Does Harry Eaton's PCB have a very incomplete library?

Even with a package like OrCAD which has extensive libraries, I find that I need to make several custom library parts every time I lay out a board. I've come to expect that.

The guys that are developing the gEDA tools just make the parts they need when they need them, and they become the basis for the library. Do everyone a favor, and make the library elements for your favorite parts, and add them to the collection.

I believe the reason there are specific parts, like a 7400 DIL 14 300 and a 12K resistor is the library part contains the schematic elements, the footprint, and the model for the simulator. It would be nice if it could extract some of that information from the schematic, but I guess it can't do that yet.

-Chuck Harris

Welcome to the gEDA Suite.

PCB doesn't have an extensive parts library. As Chuck Harris points out, most PCB users just roll their own footprints. Moreover, the built-in M4 lib has some footprints which are bad. You are accordingly recommended to develop your own library. After a while, you end up with everything you need, and you will be happiest with your own footprints anyway. That's how people use commercial tools also -- nobody trusts the built-in footprints.

To help you along, I have a copy of a "Footprint creation doc" on my webpage under:

It's the last item in the first list. On that web page I also provide a Perl script there which will create SMD footprints for passives.

If you ask your question in the geda-user e-mail list, you will get a number of responses from people who are happy to help you create footprints, or will point you to other footprint resources. The e-mail lists are here:

Stuart

vax, 9000 wrote: : I installed PCB in my linux computer and start to play with it. I have : trouble to locate even simple elements like DIP14. It might be called DIL : 14 300, as I figured out later. I browered the library and found that the : PCB elements are tied with every specific chips. For example, there are : 7400 DIL 14 300, 7401 DIL 14 300, 7402 DIL 14 300, etc., and there are 1.2K : resistor, 12K resistor,... Why is it designed that way? I suppose the chips : should be decoupled from the packages. Do you guys all depend on yourselves : to create new elements? I have a design with 25 components. I just want to : know what I should expect. Thank you.

: vax, 9000

Thank you. I will subscribe to the mailing list.

vax, 9000

Thank you. I started to create my own elements. I have made an IDC50 element and am trying to make the first pad square.

vax, 9000