Re: gEDA-user: More questions about pcb

[Kai-Martin Knaak <kmk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:17:15 -0800, Anthony Shanks wrote:

> Is there anyway to move a footprint beyond the boundary of the board?
> For example I want to move this jack (J1) so the connectors are sticking
> out the board, but it doesnt want to move the silkscreen layer past the
> board boundaries. In this case do I have to just edit the footprint?

The end of the drawing area in the pcb GUI can coincide with the boundary 
of the board, but it does not have to. You can define an arbitrary  shape 
with tracks in a layer called "outline". Gerber output  will produce a 
dedicated file with this layer. Fabs will recognize this as the path to 
cut the board. 
Make the outline shape smaller than the viewport and the jack can easily 
extend beyond the boundary of the board.

Unfortunately, the default layer-stack for new layouts does not contain 
this layer. You have to rename an existing layer, or add a new layer for 
this purpose. Check the button of the layer you want to rename and do
	Edit -> Edit_Name_Of -> Active_Layer

If you want to introduce a new layer, you can do so in the preference 
dialog:
	File -> Preferences -> Layers 

You can make up your own default layer stack in the config file 
$HOME/.pcb/preferences . Mine looks like this:

/-------preferences-----
<snip>
groups = 1,2,3,c:4,5,6,s:7:8
layer-name-1 = top
layer-name-2 = top.-poly.
layer-name-3 = top.-GND
layer-name-4 = bottom
layer-name-5 = bot-polyg.
layer-name-6 = bot.-GND
layer-name-7 = comment
layer-name-8 = outline
\-------------------

The above is true if you use the GTK-GUI, which is compiled in by 
default. If you use the lesstif GUI, the config file to edit is 
$HOME/.pcb/settings .


> http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/16/layoutpv.png

I'd recommend a somewhat larger polygon clearance...

 
> Second question, is there a ruler tool in pcb?

You can set a local origin with [CTRL-m]]. When set, the top right of the 
window reports the distance of the cursor position from this origin.

Hope, this helps. 

---<(kaimartin)>---
-- 
Kai-Martin Knaak                                  tel: +49-511-762-2895
Universität Hannover, Inst. für Quantenoptik      fax: +49-511-762-2211	
Welfengarten 1, 30167 Hannover           http://www.iqo.uni-hannover.de
GPG key:    http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?search=Knaak+kmk&op=get



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