Re: gEDA-user: Ok, who moved pin 4?

[Peter Clifton <pcjc2@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 2007-11-26 at 11:00 -0800, Dave N6NZ wrote:
> 
> Peter Clifton wrote:
> <snip/>
>  >
> We have a problem at CUED with various different formats / "types" of
> > gerber, and no means to panelise them effectively.
> <snip/>
> > The thought occurred to me that gerbv is happy enough reading all of the
> > above, and all the primitives themselves will probably translate pretty
> > well into PCB primitives. (As I mentioned above, the commercial software
> > which gets used at CUED can import compatible gerbers).
> > 
> 
> So, I'm confused.  Which problem are you trying to solve? Panelizing, or 
>   pcb file format conversion?

I think panelizing would be easiest to solve, but I meant to allow PCB
to import arbitrary gerber files as layer data - so we can panelize with
boards produced with any software.

(This is the main problem with PCB's output for the process used here,
they can't panelize the designs with those from other software).

> gerbv has the potential to be a much more powerful tool.
> 
> First off, I'd like to see a print capability added, so that I could get 
> check plots out of gerbv.  (Yes, pcb produces check plots, but when we 
> get a gerber from someplace else, gerbv is the natural place to print 
> check plots.)
> 
> Then, following up on Peter's 2nd comment, since gerbv has a robust 
> gerber reader, it would be a great platform for plugins.  If there were 
> an API that allowed a plug-in to walk the gerber file data structures we 
> could implement all manner of translators, checkers, and back-end tools 
> that could accept gerber from anyplace.  This would be valuable to me in 
> creating a paste stencil back-end, for instance.
> 
> Panelizing is independent functionality from the other two, also good. 
> I'd certainly want the ability to print check plots directly from gerbv 
> to go with it.

All good ideas. I'm afraid they won't come to much without attraction of
developers though, as gerbv isn't actively developed at the moment. I
hear Stuart and Ales have taken over maintainership.

Best wishes,

Peter C




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