12 Aug
2008
12 Aug
'08
7:23 p.m.
On Aug 12, 2008, at 11:19 AM, Vincent Slyngstad wrote:
From: "Rich Alderson"
I know folks who've written translators using Eagle to export the
design from Eagle to some other (documented) format, used another tool
for some things and then re-imported it back into Eagle. The
scripting language (and it *is* a programming language) in Eagle is
extremely powerful - it gives you full access to all of the
internals. It's the *only* way to create large complex devices/
packages - try creating a 200 pin SMD connector with .3mm pitch by hand.
From: Guy Sotomayor
It's not as bad as that sounds. Even the freeware version of Eagle
can convert to Gerber, which will let you order the boards and
possibly import them (in a crude way) to another CAD program.
But the best way is probably to "export script", which will export a
text file with the commands to re-create the board. Then it should
be possible to munge the commands into the format needed by the
other CAD tool. Of course, there are still going to be the usual
issues one would run into re-drawing the board, about finding
equivalent components in the other tool's libraries and such.
You can even export the component libraries and translate those, if
you are determined enough. But I always found it easier to just use
Eagle :-). I've layouts in EagleCAD, but if you're
not using Eagle they're
not going to be much use.
As I learned after picking up Vince Slyngstad's
layouts for the
RF08/RS08
emulator, no one has a translator for Eagle to any other format.
However,
CadSoft provide a free version of Eagle which can read any size
board,
even
though it is restricted to 80mm x 100mm for new ones; that will allow
someone
with another layout program a leg up on the project.
BTW, Guy, did you create your layouts from scratch, or use the stuff
on my website?
I started from those but have gone on from there.
TTFN - Guy