Homebrew PCBs

KiCAD does allow selecting inches or mm for its units. I've never tried it in mm, though.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Barnes" <jim@...> wrote:
>
> Hi,
> 
>  
> 
> I want to echo my approval of KiCAD. In the current century, I first
> used TinyCAD. Why? Because it was the first program that I googled when
> searching for FREE CAD software. Along with FreePCB and a Gerber viewer,
> it really is capable doing a PCB; I used it for my first one. Its
> program glitches and, especially, its component library drive me up the
> wall, though. Whoever designed TinyCAD's libraries used something other
> than inches (probably metric) and the components can't be adjusted to an
> inch grid without redrawing them. In frustration, I installed KiCAD just
> today. After going through the tutorial, I'm quite impressed with its
> capabilities. I re-entered a schematic for a prospective PCB of mine and
> did it in a quarter of TinyCAD's time or less.
> 
>  
> 
> (Sorry, ROTW, but I use inches, NOT mm! Through-hole components are
> sized in inches. If I want to build a soldered breadboard, perf boards
> come only in 0.1 inch spacing. If by some miracle I come up with a
> production design, American PCB houses use inches. I like the metric
> system and wish we had changed over in the 1950s, but we didn't. Unless
> manufacturers of the stuff-electronic, mechanical, and lumber, too-I use
> all go metric, I still use inches! Sorry for the off-topic tirade.)
> 
>  
> 
> Bottom line for newbies: Don't waste your time with TinyCAD/FreePCB! If
> you need free, go right to KiCAD.
> 
>  
> 
> Back in the computing dark ages (1980 +/-), I used OrCAD (now
> Candence/Orcad). I've seen that OrCAD is giving away their DOS (Yes, I
> said DOS!) version for free. The current version is a very high price,
> high capability product. I used the DOS version in the dark ages to
> design stuff for NASA and the military. I don't really remember whether
> it had component rotation, but I'll bet it did. Aerospace hardware used
> a lot of weird-sized boards that didn't lend themselves to parts lined
> up like soldiers in formation. If you're inclined to step back into the
> last century, you might check it out at www.orcad.com.
> 
>  
> 
> Jim
> 
>  
> 
> From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of awakephd
> Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 7:46 AM
> To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: PCB layout & component rotation
> 
>  
> 
>   
> 
> I am very satisfied with KiCad -- so far I've not found anything I
> needed that it can't do. I have had to go into the module editor and the
> component editor from time to time to create my own
> components/footprints, but it is easy to do. There are quite a few
> libraries out there. IMO, it would be beneficial if someone had the time
> to go through all of these libraries and clean them up -- make them all
> more consistent.
> 
> Take into account the fact that, while not quite still a newbie, I am
> certainly far less experienced than many others here. The most ambitious
> board that I've made so far is the one I'm working on now, a 3"x6"
> double-sided board with a mix of surface mount and through-hole
> components, using 10/10 rules for the SMD/logic section. I have etched
> it and it *looks* good, but I've not yet drilled and populated it, so
> time will tell ...
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:Homebrew_PCBs%40yahoogroups.com> , "James" <jamesrsweet@>
> wrote:
> >
> > 
> > 
> > > 
> > > Kicad allows you set the angle to any arbitrary amount. You
> right-click on the component, choose Edit Component, and then change the
> Orientation to User, which lets you type in the angle you want.
> > >
> > 
> > 
> > Cool, thanks guys, sounds like it's there in most of them, apparently
> I've not been looking in the right place, I'm still a novice at using
> these CAD packages but learning more all the time. 
> > 
> > I'm currently pursuing Kicad because the price is right and it is not
> limited in any way. Obviously I'm not spending thousands on software to
> make a dozen or so boards a year at home for my hobby, and I've found
> that most of the free or cheap versions of other products are far too
> crippled, the price shoots up dramatically by the time you get something
> useful.
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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>