Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
Software tools to create double-sided circuit boards?
donotdespisethesnake:
I use KiCad, but for the specific purposes of re-engineering old PCBS, it is not ideal. In particular, you can't simply load a greyscale bitmap as a background in the PCB editor. The interactive router works much better if you have a net list.
Apparently Sprint Layout works well for reversing PCBs, and is reasonably priced. For example you can load a bitmap, scale it, size it etc.
twospoons:
--- Quote from: nigelwright7557 on February 05, 2020, 10:59:50 pm ---
Had a go with KICAD but didnt like it. As often happens with free software they let out latest versions that arent completely debugged and wait for feedback about bugs. I thought Microsoft just did that !
--- End quote ---
Altium do this too, but they charge you a small fortune for the privilege of finding their bugs.
I've used Pads and Altium, tried and hated Eagle.
I'd say +1 to Kicad : free and no limits.
Nominal Animal:
--- Quote from: nigelwright7557 on February 05, 2020, 10:59:50 pm ---As often happens with free software they let out latest versions that arent completely debugged and wait for feedback about bugs.
--- End quote ---
As a free software developer myself, I assert that it is not actually that callous.
It is just that the developers concentrate on the issues they themselves see (or their employer finds important); we need the feedback.
It really is part of the open/free software ecosystem to test and report bugs; part of its cost, if you will, to the users. (Also, to provide translations and corrections, and often documentation especially of the tutorial and how-to form, because that stuff really is outside the developers ken.) Most of the developers, like I do, really REALLY appreciate detailed reports and suggestions, because it is stuff that makes the whole better, but that I myself/the developer would not have found out/thought up our/themselves.
That said, it is really annoying to work with buggy tools, so I completely understand your complaint.
TERRA Operative:
I use Diptrace and love it.
I had the same experience with KiCAD as rrinker and MarkF, but Diptrace just clicked with me.
I tried KiCAD a few times and was always fighting with the UI, it doesn't conform to standard conventions so you have to relearn all your computer mouse kung-fu when using it. A common problem with open-source software (Blender had a major overhaul a while back to fix this very issue).
The drawing part of component design is a little lacking, but I make all my shapes in my CAD package of choice and import as DXF.
I'm using the lowest tier of paid non-profit license and was more than happy to pay for it seeing as I use it so much.
TomS_:
--- Quote from: Miti on February 05, 2020, 03:32:08 am ---If I was to start now, I would take on KiCad. It is free. I started 20+ years ago with Eagle and I have a hard time moving away from it, even though I hate their new subscription model.
The next would be Eagle, then probably Altium, if I had the money.
--- End quote ---
You don't need to have a subscription to open EAGLE and export gerber's of your old designs, regardless of the side of the PCB.
So unless it's just a "time required to learn a new CAD package" thing, you could make a start on something like KiCAD for new designs going forward.
But I personally also really like EAGLE, and know how to use it very well so also finding it hard to simply ditch and take up something else. I'm not a huge fan of the subscription model, but it does mean you always have access to the latest version of the software rather than the last of version family X.
The latest pricing seems to be not toooooooo bad given that you get the premium edition. Not cheap, but if it's your bread and butter maybe it's worth it.
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