Author Topic: Diptrace output files need advice  (Read 7799 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline cleanworkbenchTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: es
Diptrace output files need advice
« on: January 20, 2019, 10:58:29 am »
I went for Diptrace as Kicad and Eagle were a bit of a pain to use . I want to generate files of the PCB design and take em down town to a high street print shop, they have laser print facilities . My question is what file types do there laser print machines accept. Making single sided board for homebrew etching . Any hints and tips please.

 

Online HwAoRrDk

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1456
  • Country: gb
Re: Diptrace output files need advice
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2019, 03:08:51 pm »
Exporting to DXF is probably your best bet.

Wait, I misread, I thought you were talking about laser cutting. If you just want to print your layouts on a regular old laser printer, printing to a PDF should do.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2019, 03:12:11 pm by HwAoRrDk »
 

Offline cleanworkbenchTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: es
Re: Diptrace output files need advice
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2019, 02:49:14 pm »
Ok thanks for the info i will give it a go .
Do you know anything about Diptrace connection in PCB mode ie a net not fully completing, not fully connecting to its desired point, everything else is connected up bar one connection to the ground plane , it just flat refuses to make the connection like theres a no go zone , very weird  ?.
 

Offline DerekG

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 882
  • Country: nf
Re: Diptrace output files need advice
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2019, 10:32:07 pm »
it just flat refuses to make the connection like theres a no go zone

The nets are seen by DipTrace as different nets & so it is refusing to let you "short them together".

Right click on the net & choose "Net Properties" to change the net name to match the one it won't connect to.

Firstly recheck you schematic. In schematic, hover over each net to ensure the other net also highlights. It probably does not (as they are seen in schematic as different nets). Right click over the nets to see (& change) their properties.

Once changed, re-save the schematic & then update the PCB from the schematic.
I also sat between Elvis & Bigfoot on the UFO.
 

Offline cleanworkbenchTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: es
Re: Diptrace output files need advice
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2019, 09:43:42 am »
Ah i see, thanks for the advice, yes i went through net properties and other possible solutions and done my head in changing this and that , basically button pushing !  several cups of coffee later , Until i thought about it and went back to the beginning ie the  schematic and thought, how does it know what to connect and where , answer , the button i had not pushed yet RATLINES !!!, so i went to the bottom board layer and connected the two points it refused to connect up and linked them with a ratline and bingo now it makes a trace between the two points. Somehow in my re-jigging of the component placements i erased traces and these did not show the original ratlines and hence when trying to re-install a net trace the points are clueless as to where to connect because there is no ratline.

 Anyhow thats how i figure it works , strange because it is not  always the case ?.

So to re-install a net trace connection that is being a pain my solution is to goto ratline button, choose,  and re-connect the two points . It worked for me.
 Thanks for all the contributions of help, i,m on a learning curve here LOL !!!. Cant imagine what KiCad or Eagle is like to learn i have seen mixed reviews about many design softwares but i like Diptrace.
 

Offline DerekG

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 882
  • Country: nf
Re: Diptrace output files need advice
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2019, 11:46:25 am »
Somehow in my re-jigging of the component placements i erased traces and these did not show the original ratlines and hence when trying to re-install a net trace the points are clueless as to where to connect because there is no ratline.

If you highlight a net (on the PCB) then press delete, or right click on a net & select "Unroute Trace" or "Unroute Net" the "Ratsline" connection is erased. You are then unable to simply "join the original tracks back together".
 
To rectify this, choose "File" then "Renew Layout from Schematic" then "By RefDes". This will renew all the PCB connections according to the schematic :)

Quote
Cant imagine what KiCad or Eagle is like to learn i have seen mixed reviews about many design softwares but i like Diptrace.

I have extensively used Altium (all the way from the early Protel days) & Proteus, but I like DipTrace the most :)
I also sat between Elvis & Bigfoot on the UFO.
 

Offline cleanworkbenchTopic starter

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 81
  • Country: es
Re: Diptrace output files need advice
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2019, 05:42:23 pm »
I understand now , ok thanks for the help. 

Cheers  :-+
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf