Rick Collins wrote: There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in making it do what is > required. Rather I get suggestions on how to hand edit files to produce > XYRS centroid files and such. So for my next project, I am looking for > a tool that is more complete and works efficiently (by that I mean does > not require *ME* to do the kind of work a computer can do).
[jg]IF you are going low cost, PCB is likely closest to what you desire. Some of the big $$ CAD like cadence, mentor, cadstar have what you want almost. It's still possible to come up with reasons to tweak when manufacturing needs something and your output doesn't have it for whatever reason... > I do > production work and always need multiple panels to complete a job. So > there is no point to putting more than one board on a panel. [jg]I can see having a product mix when producing a line so that I want 4 of A, 8 of B, 4 of C 6 of D on one panel that I repeat as needed in large volume, lowering handling costs over dealing with 4 different panels during a run of boards. My goal is to automate as > much as possible and to eliminate any sort of manual work, including > running script files. [jg] This sounds like you want > $20K per seat software -- subscription software from the Cadence and Mentor kind of company where they do a lot of service for you, (they run the scripts, or encapsulate them in a GUI and you happily use their product customization). But PCB, gschem etc. can be just as good, and faster/easier to afford and use and customize. There's something you might not have noticed yet. You can hire people to make customizations for gEDA tools, and you've been talking with one of them already -- DJ. :-) > I'm suggesting that the panelization be > integrated into PCB rather than use a separate tool. If this scripting > tool is editing the PCB design file, then it has to "know" about the PCB > file format and be kept up to date with any changes. [jg]Scripts are separate, but can be controlled by a custom program that is command line or GUI for purposes of avoiding mistakes. If you like "integrated" apps, PCB has plugins that can drive scripts and hide their existence from you, but they will always be there to satisfy many who do not like GUI front ends for everything. > I prefer to use tools > that do the job simply and effectively without unnecessary manual > steps. I think a step and repeat option should be in any good layout tool. [jg] By manual, you seem to be meaning mouse clicking is OK, but script running isn't, or needs to be started by a mouse click. That's all possible and hirable. The only thing you won't be able to do dealing with PCB and gschem developers is demand features be removed for simplicity. That still might be possible for most things as things evolve. PCB has a way to customize menus without recompiling the code -- that lets you set up pushbutton access to features you want to use and not to others. John Griessen _______________________________________________ geda-user mailing list [email protected] http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user
