Oh, yeah, creating components in Protel 99 is REALLY easy. The schematic component editor is a lot like the schematic editor, just the toolbars are different, and the PCB component editor is even closer to the PCB editor. I can usually create a simple PCB component in about 2 minutes.
I will soon have to edit that KiCad design, so I guess I will learn about the details of PCB component editing.
Jon
Does PADS still 'jiggle' the components around ?
Cheers
I don't know. We don't use any of the advanced features: autoplace, autoroute, push-and-shove, OLE, any of that.
-- John Larkin Highland Technology, Inc picosecond timing precision measurement jlarkin att highlandtechnology dott com http://www.highlandtechnology.com
We're using the version of Protel prior to 99. It works on Win7-32bit (at least for now) but not Win7-64bit. (Our IT people are obsessed with getting all WinXP systems out)
But we're exploring KiCad, and while it lacks some of the polish of Protel (especially those occasional crashes) the "manual" routing has some spiffy auto push&shove and other capabilities that are really nice (there's a YouTube video out there that shows this). Its component libraries aren't perfect, but I've never been satisfied with any layout program's libraries.
I was one of the first user of the early Kicad versions. JP. Charras (here in Grenoble) was the primary developer of KiCad (1996). KiCad stands for Kustom-Ingenieurs Cad ; Kustom-Ingenieurs was a small French Company in Grenoble. I have been working there and build many 3U/6U VME32 bus slave cards.
About 10 years ago, Source code of Kicad was released under GPL licence by M. JP Charras.
You can make "super fancy" PCB design with Kicad ... well not as easy than using Cadence Allegro concept but believe me you could do really professionnal grade stuff with. As an independent consultant i use KiCad on my Debian station for professionnal purpose and for many projects for world class companies (prototypes only).
IMHO Kicad lacks :
1- Diff pair routing (e.g. maintaining equal lenght traces on DDR2, PCIe ...etc) 2 - Push and shove routingBut we will see ... we never know !
Habib. IMHO Kicad lacks two things :
1- Pair diff routingAs a bonus over Eagle
Unless I am misunderstanding what push & shove means - the latest version[s] have push&shove. If you're using a pre-packaged version it might not be there.
I've been using Eagle for a few years. I find the auto routing helpful.
I usually use it to do the initial routing from a new board and then I make the board "pretty". That is, I move components and traces to where my mental picture likes. It has saved me time because I am not a layout guy and it keeps me from making mistakes.
YMMV.
Thanks, i didn't realize push & shove is ready on latest KiCad version, i knew this was testing versions as well as pair diff routing facilities.
H.
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