Hey Jake and all.<div><br></div><div>I designed a PCB a few months back using the gEDA tools and can share some tricks / tips that I picked up there. I think the most enjoyable part of the whole experience was being able to build out microchip schematics using the djboxsym tool:</div>
<div><a href="http://www.gedasymbols.org/user/dj_delorie/tools/djboxsym.html">http://www.gedasymbols.org/user/dj_delorie/tools/djboxsym.html</a></div><div>with a sample at:</div><div><a href="http://www.gedasymbols.org/user/dj_delorie/tools/sample.symdef">http://www.gedasymbols.org/user/dj_delorie/tools/sample.symdef</a></div>
<div><br></div><div>and being able to design footprints in a non-wysiwyg manner. Meaning that I hand edited pad information and the like in my text editor.</div><div>See this document for a head start:</div><div><a href="http://www.brorson.com/gEDA/land_patterns_20050129.pdf">http://www.brorson.com/gEDA/land_patterns_20050129.pdf</a></div>
<div>Here's an example of a JST 2-pin socket.</div><div><br></div><div><div># JST 2 pin connector</div><div># Brandon Edens</div><div><br></div><div>Element["" "jst 2 pin connector" "" "JST2" 0.0 0.0 0mm 0mm 0 100 ""]</div>
<div>(</div><div> Pad[-1.0mm -1.9mm -1.0mm -5.5mm 1.0mm 0.6mm 1.6mm "+" "1" "square,octagon"]</div><div> Pad[ 1.0mm -1.9mm 1.0mm -5.5mm 1.0mm 0.6mm 1.6mm "-" "2" "square,octagon"]</div>
<div><br></div><div> # Pads for securing part to PCB</div><div> Pad[-3.4mm 0.6mm -3.4mm 2.4mm 1.6mm 0.6mm 2.0mm "" "" "square,octagon"]</div><div> Pad[ 3.4mm 0.6mm 3.4mm 2.4mm 1.6mm 0.6mm 2.0mm "" "" "square,octagon"]</div>
<div><br></div><div> ElementLine [ 4.0mm -4.5mm 4.0mm 3.0mm 0.01mm]</div><div> ElementLine [-4.0mm 3.0mm 4.0mm 3.0mm 0.01mm]</div><div> ElementLine [-4.0mm -4.5mm -4.0mm 3.0mm 0.01mm]</div><div> ElementLine [-4.0mm -4.5mm -3.2mm -4.5mm 0.01mm]</div>
<div> ElementLine [ 4.0mm -4.5mm 3.2mm -4.5mm 0.01mm]</div><div> ElementLine [-3.2mm -4.5mm -3.2mm -2.0mm 0.01mm]</div><div> ElementLine [ 3.2mm -4.5mm 3.2mm -2.0mm 0.01mm]</div><div> ElementLine [-3.2mm -2.0mm 3.2mm -2.0mm 0.01mm]</div>
<div>)</div></div><div><br></div><div>Brandon</div><div><br></div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jul 12, 2012 at 1:12 PM, Nicholas Granado <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ngranado@gmail.com" target="_blank">ngranado@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">sweet. i'll swing by monday night then!<br clear="all"><br>nick<div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br><br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jul 12, 2012 at 1:02 PM, Jake <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jake@spaz.org" target="_blank">jake@spaz.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
fuck eagle! didn't you hear Richard Stallman's talk? Why would you use a payware software that is closed source? You are not even being allowed the freedom to know what instructions you're putting on your computer.<br>
<br>
And if a friend asks you for a copy, you have to either tell them no, which is a terrible thing to do, or give them an illegal copy, which is also a bad choice.<br>
<br>
The right thing to do is to use KiCAD or gEDA, both of which are free software, free as in speech AND free as in beer.<br>
<br>
I have been using KiCAD, and after a really frustrating learning period (i have used McCAD and PCAD before) I have finally figured out how it works, and i can say I am pleased with it. It still is frustrating at times but the worst is over, and overall I don't think it's worse than any other program. I have never been able to operate Eagle, maybe i'm dumb.<br>
<br>
One thing I like about KiCAD is that it uses the keyboard a lot. i dislike having to use the mouse for things that could be done with the keyboard. You still CAN use the mouse for everything, but you don't have to.<br>
<br>
I will be working on a circuitboard almost every time i come to noisebridge from now on. That will usually be monday nights and tuesday all day, and sometimes wednesday. I invite you to see how i do it.<br>
<br>
Also you can ask Hao who has been working on the robot, he is good with KiCAD.<span><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
-jake</font></span><div><div><br>
<br>
Nicholas Granado wrote:<br>
is there a class given at noisebridge on using eagle and making circuit<br>
boards?<br>
<br>
nick<br>
<br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Brandon Edens | <a href="mailto:brandonedens@gmail.com" target="_blank">brandonedens@gmail.com</a> | <a href="http://brandonedens.org" target="_blank">brandonedens.org</a> | key 0x42248B92<br>
</div>