Re: gEDA-user: Interest in PCB footprint generation scripts?

[Matt Tanner <matt.tanner@xxxxxxx>]

Argh...
You beat me to it!

I have been working on a set of perl scripts to do exactly the same 
thing. I have my perl scripts working for surface-mount chips... and my 
"input format" looks very similar to yours.

My scripts come in 2 pieces. One script is straight perl and it reads an 
input file and creates a footprint. The other script is written in 
perl-tk and it presents a user with a GUI where input boxes are filled 
in and the part is "drawn" on-screen as the user fills in the boxes. The 
GUI program creates the input file and then calls the first script that 
reads the input file and creates the footprint. I broke my project into 
these 2 pieces so those who don't want to use the GUI aren't forced to 
use it.

Please email me if you're interested in collaborating on this...

Matt Tanner



Darrell Harmon wrote:

> I am currently writing a set of python scripts to generate PCB 
> footprints.  The idea behind what I am doing is to make it easy to 
> create footprints for a project from the components datasheets 
> quickly.  I have it working for BGA parts so far, and will be adding 
> QFP, SO, SOT, DIP, ...  Is there any interest in this?  If so, I will 
> clean it up, write documentation and put it on my website.  
> Suggestions are welcome.  The set of scripts will be licensed under 
> the GPL, but there will be an exception so that the output will be 
> public domain.
>
> Input to generate Xilinx FT256 BGA:
>
> type = "bga"
> pitch = 1mm
> silkwidth = 10 mils
> balldia = 0.4mm
> maskclear = 0.1mm
> polyclear = 6 mil
> silkboxwidth = 17mm
> silkboxheight = 17mm
> rows = 16
> cols = 16
> part = "FT256"
>
> I have attempted to design so that the input data is simple to 
> understand and modify.  Notice how the mixed units are allowed.  The 
> script converts automatically from inches, mils or mm.