Re: gEDA-user: pcbexpress.com and ``pcb'' ``negative'' solder mask layers

["Joel N. Weber II" <jwgeda@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > The files mostly looked fine in gerbv.  One of the two solder mask
>
> "Looking fine" is irrelevent if you don't know what they're supposed
> to look for.  The difference between a positive and negative plane
> isn't something you'd notice in gerbv unless you knew the difference
> already, and for masks it's not always obvious which is the "right"
> way.

What is the correct thing to look for, then?  The mask layers I got
have, in gerbv, grey where there should be soldermask and black where
there should be no soldermask.  The silk layer has grey where there
should be ink, and black where there should be no ink.  The copper
layer has black where there should be no copper and grey where there
should be copper.

I assumed from what pcbexpress told me that they were complaining
about the use of ``IPNEG'' in the gerber file for the solder mask
layers, but I'm not sure.

> > just needed mounting holes for the Kycon ST-3100-3C.  But I only
> > noticed this after I'd placed all of the components, and changing it
> > would be kind of tedious.
>
> IIRC you can change the hole type in an element already on a board.
> Try Ctrl-H ("toggle hole flag") over the mounting hole.

I'm not sure if that would get me the optimal pad size, though.  Also,
doing that manually for 9 connectors times three holes per connector
would leave me feeling like I'd like better automation.