Yahoo Groups archive

Homebrew PCBs

Index last updated: 2026-04-05 19:38 UTC

Thread

Another Eagle question for the experts

Another Eagle question for the experts

2004-02-12 by joshdewinter

Thanks Phil, Javaguy and Rusty for the tips with Eagle.  The via 
thing was so simple, I didn't even think of doing it.
  I have another one for you.  I've read the manual and didn't see 
it.  You'll probably slap me for being ignorant, but here goes:

  How do you change the width of the tracks the autorouter uses?  I 
have tried changing the line width before using the autorouter, but 
it sticks to the line size it appears to like best.  If I group all 
the traces and use the change tool after they're drawn, I get 
overlapping lines if they get too big.
  How can I specify lines with big width before routing, so the 
autorouter doesn't overlap them?

Thanks very much for the help

Josh
Pullman, WA

RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] Another Eagle question for the experts

2004-02-12 by Robert Ussery

You'll want to create different classes in the schematic. Type "class" into
the command line interface. A dialog comes up with class definitions. You'll
probably only have a "default" class. Define some more classes, such as
power, clock, etc. with the trace widths, clearances and drill sizes you
want. Then type in "change class". A menu with all the classes comes up.
Select the class you want, and then click on the schematic nets you want to
be the new class. Then go to your board and autoroute. The different classes
should show up with their different widths, clearances, and drills.


- Robert
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>-----Original Message-----
>From: joshdewinter [mailto:joshdewinter@...]
>Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 7:06 PM
>To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Another Eagle question for the experts
>
>  Thanks Phil, Javaguy and Rusty for the tips with Eagle.  The via
>thing was so simple, I didn't even think of doing it.
>  I have another one for you.  I've read the manual and didn't see
>it.  You'll probably slap me for being ignorant, but here goes:
>
>  How do you change the width of the tracks the autorouter uses?  I
>have tried changing the line width before using the autorouter, but
>it sticks to the line size it appears to like best.  If I group all
>the traces and use the change tool after they're drawn, I get
>overlapping lines if they get too big.
>  How can I specify lines with big width before routing, so the
>autorouter doesn't overlap them?
>
>Thanks very much for the help

Re: Another Eagle question for the experts

2004-02-12 by javaguy11111

I have run into this problem but what you have described has not
worked well for me. I may define a power class with a 5mm trace width,
but that will not autoroute to a chip with a 1mm pin pitch.

As my designs have grown more complex I have found the eagle
autorouter to be less and less useful and I have started routing
manually more and more. I wonder if the autorouters from the more
expensive software packages are more intelligent about such things.


--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Ussery"
<uavscience@f...> wrote:
> 
> You'll want to create different classes in the schematic. Type
"class" into
> the command line interface. A dialog comes up with class
definitions. You'll
> probably only have a "default" class. Define some more classes,
such as
> power, clock, etc. with the trace widths, clearances and drill
sizes you
> want. Then type in "change class". A menu with all the classes
comes up.
> Select the class you want, and then click on the schematic nets you
want to
> be the new class. Then go to your board and autoroute. The different
classes
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> should show up with their different widths, clearances, and drills.
> 
> 
> - Robert
> 
> 
> 
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: joshdewinter [mailto:joshdewinter@y...]
> >Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 7:06 PM
> >To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Another Eagle question for the experts
> >
> >  Thanks Phil, Javaguy and Rusty for the tips with Eagle.  The via
> >thing was so simple, I didn't even think of doing it.
> >  I have another one for you.  I've read the manual and didn't see
> >it.  You'll probably slap me for being ignorant, but here goes:
> >
> >  How do you change the width of the tracks the autorouter uses?  I
> >have tried changing the line width before using the autorouter, but
> >it sticks to the line size it appears to like best.  If I group all
> >the traces and use the change tool after they're drawn, I get
> >overlapping lines if they get too big.
> >  How can I specify lines with big width before routing, so the
> >autorouter doesn't overlap them?
> >
> >Thanks very much for the help

Re: Another Eagle question for the experts

2004-02-12 by Phil

wow, that's really cool.  I've used eagle on a sporadic basis for a 
couple of years and am always learning new features.  my love/hate 
affair with eagle continues... lol.

Phil

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Ussery" 
<uavscience@f...> wrote:
> 
> You'll want to create different classes in the schematic. 
Type "class" into
> the command line interface. A dialog comes up with class 
definitions. You'll
> probably only have a "default" class. Define some more classes, 
such as
> power, clock, etc. with the trace widths, clearances and drill 
sizes you
> want. Then type in "change class". A menu with all the classes 
comes up.
> Select the class you want, and then click on the schematic nets you 
want to
> be the new class. Then go to your board and autoroute. The 
different classes
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> should show up with their different widths, clearances, and drills.
> 
> 
> - Robert
> 
> 
> 
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: joshdewinter [mailto:joshdewinter@y...]
> >Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 7:06 PM
> >To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Another Eagle question for the experts
> >
> >  Thanks Phil, Javaguy and Rusty for the tips with Eagle.  The via
> >thing was so simple, I didn't even think of doing it.
> >  I have another one for you.  I've read the manual and didn't see
> >it.  You'll probably slap me for being ignorant, but here goes:
> >
> >  How do you change the width of the tracks the autorouter uses?  I
> >have tried changing the line width before using the autorouter, but
> >it sticks to the line size it appears to like best.  If I group all
> >the traces and use the change tool after they're drawn, I get
> >overlapping lines if they get too big.
> >  How can I specify lines with big width before routing, so the
> >autorouter doesn't overlap them?
> >
> >Thanks very much for the help

Re: Another Eagle question for the experts

2004-02-12 by Phil

yeah, ditto.  I find the eagle autorouter pretty, well, stupid.  If I 
route several of the obvious ones first, it often does a much better 
job.  I also find myself going back and ripping up long circuitous 
routes (like a power route), routing it manually and then 
autorouting, the ar does a much better job.

my wife was a pcb designer for 10 years and even the pricey stuff 
required a lot of fussing.  she laughs at me when I complain about 
the ar in eagle, I feel like Rodney Dangerfield...

Phil

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "javaguy11111" 
<javaguy11111@y...> wrote:
> I have run into this problem but what you have described has not
> worked well for me. I may define a power class with a 5mm trace 
width,
> but that will not autoroute to a chip with a 1mm pin pitch.
> 
> As my designs have grown more complex I have found the eagle
> autorouter to be less and less useful and I have started routing
> manually more and more. I wonder if the autorouters from the more
> expensive software packages are more intelligent about such things.
> 
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Ussery"
> <uavscience@f...> wrote:
> > 
> > You'll want to create different classes in the schematic. Type
> "class" into
> > the command line interface. A dialog comes up with class
> definitions. You'll
> > probably only have a "default" class. Define some more classes,
> such as
> > power, clock, etc. with the trace widths, clearances and drill
> sizes you
> > want. Then type in "change class". A menu with all the classes
> comes up.
> > Select the class you want, and then click on the schematic nets 
you
> want to
> > be the new class. Then go to your board and autoroute. The 
different
> classes
> > should show up with their different widths, clearances, and 
drills.
> > 
> > 
> > - Robert
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: joshdewinter [mailto:joshdewinter@y...]
> > >Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 7:06 PM
> > >To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> > >Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Another Eagle question for the experts
> > >
> > >  Thanks Phil, Javaguy and Rusty for the tips with Eagle.  The 
via
> > >thing was so simple, I didn't even think of doing it.
> > >  I have another one for you.  I've read the manual and didn't 
see
> > >it.  You'll probably slap me for being ignorant, but here goes:
> > >
> > >  How do you change the width of the tracks the autorouter 
uses?  I
> > >have tried changing the line width before using the autorouter, 
but
> > >it sticks to the line size it appears to like best.  If I group 
all
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> > >the traces and use the change tool after they're drawn, I get
> > >overlapping lines if they get too big.
> > >  How can I specify lines with big width before routing, so the
> > >autorouter doesn't overlap them?
> > >
> > >Thanks very much for the help

Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Another Eagle question for the experts

2004-02-12 by Leon Heller

----- Original Message ----- 
Show quoted textHide quoted text
From: "javaguy11111" <javaguy11111@...>
To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2004 3:45 AM
Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] Re: Another Eagle question for the experts


> I have run into this problem but what you have described has not
> worked well for me. I may define a power class with a 5mm trace width,
> but that will not autoroute to a chip with a 1mm pin pitch.

You need to create breakout tracks and vias.

>
> As my designs have grown more complex I have found the eagle
> autorouter to be less and less useful and I have started routing
> manually more and more. I wonder if the autorouters from the more
> expensive software packages are more intelligent about such things.

The autorouters available for the low-end PCB software packages are a waste
of time.

Electra is a new autorouter that works with Eagle. I've been testing it with
Pulsonix, and it does a very good job. It's fairly expensive, though.

Leon
--
Leon Heller, G1HSM
Email: aqzf13@...
My low-cost Philips LPC210x ARM development system:
http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller/lpc2104.html

Move to quarantaine

This moves the raw source file on disk only. The archive index is not changed automatically, so you still need to run a manual refresh afterward.