Duplicating routed board in Eagle

This is the place for any magazine-related discussions that don't fit in any of the column discussion boards below.
Post Reply
mikeu
Posts: 21
Joined: Sat May 21, 2005 1:01 am
Contact:

Duplicating routed board in Eagle

Post by mikeu »

Hello,

Can someone tell me how to duplicate a two layer routed board in Eagle?
I have the shareware version of Eagle and my pcb is much smaller than the size limit.
I would like to copy the routed board and place it next to the first one. In other words have several duplicate boards inside the allotted space.
Is this possible in this version of Eagle?

Thanks,
Mike Uschak
User avatar
philba
Posts: 2050
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:01 am
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Post by philba »

there is a ULP called panelize but I don't think it actually panelizes - looks more like it copies names to a couple of new layers.

I don't think eagle has direct support for panelizing. you could go into the schematic and duplicate the components and then lay the second board out. Kind of a bad way to do it, imho.

A much better way to go is to get gerbmerge. This allows you to create a panel with any number of copies. It has the advantage that it allows you to make changes to your board with out having to change all the copies. google for gerbmerge. a little complex to set up very simple to use. You are thus not tied to eagle size limit, except for the original board.
amelecsol2000

Eagle

Post by amelecsol2000 »

Just a question.
Does anyone find the Eagle software to be confusing? or is it just me?
I have the same software, I see that it could be something very good to work with if I could understand it, lol. I have made some progress with it but everytime I think I got it, lol, I don't.
I will get it down pat , and put it to some very good use though.
I never give up.
User avatar
philba
Posts: 2050
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:01 am
Location: Seattle
Contact:

Post by philba »

the first thing you should do with eagle is forget windows. if you cling to the windows conventions you be be very frustrated with eagle. also, eagle is modal - that means you select a mode of operation and work within it.

For example, when you place something, you select a part to place and then place it as many times as you want until you switch to a different device or a different mode.

once you get used to the eagle interface, it is actually fairly consistent and quite powerful. However, it is very frustrating at first.

there is a very good book on eagle by al williams - http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Printe ... 007142783X while the book is supposedly about designing PCBs, he uses eagle for his examples so it turns out to be a great eagle tutorial.
Newz2000
Posts: 507
Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 1:01 am
Location: Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Contact:

Re: Eagle

Post by Newz2000 »

amelecsol2000 wrote:Just a question.
Does anyone find the Eagle software to be confusing? or is it just me?
I have the same software, I see that it could be something very good to work with if I could understand it, lol. I have made some progress with it but everytime I think I got it, lol, I don't.
I will get it down pat , and put it to some very good use though.
I never give up.
Search this message board for eagle and fully half the results will be from people (like you, like me) who think the UI of eagle stinks.

There is a reason computer vendors (MS, Linux, Mac) have what is called "HIG" or "Human Interface Guidelines." There are occasionally good reasons to violate them but Eagle has no excuse. [/soapbox]

Anyway, you're not alone. Tenacity is, apparently, precisely what is needed. I've gotten to the point where I can kind of get the job done. Others here are much further along than I and have been very helpful when I've asked questions.
Gorgon
Posts: 325
Joined: Wed May 04, 2005 1:01 am
Location: Norway
Contact:

Post by Gorgon »

The main reason Eagle is like it is, is historic. In use, the version I have now(3.5x) is not much different from the version I started with in -93, in DOS. It's addapted to a GUI environment, but the basic engine is still keyboard/entry focused. I would think that for all users that can only/are used to use a mouse to enter something, it IS confusing.

And, I know, it takes some time to adjust to it, when you have been mousing around, things are not in the 'normal' places.

As a layout program I think it is straight forward, but I like the paper manual from the 3.0 version much better than the help menu system, when looking for the nooks and crannies in the program.

And one good thing about it is the speed in relation to machine speed. In -93 I ran the autorouter more than 24 hours to finish the biggest designs I did. Today the same job is done in no time.


TOK ;)
Gorgon the Caretaker - Character in a childrens TV-show from 1968. ;)
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 36 guests