Coming off Eagle - Is DIPTRACE a good move?

[envisionelec]

I have been an Eagle user since 1998. After they were bought by Newark, I was extremely disappointed with what they considered updates to the package. For the first time ever, I experienced a series of crashes. And it doesn't stop there. The routing features didn't improve much and transparency didn't work well enough for me. Basically, there weren't enough usable updates that has compelled me to continue using it.

I switched to Altium in 2009 and part of 2010 just to finish up an audio amp, but then happily left after dealing with its constant DXP.exe and "Access Violation" errors. I made some very nice looking and performing PCBs with it, so it wasn't a total loss.

I am about to embark on to DIPTRACE. I've watched the videos and some of its GUI in the ERC/DRC, particularly, seems remarkably like Altium.  I am interested in its import/export abilities as I have scores of designs in Eagle.

[Mechatrommer]

the only hint is download the free limited program and try it out. someone posted on another thread (diptrace library) that its possible and step how to import eagle library to diptrace. i used diptrace with ease after months of idling eagle in my pc which i cannot get how to. if you ask me, its a good move, but YMMV.

[shebu18]

I recommend DipTrace. Used eagle, and tried Altium. Eagle was to rudimentary and altium was to high grade. DipTrace is in between. Just give it a try, watch the tutorial on their site and if you have questions just post them here.

Making parts, library's is much easier in diptrace then eagle.

[firewalker]

I tried to import some libs from EAGLE 6.0.0. I didn't work. I will try from version 5.

Alexander.

[shebu18]

What is the library you need? I could try and convert it. I tried it with one and managed to do it.

[firewalker]

It's the con-wago-500.lbr  one. I have tried several others. Exporting to EAGLE src importing from Diptrace, and nothing happens.

Alexander.

[shebu18]

You can try this: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=6177.0


Attached the diptrace lib. change the filename from zip to eli and put it in the lib folder of diptrace.

[firewalker]

Thanks m8.

Alexander.