gEDA-user: PCB help . . . .

[sdb@cloud9.net (Stuart Brorson)]

Hi --

Well, I have decided to take the plunge and try doing a layout using
PCB.  However, I am already flailing.   :-(

I read Dan McMahill's HOWTO as well as the various PCB docs, and I
think I am following the instructions more or less.  However, running
gschem2pcb gives me errors like: 

Loading schematic [OpticalInstAmp_1.sch]
ERROR! no footprint attribute in A4
 
Error: the footprint C0805 for the device Cbp_amp1 does not exist
Error: the footprint R0805 for the device Rbp2_amp1 does not exist
Error: the footprint R0805 for the device Rbp1_amp1 does not exist
Error: the footprint R0805 for the device RLamp1 does not exist
Error: the footprint R0805 for the device Ramp1in_p does not exist

Apparently, I am not using the correct name for the desired
footprints.

My questions:

*  Where are the footprint names documented?  I have looked at the
.list and .inc and .m4 files in (what I think are) the various
footprint directories, but none of the names match those given in
Dan's HOWTO.  Also, there are zillions of names for each type of part,
so it is hard to figure out which to use.

*  It looks like there are two types of footprints:  those generated
using an old method (m4?) and those generated using a new method
(???).  Is this true?  Where is this documented (if anywhere)?  

*  I am used to systems where the different footprints are just
individual files holding some graphical information.  Here, it looks
like the footprints are generated by a collection of m4 scripts, and
one script might generate many different footprints, depending upon
its calling arguments.  Is this true?  How does PCB know where to look
when generating the footprints on the screen?

I understand that there is an effort underway to translate a PCB
document out of Portugese into English.  I would be willing to help
write or edit this doc if I could see an early copy which would help
me get "over the hump" with PCB.  Just point me to the location where
the drafts live.

Thanks for any and all help,

Stuart