migrating to eagle

"sergenet" <sergenet@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:gf2op3$pff$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

I used expresspcb to design a schematic and the the layout. Now I am not

able to convert it to a gerber file which I need to have some prototypes

made. I downloaded and installed the free eagle software but it is very

difficult for me to start all  over again. I went through the manual but I

don't get it.Is there any way to convert or import the schematic or board

layout into eagle format?  It is a 3X5 board single layer on top and some

wire connections in the bottom. Would anyone be interested in doing it for

me if I send  the files I have? Thanks.

Probably the biggest reason no one has replied yet in a full week since your

above post to this forum is the glaring problem of you having the freeware

version of Eagle, which is limited to 4x3.2 inch boards and yours is a 3x5.

You can't do that size board with the free version of Eagle.

Another problem is parts libraries. Even the Pro version of Eagle is much

cheaper than other CAD programs yet it does nearly everything the others do

(not everything, though). IMHO, the primary reason for that is parts

libraries. With Eagle, get very used to designing your own libraries because

(1) the ones that come with Eagle I think were mostly not created by Eagle

but by other users of Eagle, and (2) availability of libraries is very

limited where it comes to smd packages, although there's a lot available for

feed-through packages. You still need to carefully check any library created

by others as they might be accurate in regards to dimensions but lacking

other things that a board house would normally want (so the freebie is a

guide you can't trust until you effectively re-design the library yourself

by correcting any errors or omissions the freebie library might have). Also,

it's usually newbies who donate libraries that are available because those

who have the libraries they so carefully invested time into creating have a

leg up on those who don't have it, they can thus finish a job faster than

that other guy (and thus get a better local reputation than the other guy).

Libraries mean money!

So to convert your project to one that will fit on a board made with the

freeware version of Eagle can not be done as it won't fit in the 4x3.2"

allowed maximum size board. So it would have to be manual, a 100% new layout

and routing and, most likely, to do that new libraries would have to be

created. So you see, your schematic and layout is useless except as

reference for a brand new project. That's a lot of time to ask of someone!

Better to learn it yourself, or pay someone to re-do your project. You'll

get lots of free help in this and the Eagle support forum so that you can

learn specific things, but don't count on someone doing your entire project

(not free, anyhow).

On Fri, 7 Nov 2008 17:07:17 -0800, "sergenet" <sergenet@yahoo.com>

wrote:

I used expresspcb to design a schematic and the the layout. Now I am not

able to convert it to a gerber file which I need to have some prototypes

made. I downloaded and installed the free eagle software but it is very

difficult for me to start all  over again. I went through the manual but I

don't get it.Is there any way to convert or import the schematic or board

layout into eagle format?  It is a 3X5 board single layer on top and some

wire connections in the bottom. Would anyone be interested in doing it for

me if I send  the files I have? Thanks.

 

Why not have ExpressPCB make your prototype boards?