[sdiy] PCB service firms?

[Barry Klein]

I guess several of you have used one or more of the pcb service firms you
see advertised in Circuit Cellar or whatever, that provide their own layout
software as part of the deal.  So lets say I do a schematic in Orcad, and
then want a board made - not by a traditional high-$$ place but one of these
new "such a deal" firms.  Questions:
1) I do my schematics in Orcad.  Any issues you've seen supporting their
layout formats?

2) With each firm I need to declare or create the component footprints.  Is
this aspect of design easier with one firm more than another?  Say I want to
use a unique connector footprint I have to create myself - how painful is it
to do?

3) Do any of these perhaps let you do a cut and paste from a gerber or pdf
file (an existing design)?

4) After you get this figured out, what about if you want to then go have
someone manufacture your boards in an SMT process?  Who makes it compatible
for that - does the SMT firm take your files?  Are these files usable or do
you have to start over with a PADS layout or something?

Barry