Add PDF Output Option to CAM Processor

Am 11.11.2010 17:06, schrieb James Morrison:

I often need to provide PDF drawings to customers. It would be very

helpful to include a PDF device so that these could be generated whenever

the other output files are created.

RUN cam2print (enter) --> card |Help|

use a CAM-Job to switch on/off the layer like a CAM-Jop and start

print.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards

Alfred Zaffran

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A. Zaffran wrote on Fri, 12 November 2010 02:59

Am 11.11.2010 17:06, schrieb James Morrison:

I often need to provide PDF drawings to customers. It would be

very

helpful to include a PDF device so that these could be generated

whenever

the other output files are created.

 

RUN cam2print (enter) --> card |Help|

 

use a CAM-Job to switch on/off the layer like a CAM-Jop and start

print.

Close.

From what I can tell, this script uses the last selected printer from the

Print dialog.  So if I want to print PDF I have to go to the print dialog,

select PDF output.  In the print dialog the "cancel" button will actually

keep the change to the printer though it shouldn't--so that isn't clear

either.  Then I have to run this script, load my cam job, and hit the go

button.

So with this I can make it work to get what I need for mechanical drawings.

I'd argue it's easier to simply change the layers to what you want and

then print to PDF.  But whatever, it's an option.

It doesn't help the problem that I want to ensure that all my manufacturing

and documentation output files are generated with an atomic function so

they are all guaranteed to be in sync.  I could write a script that

includes this, but I'd still have to hit that OK button so the script won't

complete without me doing that (or editing the ULP).

It also highlights another problem:  How is it possible that I've created >

500 boards in EAGLE and I didn't know about this?  While the ULP's are very

powerful and flexible (I've created many myself to increase my own

productivity).  That strength is also the greatest weakness.  It's very

difficult to keep track of all that functionality that exists.  Most tools

use the menu system to make that little used functionality in the user's

mind.  Then when they need it they can find it by browsing through the menu

items.  ULP's suffer from out of sight, out of mind.

What might be useful is a menu item for ULP's that would go out on startup,

parse through the ULP directories, and then populate a menu with cascading

menus (based on folder structure) with a list of the ULP's available.  You

could even have a special tag in the file that would be pulled out as the

decsription to put in the menu list.

That would help users find these type of useful, but hard to find, ULP's.

Maybe the same thing for scripts.

James.

Cheers,

James.

--

James Morrison  ~~~  Stratford Digital

Specializing in CadSoft EAGLE

• Online Sales to North America

• Electronic Design Services

• EAGLE Enterprise Toolkit

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Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

A. Zaffran wrote on Fri, 12 November 2010 02:59

Am 11.11.2010 17:06, schrieb James Morrison:

I often need to provide PDF drawings to customers. It would be

very

helpful to include a PDF device so that these could be generated

whenever

the other output files are created.

 

RUN cam2print (enter) --> card |Help|

 

use a CAM-Job to switch on/off the layer like a CAM-Jop and start

print.

Wow, something else I learned today:  The CAM processor works when called

from the Schematic editor!  I never even thought to try that.  So this

solution is a bit closer to what I had in mind.

I can't get my PDF print out to include all of an 11x17" sheet (frame).

It's actually 1.5 times larger than 11x17", maybe that is part of the

problem.  I have a .cam job that is just for schematic and creates an EPS

file.  Then I call that from cam2print to create a PDF.  The output PDF is

not scaled correctly.

Still not a totally scriptable solution since you have to set the print

parameters in the print dialog (from what I can tell).  And the cam2print

dialog always comes up--it really shouldn't if you give it the name of the

cam file you want to use.

James.

--

James Morrison  ~~~  Stratford Digital

Specializing in CadSoft EAGLE

• Online Sales to North America

• Electronic Design Services

• EAGLE Enterprise Toolkit

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.