The Easiest Way To Mark Up A Pin Grid Using Eagle

On 8/12/2012 6:58 AM, Paul Fleming wrote:

I've just started using Eagle and some things I really like and many things I don't. I've got the full version of 6.2 before anyone asks and I am trying to design a fairly simple PCB with a large array of holes which are commonly connected in each row.

 

---X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

---X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

---X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

^ Similar to this and I've named then 1A - 1Y for the first row, 2A - 2Y for the second and so on, using the 1,6/0,9 pad.

 

I have to do this for 128 rows of pads in the schematic and renaming each individual pad is madness ( 3200 in total ). I've toyed with the library editor to get it to name the pads accordingly but it wants to name them 1A1, 1A2, 1A3 etc which is useless for me, I thought about making a new library part as a 25 x 128 grid but I still need to rename each hole.

 

If someone can point me in the direction of an easy way to do this I would be most grateful.

 

>

• The library implementaion in Eagle is awful, I don't know why there isn't a standard 74xxUS / 74xxEU that includes proper package types for all the various IC. SOIC / SSOP / TSSOP and technology types LS / HC / ALS / S / HCT  for example are industry standards and I don't fancy having to change each part to represent this. TFN / BGA I can understand because they are much newer technologies and it takes time to implement. The whole library editor is clunky and confusing.

     This is exactly what the 74xxUS/74xxEU libraries do. There's no need to

worry about the specific technology type since there exactly the same

functional blocks. Just look 7400 for example and your expected packages

will be there your SOIC and your DIP. To do 74LS00 and 74HCT00 would

bloat the library unnecessarily. Takes a little getting used to but once

you realize you don't have to worry about the specific technology it

makes sense.

• Script commands are a great idea but the thought of needing to learn ANOTHER language just to satisfy Eagle isn't something I relish, the use of proper syntax in the command line would be helped with examples within the help file.

     I'm not sure what the issue is here. A script file is composed of EAGLE

commands typed in the command line configured as shown in the help file

of each command. For example if you want to draw a wire between to

points the syntax is:

WIRE (x1 y1)(x2 y2);

• Wildcards are either poorly implemented or not implemented at all in the command line, why could one not simply write NAME or have access to better implementation when copying a circuit chunk from one part of the schematic to another with more options on the part update naming strategy, similar to the macro style of Excle for example?

The *, !, - wildcard modifiers are all available from the command line.

In V6 we added the paste from feature which allows you to import

existing designs into your board/schematic pair with full control over

how nets are renamed.

If you're using the GROUP-COPY procedure within a design you can always

rename things after the fact using the NAME command.

• No way to draw a simple board outline in board mode, like WIRE 0,0 100,0; WIRE 100,100; WIRE 0,100; WIRE 0,0 for example and nowhere can a board size be set that I am aware of if you plan to use a standard board size for several projects.

See point 2 above. The syntax extends to as many points as you want so

for example if you're drawing a rectangle the syntax would look like this:

WIRE (x1 y1)(x2 y2)(x3 y3)(x4 y4)(x1 y1) press enter in the command line

or put a semi-colon if you're doing a script.

If you plan to use the same board size often you can create a script for

that size and run it whenever a new design is going to use that board

size. The euro.scr script gives you an example of how that would work.

The export-board.ulp could be used to automatically generate the

template script for you.

• The arrow keys won't navigate around a drawing, particularly annoying when you are trying to connect wires from one side of a board to another.

I would just use EAGLE's pan feature, click your center scroll wheel and

hold it to pan and then keep drawing. I find it much easier this way.

These are the things I've found so far to be irritating, feel free to correct me if I am wrong on any point.

 

New programs always have learning curves especially if you're use to

something else within the same field. Take advantage of the EAGLE manual

and built-in help whenever these issues pop up.

The manual can be found in the doc folder of EAGLE's installation

directory on your computer.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Best Regards,

Jorge Garcia

Cadsoft Support

 

Cheers.

 

Paul

 

On 8/12/2012 6:58 AM, Paul Fleming wrote:

I've just started using Eagle and some things I really like and many things I don't. I've got the full version of 6.2 before anyone asks and I am trying to design a fairly simple PCB with a large array of holes which are commonly connected in each row.

 

---X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

---X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

---X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

^ Similar to this and I've named then 1A - 1Y for the first row, 2A - 2Y for the second and so on, using the 1,6/0,9 pad.

 

I have to do this for 128 rows of pads in the schematic and renaming each individual pad is madness ( 3200 in total ). I've toyed with the library editor to get it to name the pads accordingly but it wants to name them 1A1, 1A2, 1A3 etc which is useless for me, I thought about making a new library part as a 25 x 128 grid but I still need to rename each hole.

 

If someone can point me in the direction of an easy way to do this I would be most grateful.

 

>

• The library implementaion in Eagle is awful, I don't know why there isn't a standard 74xxUS / 74xxEU that includes proper package types for all the various IC. SOIC / SSOP / TSSOP and technology types LS / HC / ALS / S / HCT  for example are industry standards and I don't fancy having to change each part to represent this. TFN / BGA I can understand because they are much newer technologies and it takes time to implement. The whole library editor is clunky and confusing.

     This is exactly what the 74xxUS/74xxEU libraries do. There's no need to

worry about the specific technology type since there exactly the same

functional blocks. Just look 7400 for example and your expected packages

will be there your SOIC and your DIP. To do 74LS00 and 74HCT00 would

bloat the library unnecessarily. Takes a little getting used to but once

you realize you don't have to worry about the specific technology it

makes sense.

• Script commands are a great idea but the thought of needing to learn ANOTHER language just to satisfy Eagle isn't something I relish, the use of proper syntax in the command line would be helped with examples within the help file.

     I'm not sure what the issue is here. A script file is composed of EAGLE

commands typed in the command line configured as shown in the help file

of each command. For example if you want to draw a wire between to

points the syntax is:

WIRE (x1 y1)(x2 y2);

• Wildcards are either poorly implemented or not implemented at all in the command line, why could one not simply write NAME or have access to better implementation when copying a circuit chunk from one part of the schematic to another with more options on the part update naming strategy, similar to the macro style of Excle for example?

The *, !, - wildcard modifiers are all available from the command line.

In V6 we added the paste from feature which allows you to import

existing designs into your board/schematic pair with full control over

how nets are renamed.

If you're using the GROUP-COPY procedure within a design you can always

rename things after the fact using the NAME command.

• No way to draw a simple board outline in board mode, like WIRE 0,0 100,0; WIRE 100,100; WIRE 0,100; WIRE 0,0 for example and nowhere can a board size be set that I am aware of if you plan to use a standard board size for several projects.

See point 2 above. The syntax extends to as many points as you want so

for example if you're drawing a rectangle the syntax would look like this:

WIRE (x1 y1)(x2 y2)(x3 y3)(x4 y4)(x1 y1) press enter in the command line

or put a semi-colon if you're doing a script.

If you plan to use the same board size often you can create a script for

that size and run it whenever a new design is going to use that board

size. The euro.scr script gives you an example of how that would work.

The export-board.ulp could be used to automatically generate the

template script for you.

• The arrow keys won't navigate around a drawing, particularly annoying when you are trying to connect wires from one side of a board to another.

I would just use EAGLE's pan feature, click your center scroll wheel and

hold it to pan and then keep drawing. I find it much easier this way.

These are the things I've found so far to be irritating, feel free to correct me if I am wrong on any point.

 

New programs always have learning curves especially if you're use to

something else within the same field. Take advantage of the EAGLE manual

and built-in help whenever these issues pop up.

The manual can be found in the doc folder of EAGLE's installation

directory on your computer.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Best Regards,

Jorge Garcia

Cadsoft Support

 

Cheers.

 

Paul

 

Dear Jorge,

                  I absolutely expect the steep learning curve and as a hardware designer I am infinitely aware of the difficulties that one faces with the vast differences in people and personalities, my original question was to try and get a pointer based on the problem I outlined to save me a lot of time and trouble, that post was made after 21 hours of fairly hard core trials with Eagle to make a fairly simple circuit. I did go through a lot of Googling and using the inbuilt help function in Eagle but it seems I will need to RTFM.

My comments about the libraries came about from using a 74HC573 but only finding the 74LS573, I solved that issue fairly quickly but then needed the TSSOP20EVTSSOP20EV version for the project I am working on currently.

Great to see that technical support is active, it's not just a 'sell and forget' strategy and I am certain that I will have more questions in the future.

Cheers,

Paul