I'm hoping someone can give a noob some direction here. I've started designing a pcb using electronics workbench and am a bit confused on how to get past where I am.
I'm trying to create a component for a lumberg part (2415_01, 1502_01 and
2410_01) which are upright (vertical) usb, IEEE1394 and 2.5mm jack connectors. When creating a new component it gives me a option of choosing a standard footprint. I can't find a listing of these and I find one that works with this. I also can't see where to create a new footprint.
Return it for full refund. That would be a good start.
It's probably easiest to grap a jack footprint and save it under a new part name in a library of your own where a reinstall won't wipe it out and then edit it.
Something tells me you're not going to find many EWB users around. I might remember one user who didn't bad mouth EWB, but he's probably commited suicide by now.
Thanks for the feedback - I also have access to powerpcb - is that much better?
There are two things I need in a pcb design package - easy ability to create custom decals/footprints as I am using some very specific parts and secondly I need to overlay a CAD drawing of the board as I need to be VERY specific in the layout of the components. Its a double sided board so two cad drawings would be perfect.
Products like Eagle just don't suppor this sort of thing (that I've foudn so far)
You might get away with Orcad (cadence) Layout. You can get a student version and I don't think the limitations will hurt you. I don't recall the Layout limitations.
The overlay you refer to is know as the silkscreen layer. You can also do an outline layer and create custom layers.
Terry Pinnel has a page on CAD programs you should check. If he doesn't chime in soon, I think the URL is something like
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and part of that googled ought to return the URL if I'm wrong.
I also need the silkscreen layer but that's separate. I was referring to the outline layer. The problem is most entry level progs don't let you import files for the layers.
Other progs don't let you specify the location of the components precisely outside of the 2.54mm grid.
Eagle will let you do most of that out of the box (so to speak). It does do custom footprints (and various silkscreen layers). I found it easy to create a new package. Weakness on new package layouts, circular holes only for through hole (If you need a slot you have to build it up). There are probably other weakness but for straightforward double sided boards I doubt you will notice.
As far as CAD overlay. There is support in Eagle to allow it but how easy it is to do I don't know. Check out the DXF importing utilities on their website (they also have support newsgroups). I think it should be possible to import a dxf into an unused layer and use that as a guide, but I haven't done it. Ask in their support newsgroups someone may have done it.
Again check for DXF import utilities on Cadsofts support area. There is/are some image import utility/ies as well but I didn't much care for the result lasr time I tried.
I've not had a problem with placing on as fine a grid as is unreasonable. (and in fact you can also position using absolute coordinates from the keyboard, very useful when trying to match existing mechanicals)
What you are looking for is any package that imports DXF's (or DWG's). Do mechanical in mechanical, electriconic in electronic.
Import you board outline, slots, and other sundry non electronic component pcb holes etc.,from a mech. cad package (Autocad or a clone) as one layer. Do your 'tronic work on other layers - however many you need.
Lots of cad packages do this. They are not expensive. See Terry Pinnells website for a mega list of 'tronic cad and download some demo's. EasyPC will do all you need here for about $160 but there are loads more. Do not spend a fortune on an 'all singing all dancing' package if you are not going to use it regularly - you will spend hours, days, weeks, every time just trying to figure out how to do something in some of the more complex packages such as Cadstar, Pads etc. If you use them very regularly they are good otherwise they are worse than hopeless.
As I said b4: In solidworks determine the pcb outline (including any non electronic components slots, holes, etc) then just export it to the e-cad package as a dxf. This is your board ouline layer which you never need touch - just leave it all alone on its own layer and do the other e-cad on other layers. Loads of e-cads import dxf's and solidworks exports them.
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