drill data generation & update

Bump...  

"dane" <dane.ulp@lewisinnovative.com> wrote in message

news:hf7bfu$j75$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

When processing drill data in preperation to generate gerber outputs, I

have not yet found a way to automatically update the drill table in

Options -> Set -> Drill.   Clicking the "SET" button on the Drill table

does automatically extract drill sizes from the current project, but does

not sort them in increasing diameter (I would prefer it did).  But even if

it did sort them, it is still a manual process.  I can't even find a way

to execute that "SET" button command through a .ULP script.

 

Am I missing something?   Seems that matching the Drill Table

(options->set->drill) with the ULP-generated Drill Legend should be a

single-step process, right?

 

I'd be happy to update the drill-legend ULP to do this, but can't find any

ULP hooks to do it.

 

thanks,

..dane

 

Hi,

Did you ever discover how to update the Drill sizes from inside a ULP?

Option > set > Drill > Set?

I would like to update my drill legend, and I need to remember to set this

manually first.

Everything else I can do in a ULP.

Regards, Jamesm

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Did you ever discover how to update the Drill sizes from inside a ULP?

No, unfortunately.

I'm encountering this again tonight; I have about nine PCB's that I'm

processing tonight and I have to manually go update the drill settings for

each board, each time I want to generate gerbers.  It's quite frustrating!

If I could setup the drill data from within a ULP, then I could adapt the

drill legend generator ULP to incorporate that step automatically so that

everything is consistent.

CadSoft-- any way to better automate this task?

thanks!

..dane

I have spend the past several hours pouring over the drill legend ULP, and

believe I have fixed it so that it properly matches symbols to the drill

table.  I need to run some more tests, but it looks like I might even be

able to catch when you're drill table doesn't have all the drills you need

and can prompt to you go execute the options-set-drill-set command (since I

still don't know how to execute that command from within a ULP).

I've got about a dozen boards to get out the door tomorrow, which is why I

spent several hours tonight trying to patch the script to make my life much

easier regarding drill data.  I will be testing it tomorrow and if it seems

to pass my tests I will post it here for a more broad review.

I have NOT attempted to "clean up" all my changes to the ULP but will try to

do so somewhat before I submit it for public verification.

Hopefully this will prove solid and be useful for everyone.

..dane

dane wrote on Wed, 02 December 2009 22:34

When processing drill data in preperation to generate gerber outputs, I

have

not yet found a way to automatically update the drill table in Options

->

Set -> Drill.   Clicking the "SET" button on the Drill table does

automatically extract drill sizes from the current project, but does

not

sort them in increasing diameter (I would prefer it did).  But even if

it

did sort them, it is still a manual process.  I can't even find a way

to

execute that "SET" button command through a .ULP script.

I'm not following what you're trying to accomplish.  To "process drill data

in preperation to generate Gerber outputs", you usually run the DRILLCFG

ULP.  This makes the .drl file, which contains the list of drill sizes

used.  The excellon CAM processor job then uses this drill list to create

the .drd drill data output file.

I don't see what any of this has to to with the SET comand or why it

matters what is in the pulldown list of drill sizes (which is the only

thing that list sets as I understand it).  By the time you run the CAM

processor, all the drill sizes have been determined by whatever means and

you shouldn't be trying to change them at that point.  You can't just go

changing hole sizes after the fact without problems.  If you make the holes

larger than intended in the library package, it could cut into something

else or make the ring too thin.  If you make it smaller, it might be too

tight for a part's leads.

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The problem for me is when I create a drill legend in my fab drawing.

If the drills are not SET before you run the upl, the drill legend is not

correct.

Regards, Jamesm

--

••••

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Jamesm wrote on Fri, 11 December 2009 10:20

The problem for me is when I create a drill legend in my fab drawing.

If the drills are not SET before you run the upl, the drill legend is

not correct.

Interesting, since I've never had anyone ask me for a "drill legend".  I do

include the .drl and .dri files in the PCB fab package.  The .drl file

lists the drill sizes in machine readable form, and the .dri file provides

drill overview information, including the drill sizes, in human readable

form.

The drill diameter information is not much use to assemblers, so I don't

see what good it does on the assembly drawing.  Any information people

don't use is just clutter and hurts rather than helps.

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I agree, the drill legend is not too useful on an Assembly drawing.

However it is useful on the FAB drawing.

This is used for the FAB house to quote, and check the board.

It is also part of the documentation that I deliver to my customers.

Regards, James

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Jamesm wrote on Fri, 11 December 2009 11:34

However it is useful on the FAB drawing.

This is used for the FAB house to quote, and check the board.

I've never had a complaint or a problem getting a quote when I sent just

sent the normal .drl, .drd, and .dri drill files to a board house.

Ultimately their process is going to use the machine readable files anyway.

They probably ignore what you write on your drawing and go with the

automated process.  The Gerber and drill files specify the boards quite

well.  You don't need a drawing at all unless there are special milling

instructions and the like.  Usually all you need is a notes file that

specifies the board thickness, copper thickness, finish, etc, but there is

no reason to include drill information on that.

Quote:

It is also part of the documentation that I deliver to my customers.

Just give them the .dri file if they even care.  There is advantage in not

having redundant information in different places and different formats.

First, they could get out of sync by accident.  Second, someone on the

other end has to worry about which is the real data, and possibly check

that the multiple specs match.

It seems you are making this too complicated.

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However it is useful on the FAB drawing. This is used for the FAB house

to quote, and check the board.

 

I've never had a complaint or a problem getting a quote when I sent just

sent the normal .drl, .drd, and .dri drill files to a board house.

We, too, send the normal .drl/etc files to the fab house, but also include a

reference drawing layer that includes the board outline and symbolic drill

data (with a legend).

Whether or not this is absolutely necessary is somewhat beside the point;

the fact that some companies (like the one I work for) have this data

generated as a part of the procedure is a reality.  Whether or not this file

is used in today's environment I cannot answer.  It may be there for

historical purposes, but it is there nonetheless.  That may seem like a

silly answer to some, but those who work for companies with set procedures

acknolwedge that reality.

It is also part of the documentation that I deliver to my customers.

 

Just give them the .dri file if they even care.  There is advantage in not

having redundant information in different places and different formats.

First, they could get out of sync by accident.  Second, someone on the

other end has to worry about which is the real data, and possibly check

that the multiple specs match.

 

It seems you are making this too complicated.

Which is why a single ULP that does both drill rack and drill legend is

useful.  No more out-of-sync data.  We don't use the DRILLCFG.ULP that you

describe.  Up until last night we have used Christian Bohrer's DRILEGEND.ULP

(v2.01), which did both the drill rack and the legend, but admittedly was a

headache to constantly have to get Eagle's drill table (option>set>drill) in

the proper sorted sequence..  I've simply updated Christian's old script to

fix some problems with the legend generation aspect.  Very useful for us,

and I suspect for a few others also.

cheers,

..dane