Additional import and export features

On 26.01.2012 01:32, Joe Mickley wrote:

  I badly need 2 items.

 

1.  An import function into librarys that can provide the mechanical structure for components.  Ideally, something like a DXF.importer into the

dimension layer.  Components that have mechanical features in addition to the basic part connection pads need a lot of effort to create.  This

is usually a duplicate effort from a mechanical design done outside of Eagle.

There are some tools that allow conversion from DXF to EAGLE script.

==> http://www.cadsoft.de/downloads/tools-and-converters

for example

  dxf2scr-1.zip  (for free)

  eagle_pcb_power_tools*.exe

2. An export function other than pixels out of the board layout.  Again, ideally DXF.  This would allow more precice integration of the finished

board into exernal CAD programs (That board has to go live someplace after it is done).  Currently I have to do a hack and plot out into HPGL,

then convert it to DXF.  This is imprecise and requires clean-up of the DXF to get critical dimensions correct.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Use DXF.ULP.

--

Mit freundlichen Gruessen / Best regards

Richard Hammerl

  CadSoft Support -- hotline@cadsoft.de

  FAQ: http://www.cadsoft.de/training/faq/

Am 26.01.2012 16:33, schrieb Richard Hammerl:

Use DXF.ULP.

The question about DXF output has been asked twelve billion times, and a

lot of users surely don't know that EAGLE can do a thing like that. And

why is that so? Because the DXF output is NOT available via the GUI.

Every user searches for a function like that

  - in the 'save' or 'save as' dialogs and

  - in the 'export' function (that's where it belongs).

DXF is nowhere mentioned -> Conclusion: EAGLE cannot do that.

For the DXF import, I can understand that CadSoft doesn't want to

program this, since it's quite some work. But for the DXF output: This

already HAS been programmed, so why not put it into the program proper

and make it available with the EXPORT command? Doing things with

external ULPs is something that the typical user doesn't want to fiddle

around with ('programming? aargh - I cannot do that!'). And why should

one be able to export to a bitmap with EXPORT in the first place, but

not to DXF? This doesn't seem a logical choice. Better to make it clear

and logical and nice and wonderful and let the user FIND that function

easily...

Andreas Weidner

Andreas Weidner wrote on Thu, 26 January 2012 11:30

Am 26.01.2012 16:33, schrieb Richard Hammerl:

Use DXF.ULP.

 

The question about DXF output has been asked twelve billion times, and

a

lot of users surely don't know that EAGLE can do a thing like that. And

 

why is that so? Because the DXF output is NOT available via the GUI.

Every user searches for a function like that

  - in the 'save' or 'save as' dialogs and

  - in the 'export' function (that's where it belongs).

DXF is nowhere mentioned -> Conclusion: EAGLE cannot do that.

 

For the DXF import, I can understand that CadSoft doesn't want to

program this, since it's quite some work. But for the DXF output: This

 

already HAS been programmed, so why not put it into the program proper

 

and make it available with the EXPORT command? Doing things with

external ULPs is something that the typical user doesn't want to fiddle

 

around with ('programming? aargh - I cannot do that!'). And why should

 

one be able to export to a bitmap with EXPORT in the first place, but

not to DXF? This doesn't seem a logical choice. Better to make it clear

 

and logical and nice and wonderful and let the user FIND that function

 

easily...

Hello Andreas,

In general, I agree with your analysis.  It's further complicated with the

"Save As..." option which really can only save with a new name, not any

other formats.  And then you have the CAM processor which also exports

data.

I would propose the following:

1)  Rename "Save As" as "Rename Design Files".  There are no options for

other formats which Save As often implies.  Plus, in SCH and PCB you rename

both files at the same time which isn't obvious either.

2)  Define a standard interface for ULP's that export design information

into different formats.  That way each exporting utility can use the same

interface (see below).  It will need to be dynamic and flexible but should

be able to be done.

3)  Create a sub-folder "export" in the ULP directory which EAGLE looks

for.  This should look in the first "export" folder in the ULP path so I

can create my own.  Or maybe looks in all folders, but then you have to

decide what to do with ULP's with the same name.  Either way, it should be

obvious and flexible.

4)  Extend the export current dialog (if you can call it that) when you

click on File->Export to be a full dialog.  When the export dialog is

created it can search through that folder and pre-populate the list of

available exporting options.  By selecting the one you want all the various

options are presented.

5)  Provide hooks for the CAM processor to be one of the exporting methods

so it is handled like every other exporting ULP.

With this, it would also be relatively easy to create one button to export

all required manufacturing data (gerbers, bom, xy data, dxf of outline,

..) which is greatly needed.

Now this won't be trivial and will take some thought to do it correctly.

The interface to an exporting ULP would need to be published so anyone can

create their own.  I'd suggest a similar interface for importing ULP's as

well.

It would provide a method for the user to easily add exporting ULP's

without having to do anything different (other than copy a file to a

particular place).  The GUI would take care of the rest.

Cheers,

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.

Am 27.01.2012 00:40, schrieb Warren Brayshaw:

Then the user selects a conversion type. What happens next depends on how

this functionality is ultimately implemented.

1) The ULP could simply run.

The idea of providing a complete programming interface for exports is

nice, but it is QUITE some work to implement such a thing, and I think

CadSoft has enough things to do at the moment. Additionally, the GUI

necessities for every export are DIFFERENT!

E.g., an export into SVG or PDF could have a switch to enable or disable

transparency, but ALWAYS exports the correct line widths. For DXF, the

transparency box would NOT be available, but the line width might be

left out of the exported file (as already implemented by CadSoft). An

export to a special drilling machine would need lots of other options.

CadSoft just cannot (and should not) provide a programming interface

with standardised GUI for that.

The simplest (and, in my opinion, the best) thing would be to provide

the possibility to include any ULP into the export GUI. Clicking on this

menu item would just start the ULP, that's it. Primitive, easy, and

using all possibilities of ULPs...

Andreas Weidner

Am 27.01.2012 00:40, schrieb Warren Brayshaw:

Then the user selects a conversion type. What happens next depends on how

this functionality is ultimately implemented.

1) The ULP could simply run.

The idea of providing a complete programming interface for exports is

nice, but it is QUITE some work to implement such a thing, and I think

CadSoft has enough things to do at the moment. Additionally, the GUI

necessities for every export are DIFFERENT!

E.g., an export into SVG or PDF could have a switch to enable or disable

transparency, but ALWAYS exports the correct line widths. For DXF, the

transparency box would NOT be available, but the line width might be

left out of the exported file (as already implemented by CadSoft). An

export to a special drilling machine would need lots of other options.

CadSoft just cannot (and should not) provide a programming interface

with standardised GUI for that.

The simplest (and, in my opinion, the best) thing would be to provide

the possibility to include any ULP into the export GUI. Clicking on this

menu item would just start the ULP, that's it. Primitive, easy, and

using all possibilities of ULPs...

Andreas Weidner