[kicad-users] Re: Trouble when creating module library using auxiliary board approach
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, andy_7945 hvbry...@... wrote: Hi all, I'm new to KiCad and am starting my first board design with it. I am using the SVN2508 version, which I think is the latest, under WinXP SP3. I like to use libraries I've created myself so that I know the physical dimensions of the footprints are correct for the actual parts I'm using. I read through the KiCad documentation to determine the best practices for this. In section 11.11 of the PCBNew manual, it says this: It is recommended to create libraries indirectly, by creating one or more auxiliary circuit boards that constitute the 'source' of (part of) the library, as follows: Create a circuit board in A4 format, in order to be able to print easily to scale (scale = 1). Create the modules that the library will contain on this circuit board. The library itself will be created with the File/Archive footprints/Create footprint archive command. So I decided to use this approach. The technique I used was to load a module into the module editor from an existing library, modify it to fit my requirements, setting the Reference field to the name I want for the module. When I finish editing the module, I use the Insert module into current board command in the module editor. Then, when I've created all the modules and I'm ready to save the new library, I use File/Archive footprints/Create footprint archive from PCBNew per the documentation above. After setting the module search path to the newly created library, I still wasn't able to see the newly created modules in CVpcb. I tracked this down, and found that when I load a module from an existing library, edit it as described above, then insert it into the auxiliary board, the module name ends up being that of the module I started with in the original library, not the reference field entered for the new module as described above. In trying to figure out how to fix this, I couldn't find a way to specify the module name prior to inserting it into the board when starting out by modifying a module in an existing library. So I ended up deleting the modules from the newly created library. Then I added them to the library one by one using Load module from current board and Save module in working library from the module editor. When doing it this way, one is prompted for the module name and the saved modules of course have the correct name in the library. This is all okay, as I can use a revised approach by creating the library first, then inserting each module into the auxiliary board one by one after the fact. But this is not how the documentation says to do it. This causes me to believe that I'm somehow missing some important detail of how to specify the module name when using the above described procedure (Load module from lib, edit the module, change its reference field, then Insert module into current board). If so, how can I specify a new name for the module? Thanks, Andy C I think I am right here: Select the component you want to edit in Library editor from PCBnew by selecting the component. Edit it as you want , then save by selecting the library YOU want to save it in. If this does not exist, create it with the Create new library tab. This will save the device in the new library. Use something meaningful like Custom_Lib or similar. Do not have spaces in the names, use underscores if you have to. KK does not like spaces in module or symbol names. Before making another component or editing an existing one, you will have to add the library from PCBnew. Go to preferences, Library, Add Library and add in your new library. Save the preferneces to the project on exit (automatically called on exit from tab). You can then add more components to it. To use this library in another project, add it in the same manner, using Add library as KK only includes default libraries in new projects. The same applies to ESchema for libraries. If you can, save the libraries elsewhere, as you may find that new installations overwrite or remove existing customised libraries. I have also tried to maintain my own duplicate symbol libraries for modded parts, as I have had some instances where most of the current symbol library in Eschema have been wiped by ESchema failing, only with the previous version though. I have the whole package installed on a USB flash drive and when I move PCs, the data and libraries go with me. It is easier than trying to keep several installations up to date. Enjoy! It is a nice PCB package and works as well or better than most!
[kicad-users] Re: Urgent drl file problem
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, Jean-Paul Gendner jean-paul.gend...@... wrote: I have tested that the generated Kicad drill file is an ASCII file. And it's indeed an excellon drill file... The second file I have sent begins as follows: M48 INCH,TZ T1C0.031 T2C0.039 T3C0.040 T4C0.120 % That's the header with unit and tool definition... G05 This is the 'now start drilling stuff' T1 This means 'pick tool 1' (as defined before) X7000Y-1500 X7000Y-1700 These are the hole locations. It's a perfectly fine excellon drill tape to me... However, I get now from eurocircuits the error message: GERBER drillmaps are NOT supported. Drillmaps??? first the drill tape is in excellon format, not gerber; second the 'drill map' is *another thing* and it's used by the operator to verify that the drill file was loaded correctly, it isn't used to fabricate the board! May any one give me information on how I may generate a non Gerber drill file with Kicad? Kicad only creates excellon drill files; it can also generate a drill map in various formats (ps, hpgl and gerber). The drill file is the .drl one, the map is the -drl.ps or -drl.pho or whatever, but the one needed to drill the board is only the .drl (which you correctly sent). Also, I've read the eurocircuits guidelines... it says: Artwork: Gerber RS-274X (Extended gerber with embedded apertures) == The .pho files from kicad are of this type Drilling: Excellon (1 or 2) + appropriate tool list (ideally embedded) == The .drl file is an excellon 2 with embedded tool list. The external tool list is given in the drill report file All the files are ASCII ones, no EIA or EBCDIC stuff... *maybe* but only maybe if you're under Linux they could have unix line terminations instead of DOS ones (a 'file' command would confirm this). Maybe it's this their problem? (gencad files often don't load with unix terminators)
RE: [kicad-users] Re: Urgent drl file problem
I forgot : I am working under Windows XP with KiCad-2010-05-05-BZR2356-final-WinXP_full_with_components_doc_autoinstall.ex e. Jean-Paul Gendner 03.88.27.03.44 _ De : kicad-users@yahoogroups.com [mailto:kicad-us...@yahoogroups.com] De la part de Jean-Paul Gendner Envoyé : vendredi 14 mai 2010 18:57 À : kicad-users@yahoogroups.com Objet : RE: [kicad-users] Re: Urgent drl file problem Many, many thanks for your help/answer, You say exactly what I also mean. However I have this error message! Perhaps they request no leading zeros? I will try again to contact eurocircuits, but it is not easy. The site has changed, and I was not able to send a question! Regards, Jean-Paul Jean-Paul Gendner 03.88.27.03.44 _ De : kicad-users@yahoogroups.com [mailto:kicad-us...@yahoogroups.com] De la part de Lorenzo Envoyé : vendredi 14 mai 2010 18:47 À : kicad-users@yahoogroups.com Objet : [kicad-users] Re: Urgent drl file problem --- In kicad-users@ mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com yahoogroups.com, Jean-Paul Gendner jean-paul.gend...@... wrote: I have tested that the generated Kicad drill file is an ASCII file. And it's indeed an excellon drill file... The second file I have sent begins as follows: M48 INCH,TZ T1C0.031 T2C0.039 T3C0.040 T4C0.120 % That's the header with unit and tool definition... G05 This is the 'now start drilling stuff' T1 This means 'pick tool 1' (as defined before) X7000Y-1500 X7000Y-1700 These are the hole locations. It's a perfectly fine excellon drill tape to me... However, I get now from eurocircuits the error message: GERBER drillmaps are NOT supported. Drillmaps??? first the drill tape is in excellon format, not gerber; second the 'drill map' is *another thing* and it's used by the operator to verify that the drill file was loaded correctly, it isn't used to fabricate the board! May any one give me information on how I may generate a non Gerber drill file with Kicad? Kicad only creates excellon drill files; it can also generate a drill map in various formats (ps, hpgl and gerber). The drill file is the .drl one, the map is the -drl.ps or -drl.pho or whatever, but the one needed to drill the board is only the .drl (which you correctly sent). Also, I've read the eurocircuits guidelines... it says: Artwork: Gerber RS-274X (Extended gerber with embedded apertures) == The .pho files from kicad are of this type Drilling: Excellon (1 or 2) + appropriate tool list (ideally embedded) == The .drl file is an excellon 2 with embedded tool list. The external tool list is given in the drill report file All the files are ASCII ones, no EIA or EBCDIC stuff... *maybe* but only maybe if you're under Linux they could have unix line terminations instead of DOS ones (a 'file' command would confirm this). Maybe it's this their problem? (gencad files often don't load with unix terminators)
Re: [kicad-users] Re: Urgent drl file problem
All the files are ASCII ones, no EIA or EBCDIC stuff... EBCDIC. wow. That acronym takes me back to the eighties when I was programming airline terminals.
