Question about Gerber CAM processing

On Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:27:31 -0400, mcphilltrash@hotmail.com wrote:

I am new to Eagle, and I am having issues with Gerber file generation.

Should the whole job be able to be done at once?  If I select the

"GERBER_RS274X" device, and put in a file name "test" (no extension),

it creates a "here" file and a "here.gpi" file.  I need many more

layers than this, though.  I can get the layers I want be selecting

them individually, and processing sections, but it seems like this is

unnecessary - is there a "one click" method to get all the Gerber

files I need?  Is there a ULP to automate the process?

 

Thanks for a thorough explanation for a newbie!

Obviously I mistyped those file names.  I get "test" and "test.gpi",

but nothing else...

On Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:27:31 -0400, mcphilltrash@hotmail.com wrote:

I am new to Eagle, and I am having issues with Gerber file generation.

Should the whole job be able to be done at once?  If I select the

"GERBER_RS274X" device, and put in a file name "test" (no extension),

it creates a "here" file and a "here.gpi" file.  I need many more

layers than this, though.  I can get the layers I want be selecting

them individually, and processing sections, but it seems like this is

unnecessary - is there a "one click" method to get all the Gerber

files I need?  Is there a ULP to automate the process?

 

Thanks for a thorough explanation for a newbie!

OK, I finally figured it out...  If anyone needs help with this in the

future, I feel the tutorial is not really spelling it out like it

needs to be.

So, to convert a .brd to a set of GERBER files, so the following:

1.  Save the .brd file, note the directory

2.  In the board view, click on FILE - CAM Processor

3.  In the CAM Processor view, click on FILE - OPEN - JOB... (this is

the part I was missing).

4.  Select the file "gerb274x.cam"

5.  This will open up five tabs in the CAM Processor view, labelled

"Component side", "Solder side", "Slik screen CMP", "Solder stop mask

CMP", and "Solder stop mask SOL".  These are the various layers in the

GERBER Files to be created.  Each tab is already set up with the right

Eagle layers selected, and output paths to save the files in the same

directory as the .brd file you are working on.

6.  Select "Process Job" at the bottom of the CAM Processing screen.

The files created will end in .cmp, .sol, .plc, .stc, and .sts

(corresponding to the tab names in step 5).

7.  In order to create the drill file, you need one more file.  Click

FILE - OPEN - JOB... and this time select "excellon.cam"

8.  This will create a tab called "Generate drill data", with holes

and drills selected.

9.  Select "Process Job" at the bottom again.  This will create a .drd

file.

So, new question, why not create the drill file at the same time? This

now seems like a very easy task...  Is there a reason not to do this?

So, new question, why not create the drill file at the same time? This

now seems like a very easy task...  Is there a reason not to do this?

I save a copy of a modified gerber2xx.cam in my project directory. The

mods include adding a tab with the drill setting, Adding a tab for the

cream if needed.

This way backing up the project directory contains all of the info used

to make the Gerbers.

Paul R.