Transition from Eagle -> Diptrace

groggory

I've been using eagle for a few years now and I'm pretty good at it. I have a pretty extensive library I've created, a couple dozen PCB designs I've had built, and done some pretty cool stuff with it. I have a 4 layer board on the drawing board, but never sent it away to have built.

Anyways...

with that said. Eagle is a pain. lol. I have been reading so many good things about diptrace that I am tempted to move over to it. I am wondering what you guys think is the best way for me to do this. Should I use the diptrace online tutorials? Or read a book? Or just start fiddling? I am willing to put the work in to get up and running quickly and efficiently.

Thanks for the tips.

JonnyMac

They have a pretty decent tutorial that is included with the software when you download it (which you can do at no fee). You may also be able to export you custom components from Eagle to a format that can be imported by DipTrace. Again, no charge (except for your time) to find out.

pedward

I downloaded both, Eagle has a lot larger library, but is about as clear as mud. I just fiddled with Diptrace and have made a couple of boards easily. The only problems I have are the inability to easily assign trace widths except directly or by net. Also, you cannot connect nets and have it intelligently do ground pours. For instance, you want a logic ground and analog ground connected, but only by a thin trace, so analog currents return through the analog ground. The only way to do this is either with a jumper or with a final trace that merges the 2 nets in PCB layout, using the thin manual trace.

groggory

JonnyMac wrote: »

They have a pretty decent tutorial that is included with the software when you download it (which you can do at no fee). You may also be able to export you custom components from Eagle to a format that can be imported by DipTrace. Again, no charge (except for your time) to find out.

First of all, thank you to both of you.

What do you guys use for schematic and PCB design?

Roadster

You can export eagle libaries and pcbs and import them into diptrace, I have done it you need to use the script files that are in the diptrace utils folder, I dont remember the steps, its been awhile.

Circuitsoft

I generally like to use KiCad because it's pretty easy to use (much better than Eagle), cross-platform, and completely free.

pedward

Exporting Eagle libraries is pretty easy. Load the library in Eagle, do File -> Export, then a menu pops up, choose script and enter a location. In Diptrace load the component editor, File -> Import -> Eagle SCR, viola, your components are in Diptrace. Do File -> Library Description, then Save. For patterns only (like the diodes), go into the Pattern editor and import the SCR and save.

To see the libraries, either dump them into the system DipTrace library folder, or add them by unclicking the "from folder" in library setup, then click the "..." button next to the list and point to your custom library. Use the up/down buttons to order it in the menu.

I've been using Diptrace for schematic capture as well as PCB layout, since when you do the schematic capture you also pick the pattern associated with the component, so the PCB editor is hinted as to what you want.