I remember doing the poor man's version of this kind of job with a xerox machine, a pair of scissor, and a black waterproof marker! That was before I could afford a scanner! I know a guy who etches hundreds of PCB each month, and he uses nothing but Illustrator. But being an electronic tech, I'd rather spend nights learning Kicad than Inkscape. And the ability to replace an obsolete package by a new one with a simple click is indeed a feature I use often, especially when dealing with 20yo+ stuff...
Axel --- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, Andy Eskelson <andyya...@...> wrote: > > > 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...@..." <mad...@...> 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 <andyyahoo@> 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 > > > "madax@" <mad.ax@> 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 > > > > > > >
