I export each layout to a bitmap with eagle, at 600 dpi which is my
printer's resolution, that makes it exactly the right dimensions... then
import it into photoshop, invert the colors, and then I copy and paste
multiple layouts into one image file and print all at once. As long as you
don't resize any of the bitmaps, and make sure the image you paste them into
is also at the same resolution (dpi)...
photoshop also makes it easy since you can use the little ruler tool to get
the different boards positioned a certain distance apart, so that you can do
multiple boards with one big toner pattern and keep them just far enough
apart to cut them apart afterward without leaving much excess.
also, with photoshop, you can do "print with preview" and position the image
anywhere on the page, that way you can individually print a few different
things on one page by running it through the printer several times, if you
wish.
-Evan
On 12/21/05, Mike Young <mikewhy@...> wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "scratch_6057" <dml.empsrch@...>
> > In the "Board" module of Eagle if you go into the "Print setup" and
> > then select the "Page" button, you can set the output to Top, Bottom,
> > Left, Right for printing rather than the default of Center. The PDF
> > File ( Files > Toner_Transfer > Eagle "Lite" Multi Output )
> > "4 Way Prt from Eagle Lite.pdf"
> >
> > http://f5.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/EIqpQ1mk4SD3FASWsQ6dof_jUbBKC9hT4Wd_begx
> > baQBGzWT2KCG2DtT9TotG7LQ_YC_UAbTSdAqCdRvMZitd1xQk0N4efY2yIU/Toner_Tran
> > sfer/Eagle%20%22Lite%22%20Multi%20Output/4%20Way%20Prt%20from%20Eagle%
> > 20Lite.pdf
>
> I doubt this link will do any better. Probably an issue with Yahoo logins
> and cookies, rather than simply one of links and things. You can keep
> multi-line URLs together by quoting them in angle brackets, '<' and '>'.
>
>
> http://f5.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/MKapQ_YmP483CeTMGotsiRM7hzltWDnDJaaRN5O77sFOvKYEEadRf_xeqHmeg_ipf4txGsov32UcH_G0NFrdDaKo77pCOq2SCypb6Fi30KtQl2k/Toner_Transfer/Eagle%20%22Lite%22%20Multi%20Output/4%20Way%20Prt%20from%20Eagle%20Lite.pdf
>
> >
> > shows PROPORTIONALLY what the output looks like, this is actually a
> > Photoshop edited SCAN of a real printed page with everything set for
> > Landscape Printing. Red lines indicate the 8.5 X 11 sheet size. If
> > you are doing a double sided board it might help to use the X or Y
> > axis as a "hinge" on one edge of the board. Even if you cut all four
> > images from the sheet, I think this is faster than the "cut material
> > and tape to carrier sheet" way of doing things.
>
> Are you printing each image into the different quadrants, then? Four
> passes?
>
> I got pretty good at combining the separate images in Photoshop, and then
> printing from there. But it's still tedious. cam2images.ulp helps by
> automating the image export from Eagle. cam2print.ulp does something
> similar
> for printing, but only one image per page.
>
> At $1.50 per sheet, I'm still pretty miserly with the Pulsar paper,
> especially for the very teensie weensie boards I do. Either way you do it,
> though, you still have to trim off the excess. Trimming the bulk of it
> beforehand seems as good a way to do it as any. Excepting that the cut off
> has a real chance of being tainted and contaminated with skin oil, and
> thus
> one step closer to garbage, each time I pick it up to handle it.
>
> I think the only answer is to find cheap paper, something cheap enough
> even
> that the terminally neurotic can stand to knowingly "waste". :)
>
>
>
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and
> Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs
>
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> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBs_Archives/
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>
>
>
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