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Rendering Gerbers on the Prop — Parallax Forums

Rendering Gerbers on the Prop

TubularTubular Posts: 4,717
edited 2011-05-06 08:03 in Propeller 1
Does anyone have any experience with the Gerber file standard? At first glance it doesn't appear too difficult but I may be missing some heirachical horror that would make it all too difficult.

I am thinking of using Rayman's new QPSI memory board (with 4 SRAMs) to hold a 4 colour bitmap of the board which can then be scrolled, zoomed in integer multiples. The C3 may also be able to do something similar?
0. Black for background and hole pips
1. Coloured Bottom Layer
2. Coloured Top Layer
3. White for overlay

At this stage I'm only interested in a viewer, but who knows where it might end. *Not* inclined to try an Autorouter

Comments

  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2011-05-05 17:37
    You could "render" a gerber from RS274X without external memory support with the right spin code.
    Showing an image would probably be easier though.
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,935
    edited 2011-05-05 17:57
    Tubular, I have an excellent guide on RS274 that I have been using since 1998 from Barco Gerber Systems (now Ucamco). It has enabled me to handcode gerber and make small boards in notepad from a dimensioned drawing. They updated the document last year and and it is available on their download page as well as being linked on the Wikipedia page for Gerber Format. The original document I am using is also on this page under the links titled "RS274X Format" near the top.

    Gerber format is very easy to understand. Anyone who codes HTML, G-Code, etc, can easily learn RS274 and RS274X.
  • TubularTubular Posts: 4,717
    edited 2011-05-05 18:35
    WBA that doc is excellent, many thanks!

    I'm always amazed at the bank of knowledge in this forum....

    Jazzed, I started thinking the same thing... but going with an intermediate image should save time from the overall project point of view. Could be a fun challenge though...
  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2011-05-05 22:31
    I can't see the point, with excellent Gerber viewers and editors that run on Windows such as GC-Prevue.
  • TubularTubular Posts: 4,717
    edited 2011-05-05 22:49
    Leon, you'd laugh at me if I told you now. Ask me again in 6 months and it will make more sense.

    cheers
    tubular
  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2011-05-05 23:15
    If you intend to make PCBs by milling them, for instance, it makes sense, as a first step.
  • TubularTubular Posts: 4,717
    edited 2011-05-06 00:28
    (deleted - ranting again)
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-05-06 00:44
    Tubular,

    Ah, I see. You are working on SkyNet:)
  • TubularTubular Posts: 4,717
    edited 2011-05-06 05:53
    Heater - is that how these things start? Quite possibly...

    Upon reading that back what an awful rant. It had to be deleted. Onward and upwards...
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2011-05-06 08:03
    Tubular,
    Heater - is that how these things start? Quite possibly.

    No idea. The only life we know seems to contain it's own design information within it. In the DNA.
    Let's see where your idea takes us:)
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