Homebrew PCBs

I tried KiCad, but it would only print one layer per sheet, and I wanted board outline as well as copper top superimposed. It also imported the Gerbers "Off the page" (Bottom left versus Top left origin I think) so to speak, and I had fun trying to work out how to print them (move them onto the invisible page).  

D.
-----Original Message-----
From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Andrew
Sent: 06 April 2011 19:30
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: HP Laserjet 4050 prints over-size

David,

I just checked GerbView, which is part of the KiCad package (but can be run as a separate program), and it does support scaling when printing ... sort of. The problem is that in KiCad, at least on any version I've run under Linux, printing produces a "blocky" output rather than a usable, smooth output. To get the output you really need, you have to "plot" rather than "print." (You can "plot" to a postscript file, from which you then can print perfect output to a laser printer.)

Unfortunately, although GerbView includes both a plot and a print command, only the latter includes the ability to scale.

However, GerbView can load a gerber file and load it into PCBNew, which is the pcb design progam in the package -- and it can then plot (to postscript or other output), with scaling.

So, it's a little roundabout, but appears to be do-able: 1) generate gerber files from your current program. 2) Run KiCad and select GerbView (or run GerbView directly); load the gerber files and import them to PCBNew. 3) "Plot" the loaded files to postscript, using appropriate scaling. 4) Print the postscript file to printer.

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "David C. Partridge" <david.partridge@...> wrote:
>
> Does anyone know if any of the free Gerber viewers have this sort of scaling capability when they print?
> 
> I know GC_Prevue doesn't
> 
> D.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com 
> [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Leon Heller
> Sent: 06 April 2011 16:36
> To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] HP Laserjet 4050 prints over-size
> 
> 
> The Easy-PC PCB software I used to use had a correction factor for use with laser printers. Errors in both axes could be fixed.
> 
> Leon
> --
> Leon Heller
> G1HSM
>




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