Yes, you are correct, DRC NEEDs other info in order to work. In regards to your "old" PCB requirement, many years ago when we had a similar situation in needing to recreate a PCB when the tape masters had been lost we would put the PCB on the copy camera and take a pic of it. If the board was rather dense, we would sometimes tweak the enlargement factor slightly to get the sizes 100% correct. Using the hi contrast films, we usually got an acceptable image for reproducing the PCB. A little lightbox work was sometimes needed but not often.
You could prob. do just as well if not a better job with a good quality flatbed scanner. Andy On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 11:53:13 -0000 "ma...@ymail.com" <mad...@free.fr> wrote: > The error occurs only when I try to create a PCB without schematic nor > netlist AND with the DRC active. I don't get any error when the DRC is OFF, > or if I have a schematic and a proper netlist. > > So I guess my problem was that I expected PCBnew to work as a standalone app > WITH DRC. Obviously it is not the case. Either I respect the workflow > (schematic>netlist>CVpcb>PCBnew) which I understand and agree to when in > 'designer' mode, either I have to sacrifice the DRC safety when I want to > save some time and draw a PCB from scratch. > > Thanks to all for helping me clarifying that out! > > Axel > > > --- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, Andy Eskelson <andyya...@...> wrote: > > > > Odd - not much I can add at this point. If you want, you can upload > > your files (best to put the sch, brd and netlist or as many of them as > > you have) to the files section and I'll have a look at it. (or email them > > to me directly) > > > > There maybe some other infringement of the rules going on that you have > > not spotted as yet. > > > > > > You CAN create PCB's manually. You have to turn off all the DRC rules. > > However you then miss out on the protection that DRC gives you. > > > > preferences > general (middle of the window, DRC on/off tickbox) > > I'm still using the 2009 linux version of Kicad, so in the latest verson > > the menu locations may have changed. > > > > When you use DRC and then add a module, the system will complain, as DRC > > will not know anything about this component. > > > > > > Andy > > > > > > On Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:34:07 -0000 > > "ma...@..." <mad...@...> wrote: > > > > > Thank you for your answer. Maybe I'm thinking too simple, or Old > > > school... Last time I successfully used a CAD was 15 years ago. Back then > > > I could certainly make a PCB with Proteus lite without using ISIS (the > > > schematic editor) nor making a netlist... According to the Kicad FAQ, I > > > should be able to work this way... > > > "5.1 How do I manually route a PCB? > > > Manual routing is quite straight forward. You don't even need to have a > > > schematic." > > > > > > I tried the thinnest trace possible, and even straight (with no angle at > > > all) the error occurs! > > > > > > Axel > > > > > > --- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, Andy Eskelson <andyyahoo@> wrote: > > > > > > > > The problem is that you are thinking too simple... > > > > > > > > KIcad like most design software is designed to work via netlists and so > > > > on. > > > > > > > > As has been suggested you could simply turn off the design rules > > > > checking > > > > that will prevent errors and so on. > > > > > > > > By far the best method is to create a simple sch. in eeschema and then > > > > use that to generate the required netlist. > > > > > > > > It's well worth getting used to creating the circuit then the PCB and so > > > > on. > > > > > > > > The error is just giving you a warning that a track is too close to a > > > > pad. > > > > > > > > Tracks and pads have a clearance setting. The normal problkem is that > > > > you > > > > cut across the pad at an angle with a track, and you just clip the edge > > > > of the clearance limit. Centre on where the error is and zoom right in, > > > > and you will prob see the problem. > > > > > > > > Use a slightly thinner track, or re-route it to miss the clearance area. > > > > > > > > Like most packages Kicad takes a bit of getting used to, I used a lot > > > > worse! (and not just PCB packages) > > > > > > > > Andy > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Fri, 20 Aug 2010 08:39:38 -0000 > > > > "madax@" <mad.ax@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hello group! > > > > > This is my first post, so I apologize but I'm afraid I need some help! > > > > > > > > > > I installed Kicad (2010-05-05 BZR 2356) on Ubuntu Lucid64. Fine. As > > > > > far as drawing schematics, everything is ok. Now if I try to draw a > > > > > PCB without schematic, without netlist, without autorouter... Just a > > > > > simple one sided circuit board. I create a new project, open PCB new, > > > > > place say a DIP-8_300 component, click on 'add traces and vias', > > > > > start tracing... and get: > > > > > Type Err(4) trace near pad > > > > > > > > > > What the hell am I doing wrong? > > > > > I can draw a trace without problem as long as I don't get near to the > > > > > component (which is not very useful!). It's not component related > > > > > (same behavior with resistances, caps, and so on) > > > > > Component and traces are both on the 'under' side. I tried different > > > > > traces sizes, I searched in the manual, in the different tutos, in > > > > > the web... Nada! I searched here but the search server is 'busy' > > > > > please try again later! Plus I don't know what to enter in the search > > > > > engine, 'manual routing' return results such as auto-routing in the > > > > > kicad manual, and the likes! > > > > > > > > > > I'm quite convinced that this must be something really simple, but I > > > > > can't find it! > > > > > > > > > > Thanks for your help > > > > > Axel > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > > > > > > > Please read the Kicad FAQ in the group files section before posting > > > > > your question. > > > > > Please post your bug reports here. They will be picked up by the > > > > > creator of Kicad. > > > > > Please visit http://www.kicadlib.org for details of how to contribute > > > > > your symbols/modules to the kicad library. > > > > > For building Kicad from source and other development questions visit > > > > > the kicad-devel group at > > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-develYahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > > > Please read the Kicad FAQ in the group files section before posting your > > > question. > > > Please post your bug reports here. They will be picked up by the creator > > > of Kicad. > > > Please visit http://www.kicadlib.org for details of how to contribute > > > your symbols/modules to the kicad library. > > > For building Kicad from source and other development questions visit the > > > kicad-devel group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-develYahoo! > > > Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Please read the Kicad FAQ in the group files section before posting your > question. > Please post your bug reports here. They will be picked up by the creator of > Kicad. > Please visit http://www.kicadlib.org for details of how to contribute your > symbols/modules to the kicad library. > For building Kicad from source and other development questions visit the > kicad-devel group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-develYahoo! Groups > Links > > >
