[sdiy] Free schmatic layout software

[John Luciani]

On 4/27/06, Tom Arnold <xyzzy at sysabend.org> wrote:
> If we're bringing up free PCB packages...
>
> Dont forget gEDA and Kicad.

Since someone mentioned gEDA ;-)

Stuart Brorson wrote a two part artcle that appeared in the last two
issues of "Circuit Cellar". The article provides a good overview of
gEDA/PCB usage.

I have been using gEDA/PCB for about 1 1/2 years (apx 20 boards two and
four layer SMT) and have found the productivity to be similar to Eagle.
One of the things I find the most useful about gEDA/PCB is the open
ASCII file formats for symbols and layouts.

Using scripting tools I am able to quickly create schematic symbols
and PCB footprints for entire families of parts versus pointing and
clicking my way through one part at a time.

Using scripting tools I can replicate schematics and matching PCB
layouts. For example --- I needed a current sink consisting of four
identical cells.  I created a single cell schematic and a matching PCB
layout. I then ran my script which created a current sink schematic
(four cells with updated refdes's) and a matching current sink PCB
layout. I parallel the cells in the final schematic and layout and I
am done. I have a short writeup about my "matrix" utility
http://www.luciani.org/geda/util/matrix.html

I have some footprint creation scripts at
http://www.luciani.org/geda/geda-index.html

I also have a large library of footprints for gEDA/PCB. The footprints
are at http://www.luciani.org/geda/pcb/pcb-footprint-list.html
The footprint names (most of them) follow a convention that is based on
IPC7351. The naming convention is documented at
http://www.luciani.org/geda/pcb/footprint-name-spec.pdf

gEDA is at http://www.geda.seul.org/

(* jcl *)


--
http://www.luciani.org