element14 Community
element14 Community
    Register Log In
  • Site
  • Search
  • Log In Register
  • Community Hub
    Community Hub
    • What's New on element14
    • Feedback and Support
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Personal Blogs
    • Members Area
    • Achievement Levels
  • Learn
    Learn
    • Ask an Expert
    • eBooks
    • element14 presents
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Spotlight
    • STEM Academy
    • Webinars, Training and Events
    • Learning Groups
  • Technologies
    Technologies
    • 3D Printing
    • FPGA
    • Industrial Automation
    • Internet of Things
    • Power & Energy
    • Sensors
    • Technology Groups
  • Challenges & Projects
    Challenges & Projects
    • Design Challenges
    • element14 presents Projects
    • Project14
    • Arduino Projects
    • Raspberry Pi Projects
    • Project Groups
  • Products
    Products
    • Arduino
    • Avnet & Tria Boards Community
    • Dev Tools
    • Manufacturers
    • Multicomp Pro
    • Product Groups
    • Raspberry Pi
    • RoadTests & Reviews
  • About Us
    About the element14 Community
  • Store
    Store
    • Visit Your Store
    • Choose another store...
      • Europe
      •  Austria (German)
      •  Belgium (Dutch, French)
      •  Bulgaria (Bulgarian)
      •  Czech Republic (Czech)
      •  Denmark (Danish)
      •  Estonia (Estonian)
      •  Finland (Finnish)
      •  France (French)
      •  Germany (German)
      •  Hungary (Hungarian)
      •  Ireland
      •  Israel
      •  Italy (Italian)
      •  Latvia (Latvian)
      •  
      •  Lithuania (Lithuanian)
      •  Netherlands (Dutch)
      •  Norway (Norwegian)
      •  Poland (Polish)
      •  Portugal (Portuguese)
      •  Romania (Romanian)
      •  Russia (Russian)
      •  Slovakia (Slovak)
      •  Slovenia (Slovenian)
      •  Spain (Spanish)
      •  Sweden (Swedish)
      •  Switzerland(German, French)
      •  Turkey (Turkish)
      •  United Kingdom
      • Asia Pacific
      •  Australia
      •  China
      •  Hong Kong
      •  India
      •  Japan
      •  Korea (Korean)
      •  Malaysia
      •  New Zealand
      •  Philippines
      •  Singapore
      •  Taiwan
      •  Thailand (Thai)
      •  Vietnam
      • Americas
      •  Brazil (Portuguese)
      •  Canada
      •  Mexico (Spanish)
      •  United States
      Can't find the country/region you're looking for? Visit our export site or find a local distributor.
  • Translate
  • Profile
  • Settings
Autodesk EAGLE
  • Products
  • More
Autodesk EAGLE
EAGLE User Support (English) PCB Libraries 2012.23 footprintscript - bugs and query
  • Blog
  • Forum
  • Documents
  • Events
  • Polls
  • Files
  • Members
  • Mentions
  • Sub-Groups
  • Tags
  • More
  • Cancel
  • New
Join Autodesk EAGLE to participate - click to join for free!
Actions
  • Share
  • More
  • Cancel
Forum Thread Details
  • Replies 8 replies
  • Subscribers 190 subscribers
  • Views 1580 views
  • Users 0 members are here
  • libraries"
  • "pcb
Related

PCB Libraries 2012.23 footprintscript - bugs and query

e14 Contributor
e14 Contributor over 13 years ago

Running EAGLE 6.2.0, Win7-64 pro. I'm using PCB Libraries' PCB Footprint Expert 2012.23 to generate import scripts for a SOP65P640X120-28L from a TSSOP-28 datasheet. There are some significant issues, listed below:

 

1) Running the FPX-generated import .scr scriptfile, an EAGLE error dialog is thrown:

  [path]/SOP65P640X120-28L, Line 60:

  'First' is only valid for pads

 

2) The outline on 51 tDocu changes width irregularly, broken into segments of 0.001mm! and 0.1mm, both of which are unusably thin for assembly drawings. Looks nothing like the preview in FPX, especially in the lack of corner chamfer near pin 1.

 

3) The silkscreen package outline on 21 tPlace has become a few random segments; again, little resemblance to the FPX preview. The few lines there are come perilously close to what would be the soldermask edge. Also they are way too thin (0.1mm) as-is and would have to be fattened up by the PCB fab house. There may be FPX settings that would change these, but some realistic defaults would be nice.

 

4) Both >NAME and >VALUE ended up on 21 tPlace, not on 25 tNames and 27 tValues as is expected and customary in the EAGLE design environment and quite common on vendor- and user-supplied parts.

 

The footprints as-generated and as-imported are pretty messed up, necessitating extensive cleanup to be usable -- not what I had expected from a pricey application and certainly not much of a time-saver. At least the SMT pads themselves seem okay. Those interested in reducing time spent on EAGLE footprint composition might want to hesitate before laying down $200 for Footprint Expert right away.

 

I'm a bit new, and it's not my or anybody else's job to debug PCB Libraries' app. But I was wondering whether anybody at Cadsoft or here might have a go at pinpointing where the script went bad. Attached is the SOP65P640X120-28N.scr file. I suppose I'll have to share any replies here with PCB Libraries as feedback (no, I don't work for them).

Attachments:
image
image
image
SOP65P640X120-28N.scr.zip
  • Sign in to reply
  • Cancel
Parents
  • e14 Contributor
    e14 Contributor over 13 years ago

    Alex

     

    Just send this information and pictures to the software supplier as

    justification for a refund.

     

     

    Warren

     

    --

    Viewed / responded via the newsgroup at

    news.cadsoft.de

     

     

     

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
  • e14 Contributor
    e14 Contributor over 13 years ago in reply to e14 Contributor

    Hi,

     

    The PCB Libraries, Inc. software "PCB Footprint Expert" did originally have

    an Eagle interface bug back in September of 2012, but that was fixed in

    October 2012 and no further issues were reported since then.

     

    PCB Libraries now offers a free "PCB Footprint Expert Lite" (FPX Lite) that

    allows users to download and install the program and use it to create 1

    part at a time "as needed".

     

    FPX Lite also has 16 other CAD tool interfaces and PCB Libraries, Inc.

    provides free updates, technical support and webcast training (if

    necessary, however the program has a user friendly GUI). FPX Lite does not

    have an expiration date and users are welcome to offer product suggestions

    for new feature enhancements.

     

    Every Eagle user should download and install the FPX Lite program as it

    will save you lots of time and it creates highly accurate IPC-7351C

    standard footprints.

    Download here - http://www.pcblibraries.com

     

    Eagle users can upgrade to a full version of PCB Footprint Expert (FPX) for

    $249 USD.

     

    FPX will soon offer 3D-STEP models and automation for footprint creation

    for non-standard packages like 50,000 through-hole connectors with a

    mixture of plated, non-plated and slotted holes.

     

    --

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

     

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
Reply
  • e14 Contributor
    e14 Contributor over 13 years ago in reply to e14 Contributor

    Hi,

     

    The PCB Libraries, Inc. software "PCB Footprint Expert" did originally have

    an Eagle interface bug back in September of 2012, but that was fixed in

    October 2012 and no further issues were reported since then.

     

    PCB Libraries now offers a free "PCB Footprint Expert Lite" (FPX Lite) that

    allows users to download and install the program and use it to create 1

    part at a time "as needed".

     

    FPX Lite also has 16 other CAD tool interfaces and PCB Libraries, Inc.

    provides free updates, technical support and webcast training (if

    necessary, however the program has a user friendly GUI). FPX Lite does not

    have an expiration date and users are welcome to offer product suggestions

    for new feature enhancements.

     

    Every Eagle user should download and install the FPX Lite program as it

    will save you lots of time and it creates highly accurate IPC-7351C

    standard footprints.

    Download here - http://www.pcblibraries.com

     

    Eagle users can upgrade to a full version of PCB Footprint Expert (FPX) for

    $249 USD.

     

    FPX will soon offer 3D-STEP models and automation for footprint creation

    for non-standard packages like 50,000 through-hole connectors with a

    mixture of plated, non-plated and slotted holes.

     

    --

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

     

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
Children
  • e14 Contributor
    e14 Contributor over 13 years ago in reply to e14 Contributor

    Here's the link to Footprint Expert for Eagle -

    http://www.pcblibraries.com/Products/FPX/EAGLE.asp 

     

    --

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

     

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
  • e14 Contributor
    e14 Contributor over 13 years ago in reply to fritzz

    The new FPX Lite calculates highly quality accurate footprint library parts

    directly from component dimensions. The program bases the solder joint

    anaysis using IPC-7351C rules or the User can change the rules

    "on-the-fly". You can also select the "Footprint" tab and enter the

    component mfr. recommended pattern dimensions instead of using IPC

    standards.

     

    One part at a time means that the "Free" version allows the User to enter

    component dimesions and calculate a footprint. The User can change the

    drafting lines widths, rules and solder joint goals for each individual

    part and export the data to any one of 17 different CAD tools.

     

    The FPX Lite program does not have two professional features that come with

    the "Full Version".

     

    1. User Preference Settings allow the User to customize hundreds of Rule

    settings permanently so that you don't have to change any preferences every

    time you build a part. The Preferences include pad shapes, units,

    rotations, drafting items, solder & paste mask, solder joint goals and many

    other settings.

     

    2. Ability to save all your component dimensions to a FPX file. This

    feature is called the "Librarian" and it's a professional part library

    manager where you dump all your component package data. You can always

    change your Preference Rules at any time and Batch Create thousands of

    library parts with a single click. Example: You want to create a library

    with customized preferences. Select all the parts in your FPX library and

    run the component dimensions through your new preferences to create a new

    library of thousands of parts.

     

    The Free FPX Lite is great if you can't afford to purchase the Full Version

    or if you only build a couple parts for each PCB layout or if you're a

    casual PCB designer that only does a couple designs a year. But if you're a

    serious PCB design professional and want to manage a large PCB library then

    we recommend that you purchase the "Full Featured" verion.

     

    --

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

     

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
  • fritzz
    fritzz over 13 years ago in reply to e14 Contributor

    I've alway been confused by what you can or can't do with the free version. What deos this new version now allow?

     

    What does "use it to create 1 part at a time "as needed"" mean?

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • Cancel
element14 Community

element14 is the first online community specifically for engineers. Connect with your peers and get expert answers to your questions.

  • Members
  • Learn
  • Technologies
  • Challenges & Projects
  • Products
  • Store
  • About Us
  • Feedback & Support
  • FAQs
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal and Copyright Notices
  • Sitemap
  • Cookies

An Avnet Company © 2026 Premier Farnell Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Premier Farnell Ltd, registered in England and Wales (no 00876412), registered office: Farnell House, Forge Lane, Leeds LS12 2NE.

Follow element14

  • X
  • Facebook
  • linkedin
  • YouTube