In my opinion auto-routing is not a very good way of routing the PCB. Even the most advance auto-routing of commercial software that Protel, Altium, OrCAD, etc. use could not comply the strict compliance with regards to interference (EMI), crosstalk, etc. on the other hand if your application is doesn't need strict compliance auto-router is a good tool just define your routing rules and its all done. it may take minutes or hours and some can take days and even months to finish using auto-routing.
KiCad is a good tool for schematic editing and manual PCB layout, but if you need serious autorouting capabilities, KiCad is currently not likely to satisfy your requirements. --- In [email protected], "calvingrier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "Rich Cini" <rcini@> wrote: > > > > All: > > > > I have a quick question about netlist conversions. I'm not having > > much success with the KiCad autorouter so I want to try another > board > > program, but I have the schematic all done in KiCad. Is there a way > to > > convert the schematic netlist to Tango or OrCad format so I can > import > > it into another board program to try its autorouter? > > > > I'm lazy and don't really want to manually route the board. It's a > > hobby project -- an expansion board for my 6502-based SBC. Very > simple > > -- a bunch of parallel 2x25 headers -- but the autorouter leaves 2/3 > > of the routes unrouted. Of course, any advice to improve the success > > with the KiCad autorouter would be appreciated. > > > > Thanks! > > > > Rich Cini > > One possible route for this is to use the PADSPCB output format from > EESchema. (You'll need to install the Add-in) > > If you've assigned a footprint based on the names from FreePCB > (www.freepcb.com), then you can manipulate the layout in that program > (it only runs under windows.) > > FreePCB has a simple method for using www.freerouting.net for > autorouting boards. The routing can then be imported back into > FreePCB. I don't know a way to get it back to PCBNEW, but you don't > have to pull it back in since FreePCB can generate the Gerbers, > drills, etc. >
