Re: gEDA-user: Schematic Capture to dxf File - using gEDA, Inkscape, and pstoedit

[dfro@xxxxxxxxx]

Here are some additional posts I added to:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?p=722034#post722034


**Post 1**

An alternate place in the software tool chain to put a 'DXF' button 
could be in gEDA's gerber viewer program - gerbv. Under gerbv's 'File' 
menu, there is an 'Export' command, which gives you the choices to save 
the file as a PNG, PDF, SVG, or a PostScript file. A 'DXF' choice could 
be added to the list.

This might be a better place than in the gEDA/pcb program, since gerber 
files are the universal file format for pcb manufacture.

With the conversion happening in gerbv, any pcb CAD program that can 
create gerber files could use gerbv to turn pcb artwork into .dxf outlines.

Edit:

If both gEDA/pcb and gEDA/gerbv used the same backend program to 
internally convert from ".ps to 'path to stroke + union' to dxf", then 
an 'Export as DXF' button could be available in both programs.


**Post 2**

Here is my next discovery:

'Gerber to dxf using gEDA, Inkscape, and pstoedit'

I have found another route through the gEDA suite's software to produce 
a .ps file that then gets converted in Inkscape and pstoedit to a .dxf 
file outline.

But now, any software that can produce a gerber file can use this 
method. So, those of you using using a different pcb CAD program, like 
Eagle, can export your pcb artwork as a gerber file and use this process 
to make .dxf files.

***

I start in gEDA/pcb with the finished artwork by choosing 'File > Export 
layout...', then I click the 'gerber' button in the next window. Or I 
could generate a gerber file from within Eagle or any other pcb CAD program.

Now, I open gEDA's gerbv (Gerber Viewer) program and select 'File > Open 
Layer(s)..'. I browse to where I saved the gerber file and click 'Open'. 
The file is now loaded into gerbv for viewing.

Next, I choose 'File > Export... > PostScript', and a .ps file of the 
artwork is saved.

Then I do the 'Stroke to Path' and 'Union' steps in Inkscape that I 
described earlier. Followed by the step using pstoedit and its '-f 
dxf_s' option.

I am left with a very decent .dxf file containing an almost perfect 
outline of the pcb traces, pads, and polygons!

Here are a few examples of the result:

[I posted a couple of new pics]
____________________________________________



What I like about both methods of getting to the .dxf file from either 
gEDA/pcb or gerbv is that there is no fiddling and futsing with 
thousands of individual objects to get the image correct. I just 'select 
all' a few times and do a few steps and a few saves. It is fast. Reading 
my long post is not fast, but the two methods are fast.


Dave N6NZ,

If you convert the backmask or the frontmask files either with the 
'gEDA/pcb to dxf' route or the 'Gerber to dxf', you can very quickly 
have your solder paste mask. If you are laser cutting it, I imagine that 
you might have to do some standard offsetting of the .dxf file outlines 
in the CAM program to get the dimensions perfect.

Ben and Dave,

If you are interested in writing some code to add a dxf conversion 
button to pcb and gerbv, maybe trying these two methods on a few of your 
own pcb images will give you some ideas. I think creating a backend 
program that both pcb and gerbv can use would be a good idea. If the 
starting point is a .ps file, then both programs could use the same backend.


Thanks,
Dave


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