Excellon (NC Drill) Import plugin

[bigbigblue]

I have created an Excellon (NC Drill) Import plugin for CamBam Plus, it is VERY alpha at this stage, but I wanted to make it available so people could try it and maybe send me example NC Drill files which it has trouble with.

It does NOT implement every possible function of an NC Drilling machine, but it works great with my favourite PCB design package (DIPTrace).

Just copy the Excellon.dll file to your plugins directory, and "Excellon Import" will appear under the "Plugins" menu item in CamBam Plus. Select it and a file selector dialog will appear, then a dialog box where you can set defaults and tell the plugin if you want to add the Drill Mops.

When it runs, it will create another dll file in your plugins folder - excellon.nat.dll - to delete the plugin, please delete BOTH files from your plugin folder. This version will cease to function on 1st November 2008 (when it has expired it will issue a message informing you and asking you to delete it from your plugins folder), by which time hopefully I will have released a BETA version. BTW the excellon.nat.dll file is part of the code protection system (.Net Reactor) which enforces the expiry of the plugin on 1st November 2008).

I have also attached an example NC Drill file which I know it works with

All feedback welcomed.

[bigbigblue]

I forgot to mention - the "sorting" options don't do anything - YET 

[Wrinklespot]

Ah, problems I'm afraid, but it might be my installation at fault.
I got the following messages on starting CamBamPlus (vers. 0.9 rel4.)

Error loading plugin C:\Program files\CamBamPlus\Plugins\Excellon.dll
Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation

The new nat dll has been created successfully.

Stopped and restarted CamBamPlus and got the same messages plus 2 more (see piccy)

I also tried your template editing plugin and got similar errors.

Any ideas?

Steve

[bigbigblue]

Hmmm....
I get the message about Excellon.nat.dll, but I think this is because CamBam thinks it is another plugin (I believe CamBam tries to load all dlls in the plugins folder as a plugin), and as it isn't  plugin dll, the error occurs. I am in contact with the developer of .Net Reactor to see if there is a way around the creation of the nat.dll file.

Even when receiving this message, in my setup (Windows XP, CamBam Plus Beta 0.9 Rel 3 Rev D (angry aphid)) the excellon plugin loads and runs fine - but then I don't get the message :

Error loading plugin C:\.......\Excellon.dll

message either. It would help if you could post :

1. Your version of CamBam
2. The version number of C:\Program Files\CamBamPlus\CamBam.CAD.dll; and
3. The version number of C:\Program Files\CamBamPlus\CamBam.Geom.dll.

That would at least help me verify whether your installation is at the same level as mine.

Cheers
Pete

[lazer]

 Mr, Peter
Your file is virus? Or is it file bad intent. 
Here is a community.
Place the source file for everyone watching.
The author is Mr.

Armando

[bigbigblue]

Mr, Peter
Your file is virus? Or is it file bad intent. 

It most certainly is NOT a virus - what makes you make such an outrageous and unfounded accusation?

Here is a community.
Place the source file for everyone watching.
The author is Mr.

Armando

Yes, and I am trying to give something back to the community, currently in the shape of 3 plugins for CamBam which I hoped someone might find useful. And as for the DEMAND for the source, surely as it is the results of my work, I can decide whether I provide the source or not - and BTW, for my Template Editor plugin, I DID provide the source......

If this is the reaction I get I will pull the files and keep them to myself.

[bigbigblue]

I got the following messages on starting CamBamPlus (vers. 0.9 rel4.)
Steve

Steve, I just spotted reading your post again that you say you are on ver 0.9 rel4 - but I don't see this available for download from the site - the latest version I cam see is 0.9 rel3 (which is what I am running). This might be the reason for the problem, if you are running with a higher version than I have compiled against.

Just a thought.

[Wrinklespot]

There could well be something wrong with my CamBam installation as it has been hugely updated and messed about with, but it should be a new pre-release version (See piccy). The geom version is as the others.42008.
I have removed all plugins bar yours, but still get the same error messages.
I did try to maintain both stable and Andy's pre-release versions of CamBam at the same time, but it became hugely confusing so I just have the experimental installed.

Pete, when I get time, I'll clean everything up and try again. My gut feel says it's something to do with my installation.
I appreciate your efforts here. I'm going to have a go myself at the plugin game, but not yet.

Steve

[bigbigblue]

I think that is probably the reason - I have attached a screen grab of my CamBam about box.
When Andy releases 0.9 rel4 I will see if I get the same problem, and also re-compile against the new dlls and see if that cures it.......

[10bulls]

Wow, more plugins!  You have been busy!  It's taken a while, but I'm glad to see people are finding the plugin functionality useful.

Yes, I made some changes to the latest development version some people are testing which unfortunately does break existing plugins.  Only a few minor changes and a recompile are needed.  Apologies for that but it was a change that needed to be done.

[bigbigblue]

Wow, more plugins!  You have been busy! 

Well, the best way to learn how to write a plugin is to do it
Oh and to ask you lots of questions 

[bigbigblue]

Attached is an updated version of the Excellon Import Plugin. It is now in Beta Status 

This is for the 0.93 release of CamBam Plus Only - it will not work with the 0.94 DeathWish  pre-release.

The plugin will expire on 1st December 2008, by which time a full release version should be available.

It no longer creates the _nat.dll file (see first post).

zipped dll and documentation are attached.

Please let me know how you get on with it.

Cheers

[bigbigblue]

And here is the version of the plugin for CamBam 0.94 pre-release made available today.

pdf file is the same as in the previous post, but attached here for completeness.

[Wrinklespot]

This works an absolute treat. It just does what it says on the tin. And it's documented too.

Good old user friendly Eagle (!) can do the business in versions 4.16r1 and the new 5.2.0, but it doesn't seem to work in 4.16r2 cos the Excellon file generation is different.

Thanks Pete

Steve

[bigbigblue]

Steve,
Didn't quite understand your comment re Eagle 4.16r2 - are you saying that the Excellon files produced by that version cannot be processed by the plugin? If so, it would be helpful if you could provide an example file, to see if I can modify the plugin to support it.

Cheers
Pete