Pcb
Pcb is a handy tool for the X Window System to design printed circuit boards. All coordinate units are 1/1000 inch. A layout consists of lines, arcs, polygons, elements (lines, pins and arcs), vias, and text information seperated into several layers. Each of them is identified by a unique name and color (if supported by your display). SMD circuits are also supported. Eight layers are supported, in addition to a silkscreen layer. Visibility of pins and SMD pads and vias is controllable. All files are 7-bit ASCII, and can be preprocessed with any Unix command that writes its results to stdout (GNU m4 is required). Zooming, unlimited undo, and unlimited redo are supported. Pcb is intended to be a simple tool without memory and time consuming features like autorouter and autoplacement. Layout related settings are saved together with the data.
| Tags | Scientific/Engineering Electronic Design Automation (EDA) |
|---|---|
| Licenses | GPL |
Recent releases
- 20 Apr 2008 00:39
Changes: This release added a footprint preview in the library window., GNOME/KIDE desktop integration files (app and MIME icons and a .desktop file), support for internationalization, updated DBUS support, the ability to load edif netlists, and XRENDER support for the LessTif HID to support layer transparency. Some scrolling/panning bugs in the GTK+ GUI were fixed along with a bug in the x-y output files where the y values were mirrored and offset. Many other bugs were fixed.
- 26 Dec 2001 13:22
Changes: A glibc varargs patch.
- All comments
Recent commentspcb
Can this program generate layout files in one of the Gerber formats used to program Gerber photoplotters?
Essentially all professional printed circuit board manufacturers expect each layer of the PCB to manufactured to be specified by a "Gerber" file, with additional files for the silk screens, solder masks, and - for surface mount
boards - the solder paste masters.
They also require a "drill" file - often in Excellon format - to specifiy the diameter and position of every hole
in the PCB, includings vias.
Bill Sloman, Nijmegen