Cheap or Free PCB Layout software? - Page 3

GRollins · 17th December 2001, 04:52 AM

Paul,
I hit that link, but didn't see how he did it...

Grey

paulb · 17th December 2001, 05:11 AM

I'll try emailing him and ask. I was wondering if he got his Szekeres amp working anyway.

scottnixon · 18th December 2001, 02:30 AM

Have used Protel's Easytrax for 11+ years, still do a lot of layouts on it. It's now freeware. A Google search will send you to several download spots. It's DOS, but very easy to use, with 2 keystokes you can do almost anything. There are driver problems with newer printers, but I use a demo version of Protel for Windows to print with windows drivers. Easy to make custom parts and store in your own library. It's worth considering.

GRollins · 18th December 2001, 05:33 AM

Scott,
DOS doesn't bother me in the least.
I need to know if it will export "normal" formats cleanly--GIF, JPG, etc.

Grey

AudioFreak · 18th December 2001, 09:34 AM

I'm not sure if easytrax can export to a clean graphics format but if you print it as postscript and select print to file then open it in a postscript viewer you can export a clean graphic from there usually in *.bmp,*.gif,*.jpg,*.tif or similar all of which are common formats .... probably more trouble than one would ideally like to go to but the option is there and it is free.

GRollins · 18th December 2001, 03:25 PM

Aside from the nuisance factor, I'd like to avoid stringing out a long daisy chain of programs to prep art--Geoff was noting that some of the traces shifted around on my Aleph art when he translated them to GIF (see other thread). The spacing got a little tight in a couple of places. I'm not sure I'd want to insert myself as a "negative feedback loop" to correct distortions that arise in the translation process.
Simple is best.

Grey

paulb · 18th December 2001, 03:43 PM

What's the Protel for Windows demo like? Could it be used instead of Easytrax?
I can live with DOS, and don't mind a few extra steps. And I like the price of Easytrax. But I need to print via Windows.

scottnixon · 18th December 2001, 07:06 PM

Grey and Paul, Easytrax will create a postscript
file that is accurate and good looking. Used to get a graphics house to output my postscript files to film and the matched up perfectly to the drill files. You can output those to a graphics converter (I think Ghostwriter works, I want to try Distiller) but a .jpg or .gif will not be accurate enough to fab from, most likely. The PFW demo will not save work, but you can print. Open the easytrax file from pfw (ignore the 'net' errors - there ain't no net) choose printer. PFW works better for makin' gerbers also.

Here is a sight with better DOS video drivers for Easytrax: http://www.airborn.com.au/easytrax.html

paulb · 19th December 2001, 04:43 AM

Here's what Weeghel at headwize says he does:
"I have Adobe Acrobat distiller/PDFwriter installed on my pc. I[t] functions as a printerdriver. So I print from PCBexpress to acrobat distiller, which gives me a PDF file with the image in it. I then use adobe photshop to open this pdf file (at 300DPI), cut out the image, make some last minute corrections, erase all the small black blocks that PCBexpress has added to the printout and save the image as a gif file."

Yes, it's labor intensive and not really what we're looking for here, I don't think.
Btw, just noticed I started this thread in the wrong forum, oops sorry.

GRollins · 19th December 2001, 04:51 AM

Paul,
Yeah, it sounds like a PIA, at least to me.
I fixed the forum problem--moved it to Everything Else. Hope that suits.

Grey

18th December 2001, 02:30 AM	#23
scottnixon diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: High Point, NC	Free PCB Have used Protel's Easytrax for 11+ years, still do a lot of layouts on it. It's now freeware. A Google search will send you to several download spots. It's DOS, but very easy to use, with 2 keystokes you can do almost anything. There are driver problems with newer printers, but I use a demo version of Protel for Windows to print with windows drivers. Easy to make custom parts and store in your own library. It's worth considering.

18th December 2001, 07:06 PM	#28
scottnixon diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: High Point, NC	Protel Grey and Paul, Easytrax will create a postscript file that is accurate and good looking. Used to get a graphics house to output my postscript files to film and the matched up perfectly to the drill files. You can output those to a graphics converter (I think Ghostwriter works, I want to try Distiller) but a .jpg or .gif will not be accurate enough to fab from, most likely. The PFW demo will not save work, but you can print. Open the easytrax file from pfw (ignore the 'net' errors - there ain't no net) choose printer. PFW works better for makin' gerbers also. Here is a sight with better DOS video drivers for Easytrax: http://www.airborn.com.au/easytrax.html

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17th December 2001, 04:52 AM	#21
GRollins diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Columbia, SC	Paul, I hit that link, but didn't see how he did it... Grey

17th December 2001, 05:11 AM	#22
paulb diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Calgary	I'll try emailing him and ask. I was wondering if he got his Szekeres amp working anyway.

18th December 2001, 05:33 AM	#24
GRollins diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Columbia, SC	Scott, DOS doesn't bother me in the least. I need to know if it will export "normal" formats cleanly--GIF, JPG, etc. Grey

18th December 2001, 09:34 AM	#25
AudioFreak Warp Engineer On Holiday Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Queensland, Australia	I'm not sure if easytrax can export to a clean graphics format but if you print it as postscript and select print to file then open it in a postscript viewer you can export a clean graphic from there usually in .bmp,.gif,.jpg,.tif or similar all of which are common formats .... probably more trouble than one would ideally like to go to but the option is there and it is free.

18th December 2001, 03:25 PM	#26
GRollins diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Columbia, SC	Aside from the nuisance factor, I'd like to avoid stringing out a long daisy chain of programs to prep art--Geoff was noting that some of the traces shifted around on my Aleph art when he translated them to GIF (see other thread). The spacing got a little tight in a couple of places. I'm not sure I'd want to insert myself as a "negative feedback loop" to correct distortions that arise in the translation process. Simple is best. Grey

18th December 2001, 03:43 PM	#27
paulb diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Calgary	What's the Protel for Windows demo like? Could it be used instead of Easytrax? I can live with DOS, and don't mind a few extra steps. And I like the price of Easytrax. But I need to print via Windows.

19th December 2001, 04:43 AM	#29
paulb diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Calgary	Here's what Weeghel at headwize says he does: "I have Adobe Acrobat distiller/PDFwriter installed on my pc. I[t] functions as a printerdriver. So I print from PCBexpress to acrobat distiller, which gives me a PDF file with the image in it. I then use adobe photshop to open this pdf file (at 300DPI), cut out the image, make some last minute corrections, erase all the small black blocks that PCBexpress has added to the printout and save the image as a gif file." Yes, it's labor intensive and not really what we're looking for here, I don't think. Btw, just noticed I started this thread in the wrong forum, oops sorry.

19th December 2001, 04:51 AM	#30
GRollins diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Columbia, SC	Paul, Yeah, it sounds like a PIA, at least to me. I fixed the forum problem--moved it to Everything Else. Hope that suits. Grey