[sdiy] pcb-fab help

[patchell]

    Plus, you can download some utilities I wrote for protel Autotrax here:

http://www.silcom.com/~patchell/protel/protel.html

    Many of these features are now incorporated into the newer versions of
protel, such as the utility that will re-anotate the components on the board.
All the code was compiled with Borland V3.1 for DOS...and all of the source code
is supplied, although, I will admit, some of it is not commented well.  In fact,
a few of those programs I am not even really sure what they were supposed to do.

    Also, Protel Autotrax has been reported to me as even being able to run
under Windows NT.

    The old Autotrax is what I used until Protel came out with V2.5 for windows
(this was the first version that ran under windows that actually worked, up
until that point, for a couple of years, I had paid something like $1000 for a
program that did not work, which has left a pretty bad taste in my mouth for
Protel as a company).  Also, in my opinion, V2.7 was the last version that
worked.  I remember when I got V2.8, it had enough bugs in it that I
re-installed V2.7 and stopped purchasing updates.  They kept trying to get me to
purchase their newer software, and when I would use the demos I would find the
software to be very buggy and also slow.  A good example is their autorouter.  I
have the original Neural Route just after protel purchased the company that made
it.  The test board I created to test out the router could routed to 100% in 1
hour on an old Pentinum 90MHz processor.  A newer version of the software was
unable to route the board to 100% on a Pentium II 300MHz processor after 24
hours.  Plus Protel charges, in my opinion, way too much for their newer
software.

    Still, I have always been happy with protel autotrax.  I can highly recomend
this program.

Ken Stone wrote:

> Protel (www.protel.com) has its former DOS product Autotrax available as
> freeware. This is a fully fledged PC layout program with no limits.
> Admittedly it is a little old, but for single and double sided boards it is
> fine. It handles up to 4 middle layers if needed, but I don't see a DIYer
> doing this!  What is it capable of? Visit my web site and see. This is the
> software I have been using for years.
>
> Ken
>
> >Now that the subject was raised, I would like to know from you folks what
> >software are you using to generate your PCBs layouts. I am using Eagle
> >Light, and it's OK for small boards (the Light vesion is limited to some 4"
> >by 3.2"). What are you folks using??
> >
> _______________________________________________________________________
> Ken Stone   sasami at hotkey.net.au
> Modular Synth PCBs for sale <http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/synth/>
> Australian Miniature Horses & Ponies <http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/>

--
 -Jim
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