On Sunday 25 October 2009, Peter Clifton wrote: >On Sun, 2009-10-25 at 11:25 -0400, Harry Eaton wrote: >> > Does geda have a .pcb file viewer, such as is output by the ExpressPCB >> > free software for windows? I've got a small tabletop milling machine, >> > and have been asked to do a board that is about half the size of a >> > postage stamp. >> > >> > And, if so, can it convert a .pcb into a couple of .ngc's for feeding a >> > milling machine, one for each side of the board? >> >> I think there may be some misunderstanding what you are asking here. >> >> I interpret your question to be "The windows program ExpressPCB has >> created a ".pcb" file. Does geda have a viewer for this file?" > >Ah - looks like I misread the question. > >> Now I don't know anything about ExpressPCB, but it probably creates >> files in its own (probably proprietary) format and gives them a .pcb >> suffix. > >IIRC, it is a vendor lock-in design program for their fab, so there is >no way to export from it, not even gerbers. http://www.expresspcb.com/ >Sorry!
Copy that, loud and clear. :( >Like Harry said, re-designing the board in (gEDA) PCB would be the only >option here, but I'm not 100% convinced about the output to mill >commands anyway. Best test that bit first before investing too much time >in re-designing the board! Well, I told him early this morning that he would probably be better off just having it setup about 20x up on ExpressPCB's smallest double sided board, which for a potential market of maybe 150 copies, can be done 50x faster and cheaper by the time I invest in those teeny & ex$pensive carbide bits. Because my spindle is maxed at 2500 rpms, I'd have to use F speeds similar to watching the paints we had 75 years ago dry. No profit, other than the entry on the resume in taking 1 to 4 hours for each side of a board that's half a postage stamp in size IMO. And at my age, I'd do it just for the grins if the code conversions were 1/1, that is a much larger problem than the extreme prices for the bits I believe. >If the board's designer can take a screen-shot from express-pcb (perhaps >one on each layer), you can import the screen-shot as a background to >trace over in PCB. That I can do with screen captures and gimp to trim to size from the running wine version. >(Just a note.. the PCB+GL branch _can not_ render background images). > >Best wishes, > >Peter C. > > > > >_______________________________________________ >geda-user mailing list >[email protected] >http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user > -- Cheers, Gene "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." -Ed Howdershelt (Author) The NRA is offering FREE Associate memberships to anyone who wants them. <https://www.nrahq.org/nrabonus/accept-membership.asp> IN MY OPINION anyone interested in improving himself should not rule out becoming pure energy. -- Jack Handley, The New Mexican, 1988. _______________________________________________ geda-user mailing list [email protected] http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user
