Re: gEDA-user: pcb bug: EPS output omits pads

["Windell H. Oskay" <windell@xxxxxxxxx>]

>        pcb -x eps \
>                --element-color '#aaaaff' \
>                --pin-color '#000000' \
>                --layer-color-1 '#ffffff' \
>                --as-shown \
>                --layer-stack 0,elements,pins \
>                --eps-file testprint.eps \
>                powermeter.pcb
>
>Besides layer names, it accepts rats, invisible, pins, vias, and
>elements.

This is a partial work-around for some cases, but I would agree with the
original assertion that something is amiss with the eps export.

For some documentation that I'm writing, I need a vector drawing of my
circuit board *as it appears*, i.e., with silk, pins, and vias -- but not
tracks-- visible.  (Kinda like ben/photo mode, but in vector.)
So far as I can tell, pcb is quite incapable of exporting an eps drawing
like that, even though it's trivial to display just those parts by
clicking which layers are visible.

Since this is considerably different from what would be expected by a
reasonable observer, I would indeed classify it as a bug-- either in the
function executed or in the label, because it cannot generate an eps "as
shown."

The method that you describe above-- exporting a file with some parts
invisible-- can be used to make the tracks invisible as well.  I can use
that method to produce a "fake" version of what I need, with the tracks in
white but the silk, pins, and vias visible, but those white tracks are
*still there* and actually do get in the way of what I'm doing.

I did find a genuine but invasive work-around that can generate the output
that I wanted, which *may* also help with the pad-omission problem as
well.

 Make a duplicate pcb file for documentation/output: circuit-doc.pcb
Open the circuit-doc.pcb file in a text editor, delete the entire contents
of all layers with tracks on them.  Pins and pads should not be affected,
since they are stored as parts of the element.  Save and then open the
modified file in pcb. Make all layers visible and export eps.  This should
 everything but the tracks to the EPS file.

 - Windell


Windell H. Oskay
Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories
http://www.evilmadscientist.com/



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