New free Altium version coming

On 9/15/2014 7:28 AM, Ian Johnston wrote:

Hi all,

 

Not sure if has been discussed here already (I did look) but Altium have

decided to join the FREE pcb design bandwagon in direct competition to

Eagle PCB.

 

There's a thread over at the EEVblog, goto page 8 and you'll see Dave

has posted a good amount of detail.

 

I actually think this is good news for Eagle PCB users as hopefully

CadSoft will respond and maybe push harder at bringing some long wanted

functionality to Eagle. Can we look forward to big changes to Eagle in

Version 8......?

 

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/altium/free-altium-is-coming/

 

Page 8:-

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/altium/free-altium-is-coming/105/

 

Ian.

 

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Hi Ian,

Thanks for posting this, we're always pushing as hard as we can. You

won't have to wait for V8, we're going to be making some improvements to

V7 now.

Let me know if there's anything I can do for you.

Jorge Garcia

Am 17.09.2014 00:34, schrieb Jorge Garcia:

On 9/15/2014 7:28 AM, Ian Johnston wrote:

Hi all,

 

Not sure if has been discussed here already (I did look) but Altium have

decided to join the FREE pcb design bandwagon in direct competition to

Eagle PCB.

 

There's a thread over at the EEVblog, goto page 8 and you'll see Dave

has posted a good amount of detail.

 

I actually think this is good news for Eagle PCB users as hopefully

CadSoft will respond and maybe push harder at bringing some long wanted

functionality to Eagle. Can we look forward to big changes to Eagle in

Version 8......?

 

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/altium/free-altium-is-coming/

 

Page 8:-

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/altium/free-altium-is-coming/105/

 

Ian.

 

 

Hi Ian,

 

Thanks for posting this, we're always pushing as hard as we can. You

won't have to wait for V8, we're going to be making some improvements to

V7 now.

 

Let me know if there's anything I can do for you.

 

Jorge Garcia

Hi Jorge,

Some lone awaiting functions like 3D as import and export.

it is hard to explain the desinger why i can't export step or an other

3D format and import his 3D -Model of the device.

Werner

  > Hi Jorge,

Some lone awaiting functions like 3D as import and export.

it is hard to explain the desinger why i can't export step or an other

3D format and import his 3D -Model of the device.

 

Werner

Hi Werner,

I hope you're doing well. 3D Export is now possible in EAGLE with the

release of V7. You would first export the IDF files using the

EagleIDFExporter.ulp that ships with EAGLE. These files are course 3D

models that represent components as Cubes whose sizes are the extreme

dimensions of the components.

The IDF files can be imported into a tool like Solidworks or Alibre, and

you can manually swap out the cubes with exact step models. That's not

the recommended approach though.

We've partnered with a company named Simplified Solutions, that has

developed a tool that maps most of EAGLE default library to vetted step

models and allows user to import their own 3D models for use with

EAGLE's IDF output. With an hour or two of work you can obtain a precise

step model of your EAGLE design using their services.

Currently, they charge $300 for a 3 year license for 1 user. That gives

you unlimited use of their tools. It's not an integrated 3D export but

it's a way. I've used it personally and it works very well. We're having

a webinar with them next week you may want to check it out.

As EAGLE currently stands, I don't see much of a point to a 3D import.

Usually we just need the board outline which can be provided as a DXF

that EAGLE can import.

hth,

Jorge Garcia

The biggest problem of Altium is that it need MS windows. For me, this is a no-go.

Second, I like the XML-based data, this way I can comfortably use Git for backup.

Third, I like the powerfull User Language Programming (ULP).

Fourth, I like the commandline of Eagle. The less you need the mouse, the faster you work.

I have used Altium for one year (on windows). It's not bad. But it's way overpriced and not as stable as Eagle.

Also, Eagle starts much faster, has a more snappier interface, and does not require a dongle or internet connection.

Just my opinion.

For me as a V6-prof user, the only things missing so far are:

- the possibility to connect a via or pad to multiple nets without raising a DRC-error (used to connect for example analog ground and digital ground)

- a report when updating the schematic/layout from the libraries.

- mirror view in the layout editor

Regards,

Joop

The biggest problem of Altium is that it need MS windows. For me, this is a no-go.

Second, I like the XML-based data, this way I can comfortably use Git for backup.

Third, I like the powerfull User Language Programming (ULP).

Fourth, I like the commandline of Eagle. The less you need the mouse, the faster you work.

I have used Altium for one year (on windows). It's not bad. But it's way overpriced and not as stable as Eagle.

Also, Eagle starts much faster, has a more snappier interface, and does not require a dongle or internet connection.

Just my opinion.

For me as a V6-prof user, the only things missing so far are:

- the possibility to connect a via or pad to multiple nets without raising a DRC-error (used to connect for example analog ground and digital ground)

- a report when updating the schematic/layout from the libraries.

- mirror view in the layout editor

Regards,

Joop