
all the boards, as well  as the card cage.   But face it:  The folks
using gEDA/PCB or Kicad aren't doing designs at that level of
complexity.  Folks doing full mechanical models of their systems are
using heavy-duty commerical tools and are working in a team.   And the
open-source tools lack other, more basic features enabling design-team
work, like lockfiles and interfaces to parts databases.  Also, there
is no good open-source mechanical 3D CAD program out there, so any 3D
board models you create will be very lonely.

Anyway, I agree that the 3D modeling stuff looks cool.  I just think
it is not that useful for folks currently using the open-source tool
flow.  Perhaps someday that will be different.   The first step in
that direction is a good open-source 3D mechanical CAD tool.

Stuart


> 
> I have just seen this artical "3D board modeling with Eagle and POVRay" 
> on hack a day
> http://www.hackaday.com/entry/1234000617073526/
> Its a tool called Eagle3D that translates the 2D PCB layout into a 
> 3-dimensional view. As i dont use Eagle i have not tested this software 
> myself but after reading about it and looking at the gallary 
> (http://www.matwei.de/doku.php?id=en:eagle3d:eagle3d)  it looks like a 
> really good feature.
> 
> My question, is there a simular kind of tool that can be used with PCB, 
> im just intrested.
> 
> Also the reason i posted here is that PCB seems to be the tool of choice 
> for geda users so i figured some of you would know, you might be 
> intrested in this and the fact i watch this list and dont really want to 
> subscribe to yet another mailing list :)
> 
> 
>