Re: gEDA-user: I need to open and print a PCB created in ExpressPCB:What are my options?

[DJ Delorie <dj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Right. So the toner transfer method sounds like the one I ought to
> try. Is it fairly accurate for two sided boards? I'm assuming you
> guys mostly make two sided boards, so I suppose that's a yes, but I
> thought I'd ask anyway.

Actually, most of my boards are primarily SMT, so the ones I make
myself tend to be single sided, with very few holes.

> And while I'm thinking of it: how do you drill accurate 1mm holes? A drill
> press?

I use a drill press, but part of the trick is to size the "holes" in
the copper to the *tip* of the drill bit, not the diameter.  That way,
the copper helps you center the drill bit.

> when I edit component attributes while making schematics (I was
> trying out gEDA this weekend) I noticed that the footprint attribute
> has to be edited "by hand" (as far as I know, anyway). For instance,
> if I need a PCB outline for a resistor, I need to set footprint to
> R025. Wouldn't it be easier to have a menu one could select
> footprints from?

I use gattrib to set all those, but yeah, we've discussed all this
before.  The problem is one of managing such a database, which could
easily become HUGE.

> Along those lines, if I want to see what footprints are available by
> default, can I look at them in PCB or gerbv?

Run pcb.  Use Windows->Library to bring up the footprint library.  The
name in brackets (like [0603]) is the footprint name to use.


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