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Re: [ANN] PCB Multiplyer (early test version)

 

Thank you Markus for this interesting utility.
When needed, it will save a lot of time and clicks :)
I run it as a test on my Windows 7 Home Basic.
Its learning curve is 1 or 2 seconds at most :)

Kerim

--- In kicad-users@..., "mgebha" <markus@...> wrote:



Good point! If someone wants to port this to another platform, I would gladly make the relevant parts of the code available.

In the first place it was only a proof of concept. I did not expect it to turn out that well in such short time.

--- In kicad-users@..., Fabio Varesano <fabio.varesano@> wrote:

This is a nice contribution.

However, I would have tried to code using the same language/libs that
Kicad is using in case that the developers would have liked to push
this into kicad.

Currently I'm doing something similar at the Gerber level using the
excellent gerbmerge
() ..
however having the possibility of doing that at PCBnew level opens
interesting possibilities.

Thanks for sharing this and I hope you'll make it a libre software.

Take Care,

Fabio Varesano

On 01/23/2011 03:40 PM, mgebha wrote:


Hi,

often when I finish a design with KiCad, I want to print more than one
of them on a single board. Of course one can do that by copying and
moving the whole content in PCBnew. This has some disadvantages however:
- Selecting and placing the desired content is error-prone and
sometimes a lot of trial and error.
- Every time you make changes to the design, you have to start over
with copying and moving.
- It is not easy find the best fit to a certain board size and it is
hard to adjust it to other sizes.

So I tried to implement this function myself and ended with a little
application to do the job. Screenshots:
- The original board in PCBnew:
- PCB Multiplyer application:
- The resulting bord in in PCBnew:

Note that the application is limited to rectangular designs and boards.

You can download the application here:

It requires a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.6 or greater. Start by
double clicking pcbmultiplyer.jar.
This a an early test version that is fully functional, free for
non-commercial use and comes with no warranty of any kind. It might be
released as open source under CPL in future.

Please let me know what you think about it and also let me know if you
find any bugs.

Regards
Markus


Re: [ANN] PCB Multiplyer (early test version)

Andy Eskelson
 

Perhaps this highlights that some form of inbuilt scripting / macro
functionality within pcbnew might be something to be looked into.

Andy


On Sun, 23 Jan 2011 21:25:07 -0000
"mgebha" <markus@...> wrote:



Good point! If someone wants to port this to another platform, I would gladly make the relevant parts of the code available.

In the first place it was only a proof of concept. I did not expect it to turn out that well in such short time.

--- In kicad-users@..., Fabio Varesano <fabio.varesano@...> wrote:

This is a nice contribution.

However, I would have tried to code using the same language/libs that
Kicad is using in case that the developers would have liked to push
this into kicad.

Currently I'm doing something similar at the Gerber level using the
excellent gerbmerge
() ..
however having the possibility of doing that at PCBnew level opens
interesting possibilities.

Thanks for sharing this and I hope you'll make it a libre software.

Take Care,

Fabio Varesano

On 01/23/2011 03:40 PM, mgebha wrote:


Hi,

often when I finish a design with KiCad, I want to print more than one
of them on a single board. Of course one can do that by copying and
moving the whole content in PCBnew. This has some disadvantages however:
- Selecting and placing the desired content is error-prone and
sometimes a lot of trial and error.
- Every time you make changes to the design, you have to start over
with copying and moving.
- It is not easy find the best fit to a certain board size and it is
hard to adjust it to other sizes.

So I tried to implement this function myself and ended with a little
application to do the job. Screenshots:
- The original board in PCBnew:
- PCB Multiplyer application:
- The resulting bord in in PCBnew:

Note that the application is limited to rectangular designs and boards.

You can download the application here:

It requires a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.6 or greater. Start by
double clicking pcbmultiplyer.jar.
This a an early test version that is fully functional, free for
non-commercial use and comes with no warranty of any kind. It might be
released as open source under CPL in future.

Please let me know what you think about it and also let me know if you
find any bugs.

Regards
Markus




------------------------------------

Please read the Kicad FAQ in the group files section before posting your question.
Please post your bug reports here. They will be picked up by the creator of Kicad.
Please visit for details of how to contribute your symbols/modules to the kicad library.
For building Kicad from source and other development questions visit the kicad-devel group at ! Groups Links



Re: [ANN] PCB Multiplyer (early test version)

mgebha
 

Good point! If someone wants to port this to another platform, I would gladly make the relevant parts of the code available.

In the first place it was only a proof of concept. I did not expect it to turn out that well in such short time.

--- In kicad-users@..., Fabio Varesano <fabio.varesano@...> wrote:

This is a nice contribution.

However, I would have tried to code using the same language/libs that
Kicad is using in case that the developers would have liked to push
this into kicad.

Currently I'm doing something similar at the Gerber level using the
excellent gerbmerge
() ..
however having the possibility of doing that at PCBnew level opens
interesting possibilities.

Thanks for sharing this and I hope you'll make it a libre software.

Take Care,

Fabio Varesano

On 01/23/2011 03:40 PM, mgebha wrote:


Hi,

often when I finish a design with KiCad, I want to print more than one
of them on a single board. Of course one can do that by copying and
moving the whole content in PCBnew. This has some disadvantages however:
- Selecting and placing the desired content is error-prone and
sometimes a lot of trial and error.
- Every time you make changes to the design, you have to start over
with copying and moving.
- It is not easy find the best fit to a certain board size and it is
hard to adjust it to other sizes.

So I tried to implement this function myself and ended with a little
application to do the job. Screenshots:
- The original board in PCBnew:
- PCB Multiplyer application:
- The resulting bord in in PCBnew:

Note that the application is limited to rectangular designs and boards.

You can download the application here:

It requires a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.6 or greater. Start by
double clicking pcbmultiplyer.jar.
This a an early test version that is fully functional, free for
non-commercial use and comes with no warranty of any kind. It might be
released as open source under CPL in future.

Please let me know what you think about it and also let me know if you
find any bugs.

Regards
Markus


Re: [ANN] PCB Multiplyer (early test version)

mgebha
 

I have implemented some more features and brushed up the existing application:


In the first version, you were only able to select a target board size and the software tried to fit as many designs as possible. In the new version you can also specify the multiples in x- and y-direction and the software will create the result and calculate the target board size itself.
Also the layout preview is now updated on the fly while you change the settings. So you can more quickly find out good setups.

Screenshot:


Regards,
Markus


Re: Freeerouter Lockup Problem.

 

I found a workaround to the freerouter being "write-protected" problem. If I download the freeroute.jnlp file and launch it locally (as
opposed to using webstart) then it works fine and allows me to modify the settings as usual...very strange....it's been working
flawlessly until now. In any case I can continue to push the ball forward now.


Freeerouter Lockup Problem.

 

Hi Guys a little off topic but I'm hoping someone may have encountered this and has a solution handy, I'm getting nowhere...

I have a problem with KiCAD/freerouter. I was routing a large 6 layer PCB that was routing for about 3/4 days when I ran another two
threads from the same instance of freerouter in order to route two small boards, and all was running well, there was lots of CPU
and RAM available, then I began routing yet another, and the whole thing then froze up.

Okay, so sadly I have to restart everything, but that's not the problem.

The problem is that now after restarting freerouter, I cannot change any of the Freerouter rules such as the Net Classes, it's as if
everything is write protected, I've looked everywhere I can think of for a lock file (I'm running Kubunru Linux). Does anyone know if
there is some sort of lock file or something that I need to delete in order to get things back to normal? Or is this a java thing? Do I
need to reset some Java file squirreled away somewhere?

Regards,

Mike Sharkey


Re: [ANN] PCB Multiplyer (early test version)

 

This is a nice contribution.

However, I would have tried to code using the same language/libs that
Kicad is using in case that the developers would have liked to push
this into kicad.

Currently I'm doing something similar at the Gerber level using the
excellent gerbmerge
() ..
however having the possibility of doing that at PCBnew level opens
interesting possibilities.

Thanks for sharing this and I hope you'll make it a libre software.

Take Care,

Fabio Varesano

On 01/23/2011 03:40 PM, mgebha wrote:


Hi,

often when I finish a design with KiCad, I want to print more than one
of them on a single board. Of course one can do that by copying and
moving the whole content in PCBnew. This has some disadvantages however:
- Selecting and placing the desired content is error-prone and
sometimes a lot of trial and error.
- Every time you make changes to the design, you have to start over
with copying and moving.
- It is not easy find the best fit to a certain board size and it is
hard to adjust it to other sizes.

So I tried to implement this function myself and ended with a little
application to do the job. Screenshots:
- The original board in PCBnew:
- PCB Multiplyer application:
- The resulting bord in in PCBnew:

Note that the application is limited to rectangular designs and boards.

You can download the application here:

It requires a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.6 or greater. Start by
double clicking pcbmultiplyer.jar.
This a an early test version that is fully functional, free for
non-commercial use and comes with no warranty of any kind. It might be
released as open source under CPL in future.

Please let me know what you think about it and also let me know if you
find any bugs.

Regards
Markus


[ANN] PCB Multiplyer (early test version)

mgebha
 

Hi,

often when I finish a design with KiCad, I want to print more than one of them on a single board. Of course one can do that by copying and moving the whole content in PCBnew. This has some disadvantages however:
- Selecting and placing the desired content is error-prone and sometimes a lot of trial and error.
- Every time you make changes to the design, you have to start over with copying and moving.
- It is not easy find the best fit to a certain board size and it is hard to adjust it to other sizes.

So I tried to implement this function myself and ended with a little application to do the job. Screenshots:
- The original board in PCBnew:
- PCB Multiplyer application:
- The resulting bord in in PCBnew:

Note that the application is limited to rectangular designs and boards.

You can download the application here:
It requires a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.6 or greater. Start by double clicking pcbmultiplyer.jar.
This a an early test version that is fully functional, free for non-commercial use and comes with no warranty of any kind. It might be released as open source under CPL in future.

Please let me know what you think about it and also let me know if you find any bugs.

Regards
Markus


Re: SPICE parameter sequence issue

Tony Casey
 

--- In kicad-users@..., "Charles" <cmcdowell_home@...> wrote:


I am having trouble with simulating a 5V regulator using LTSPICE. The problem is LTSPICE and KICAD SPICE netlister don't always agree how the sub-circuit calling parameters should be sequentially listed.

To my surprise LTSPICE requires the calling parameters to have the correct sequential order, not just correct names! Seems flawed I know.

Anyone have a workaround other than tweaking the netlist manually? I would like the ability to force parameter sequence in KICAD possibly through component properties.
Hello Charles,

There is no flaw in LTspice - all SPICE3-compatible programs treat only the netlist order as important; the pin names are irrelevant to a SPICE parser.

The problem is not a new one, and applies to many EDA suites, and is why often there are two sets of schematic symbols provided: one geared intended for PCB netlisting with focus on pin numbers and the other for simulation.

The neatest solution would be for KiCAD schematic symbols to have a separate SPICENETLISTORDER attribute that the netlister used instead, when generating a SPICE netlist.

Regards,
Tony


Re: How to perform necking action during manual routing?

 

No afaik,but if you segment the track, then you can change the individual segment widths.

- Anders Gustafsson
Engineer, CNE6, ASE
Pedago, The Aaland Islands (N60 E20)
www.pedago.fi
phone +358 18 12060
mobile +358 40506 7099
fax +358 18 14060



"Rohan Dervankar" <rohandervankar@...> 2011-01-22 18:38 >>>
Is kicad DRC is able to NECK the tracks automatically? If now how to neck it manually ? i hav some designs which requires tracks to be drwn between the IC pins. so pls guide me how to perform necking ?


SPICE parameter sequence issue

 

I am having trouble with simulating a 5V regulator using LTSPICE. The problem is LTSPICE and KICAD SPICE netlister don't always agree how the sub-circuit calling parameters should be sequentially listed.

To my surprise LTSPICE requires the calling parameters to have the correct sequential order, not just correct names! Seems flawed I know.

Anyone have a workaround other than tweaking the netlist manually? I would like the ability to force parameter sequence in KICAD possibly through component properties.


How to perform necking action during manual routing?

 

Is kicad DRC is able to NECK the tracks automatically? If now how to neck it manually ? i hav some designs which requires tracks to be drwn between the IC pins. so pls guide me how to perform necking ?

my second ques is how to manage LIB in pcbnew and cvpcb ?


copying/moving artwork to a different layer in module editor

 

I have 2 related questions.

First, is it possible to copy or move artwork to a different layer in Module editor? Specifically, I have artwork on SoldP_Back and I want it on SilkS_Front.

The background is that the artwork was imported into the module using bitmap2component, which brings up the related question: Is it possible to control which layer the artwork is placed on when using bitmap2component?

Thanks,
Daniel


Re: Save as module

 

Hello,

You sent me this mail direct, not on the Kicad group. No problem.

Probably you do not have declared the path for your own library. In
PCBnew, go to Preference, Library, and add your library path on the top of
the list.

Regards,
Jean-Paul


*
Jean-Paul Gendner
03.88.27.03.44

-----Message d'origine-----
De?: notify@... [mailto:notify@...] De la part de
harika
Envoy¨¦?: jeudi 20 janvier 2011 18:38
??: Jean-Paul Gendner
Objet?: Re: Save as module

I've created my own library and when i was trying to load the netlist in
PCBnew, gives an error 'components not found'. Can any1 help with this?

--- In kicad-users@..., "Jean-Paul Gendner"
<jean-paul.gendner@...> wrote:

Many thanks Andy. I changed the Reference, not the Value
field!
! !



Regards,

Jean-Paul



*

Jean-Paul Gendner

03.88.27.03.44

_____

De : kicad-users@... [mailto:kicad-users@...] De
la
part de Andy Eskelson
Envoy¨¦ : dimanche 31 octobre 2010 19:33
? : kicad-users@...
Objet : Re: [kicad-users] Re: Save as module






The name is taken from the value field. (Not obvious I'll admit)

Edit the value field to whatever name you want, then save. That should do
the trick. (I use the add and remove fields... the Large T in the
toolbar.)

Andy

In Sun, 31 Oct 2010 19:01:26 +0100
"Jean-Paul Gendner" <jean-paul.gendner@...
<mailto:jean-paul.gendner%40orange.fr> > wrote:

Thank you Andy for your answer. However, I am able to change the
fields, but not the name of the component. In the component properties
window the name appears on the top (Properties for ¡­), but is not
editable.
How may I change the name?



Regards,

Jean-Paul



*

Jean-Paul Gendner

03.88.27.03.44

_____

De : kicad-users@... <mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
[mailto:kicad-users@... <mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
]
De la
part de Andy Eskelson
Envoy¨¦ : dimanche 31 octobre 2010 18:12
? : kicad-users@... <mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
Objet : Re: [kicad-users] Re: Save as module





No need, the function is already there.

In the Lib editor:

select the correct working library 2nd icon top toolbar
open the part you want to edit.

Make your changes and change the name.

Then

Either update the current component in current library (6th icon)

The save to disk (1st icon)

or

select another working library i.e. you may want to save the new
component in your own lib (a good idea anyway)
Then save to disk (I don't think that you need to do the update in this
case, but it does not hurt to do so if you wish)

Andy

On Sun, 31 Oct 2010 14:54:14 +0100
"Jean-Paul Gendner" <jean-paul.gendner@...
<mailto:jean-paul.gendner%40orange.fr>
<mailto:jean-paul.gendner%40orange.fr> > wrote:

Hello,



The same possibility to change the name of a modified component
in the EESchema component library editor would be much appreciated. If
I
am
right, I need to export the component, create a new component with the
right
name and import the component before being able to save it?



Jean-Paul



*

Jean-Paul Gendner

03.88.27.03.44

_____

De : kicad-users@...
<mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
<mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
[mailto:kicad-users@...
<mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
<mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com> ]
De la
part de jdoirey
Envoy¨¦ : vendredi 29 octobre 2010 18:53
? : kicad-users@... <mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
<mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
Objet : [kicad-users] Re: Save as module





Hi Brian,

hah! Simple! Thanks.

I've checked again the manual (12.14 - saving a module to the active
library) and there is nothing indicating that you can change the name
of
a
module there. I didn't want to destroy the original and never thought
of
using the save button (under Windows, it never asks for a name there).

Joc

--- In kicad-users@...
<mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
<mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com>
<mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com> ,
"Brian F. G. Bidulock" <bidulock@> wrote:

jdoirey,

When you save it to the library it asks you for the name. Just
change it and click ok.

On Fri, 29 Oct 2010, jdoirey wrote:


I want to make the pads of SM0805 bigger, it's are pretty hard to
solder a component by hand with the default size.
I know how to create a new module, I know how to modify one, but I
can't figure out how to modify one and save it under a different
name,
into the same library.
--brian



Re: DRC for rotated footprints. I think BUG.

 

Indeed, it's fixed in the last version, thank you!.

Cat

-----Original Message-----
From: jean-pierre charras
Sent: Tuesday, January 18, 2011 1:53 PM
To: kicad-users@...
Subject: Re: [kicad-users] Re: DRC for rotated footprints. I think BUG.



Le 18/01/2011 19:25, jean-pierre charras a crit :

Le 18/01/2011 18:09, catalin_cluj a crit :



I think this is a bug, I'm having the same problem.
Probably the DRC algorithm is tricked by coordinates that overlap in pads rotated by non-right angles.

--- In mailto:kicad-users%40yahoogroups.com, Olivier Gautherot mailto:olivier@... wrote:

Hi!
... rotation caused 208 errors for pads too close to each other. ...




Does not occur with latest stable version KiCad-2010-12-23-BZR2684_RC3b version
Can you update your Kicad version (if you are using Windows or Linux Ubuntu 10) and test it?

(The final version is coming soon)
-- Jean-Pierre CHARRAS Matre de confrences. Institut Universitaire de Technologie 1 de Grenoble Gnie Electrique et Informatique Industrielle 2 BP 67, 38402 St Martin d'Heres Cedex Recherche : GIPSA-LAB - INPG Rue de la Houille Blanche 38400 Saint Martin d'Heres


Re: Odd PCB design [1 Attachment]

 

Off topic reply (about rotary encoder design):

Jorge, if you are designing a conventional 24-position rotary switch, your design should work OK. However, if you are trying to determine a shaft position in a _continuous_ range to the nearest 15 degrees, your rotary encoder design will not work reliably because it will give incorrect codes when the encoder sensors are lined up exactly on a boundary between the 15 degree sectors. For example, at the boundary between 10111 and 00000, the sensors might report 10111, 00000, 10000, 00110, etc.

To make a rotary encoder that works over a continuous range, you can use Gray code. See You can use a 32-entry lookup table to quickly convert the Gray code to binary.

Cheers,
- Jan


Re: DRC for rotated footprints. I think BUG.

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Le 18/01/2011 19:25, jean-pierre charras a ¨¦crit?:
?

Le 18/01/2011 18:09, catalin_cluj a ¨¦crit?:

?

I think this is a bug, I'm having the same problem.
Probably the DRC algorithm is tricked by coordinates that overlap in pads rotated by non-right angles.

--- In kicad-users@..., Olivier Gautherot wrote:
>
> Hi!
>
... rotation caused 208 errors for pads too close to each other. ...



Does not occur with latest stable version KiCad-2010-12-23-BZR2684_RC3b version
Can you update your Kicad version (if you are using Windows or Linux Ubuntu 10) and test it?

(The final version is coming soon)
-- 
Jean-Pierre CHARRAS

Ma?tre de conf¨¦rences.
Institut Universitaire de Technologie 1 de Grenoble
G¨¦nie Electrique et Informatique Industrielle 2
BP 67, 38402 St Martin d'Heres Cedex

Recherche :
GIPSA-LAB - INPG
Rue de la Houille Blanche
38400 Saint Martin d'Heres


Re: DRC for rotated footprints. I think BUG.

 

¿ªÔÆÌåÓý

Le 18/01/2011 18:09, catalin_cluj a ¨¦crit?:
?

I think this is a bug, I'm having the same problem.
Probably the DRC algorithm is tricked by coordinates that overlap in pads rotated by non-right angles.

--- In kicad-users@..., Olivier Gautherot wrote:
>
> Hi!
>
... rotation caused 208 errors for pads too close to each other. ...


I cannot reproduce this issue.
Can you send me your board.
-- 
Jean-Pierre CHARRAS

Ma?tre de conf¨¦rences.
Institut Universitaire de Technologie 1 de Grenoble
G¨¦nie Electrique et Informatique Industrielle 2
BP 67, 38402 St Martin d'Heres Cedex

Recherche :
GIPSA-LAB - INPG
Rue de la Houille Blanche
38400 Saint Martin d'Heres


Re: How to Connect Ratsnets in PCBlayout without making netlist .

Andy Eskelson
 

You cannot have a ratsnest without a netlist, which is usually generated
bu the schematic program eeschema.

So if you do have have a ratsnest, where did it come from?


Without a netlist you would be using pcbnew like a simple graphics
package to draw tracks and so on. Doing things like that will mean that
you cannot use any of the DRC checking.

The grid dots, you are prob just zoomed out too far, beyond a given
point they are too small to render. If you are working at this zoom
level change the grid size and they should appear.


Andy


On Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:31:31 -0000
"Rohan Dervankar" <rohandervankar@...> wrote:

i m using kicad2010. i want to Copy the PCB board . For that purpose i need to connect ratsnets in PCB layout tool. i can not make schematic since i dont have ckt dig. guys pls help me.

my second wues is i m not able to see Grid dots in ModLib Editor tool. how to make them visible.

pls reply to my topic.



------------------------------------

Please read the Kicad FAQ in the group files section before posting your question.
Please post your bug reports here. They will be picked up by the creator of Kicad.
Please visit for details of how to contribute your symbols/modules to the kicad library.
For building Kicad from source and other development questions visit the kicad-devel group at ! Groups Links



Re: Net Interconnection [1 Attachment]

 

If you are asking about doing it in eeschema, just output a netlist and look to see if the pins you expect are on one net.


From: hussain basha
To: kicad-users@...
Sent: Tue, January 18, 2011 5:21:29 AM
Subject: [kicad-users] Net Interconnection [1 Attachment]

?

Hello

I am using KiCad 2010. I am designing a circuit and i need to check if all the nets which have same net name are inter connected.

It will be very helpful if someone can tell me what option i will have to use to find if the nets are actually interconnected.

I have attached a part of the schematic for reference.

Regards
Hussain