Author Topic: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1  (Read 27503 times)

Offline Jeff_Birt

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Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« on: April 10, 2015, 13:25:53 pm »
There were a couple of niggles with the Excellon plug-in. One was that it only recognized a .drl plug-in and Eagle layout Editor will only output a .drd file. The .drd file extension as added to the plug-in code. the other issue is that Eagle does not output any hint in the code it produces as to if it used leading or trailing zeros. The plug-in 'assumed' a certain case if the hint was missing, and in the case of Eagle, got it wrong. An option was added to the Excellon configuration: Plug-in->Excellon Config, to set the default leading/trailing zero behavior.

Offline Major_Wood

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2015, 14:31:05 pm »
Many Thanks Jeff ....just to confirm, the update allows cambam to open Eagle generated .drd files now :-)

Off topic a little, for anyone else that wants to work in  millimetres but gets frustrated at Eagle exporting in imperial, you can copy/paste these lines into your eagle.def file (in the Eagle bin folder)...

http://www.webspace.ne.jp/rental/icon_tree_bbs/bbs.php?pid=5574&mode=pr&parent_id=326


then your drill information will be exported from eagle in millimetres  ...it saves having to convert from inches to millimeters ...useful when working in your own way, but remember to use the original eagle.def & use inches if using a fab house!

(inches are soooo 1960s/1970s...man, everybody was kung fu fightin')

Offline Jeff_Birt

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2015, 15:24:20 pm »
yes, you can open .drd files now.

Offline Jeff_Birt

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2015, 13:08:16 pm »
This is copied from the old plug-in thread:


Quote
I am unable to use the plugin with the attached NC file. I get errors such as...


Quote

"Hole definition found on line 4, tool Number='1', X=0.00726 Y=0.00426"
"Error in Excellon import plugin - Misplaced hole definition found (either inside the program header or after the program end command)."


Any suggestions as to what might be wrong? I have already corrected the INCH,TZ line. I also deleted the comments from the header. 

The file in question was missing the header that defined the tool sizes so the plug-in had no idea what to do with each point. I added the following to the top of the file with random drill sizes used:

Code: [Select]
%
M48
M72
T01C0.0236
T02C0.0360
T03C0.0400
T04C0.0360
T05C0.0400
%

Now it works. I suspect part of this may have been in the original file as the drill file is pretty useless unless you know the drill sizes :)

Offline helmuto

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2016, 16:13:59 pm »
Hi all.

I am using your new plugin excellonio_1.5.1 and hurray, I can read excellon files generated by eagle (-drd).

When I open a new file I can see excellon.drl and excellon.drd. That's nice, but not even perfect. I believe it would be better to see only one excellon that can read both extensions drd and drl, same as it is done with gerber, which can use  extensions like gbr, gbl, gtl and gbo. 
Additionally drd should be available in all geometrie data where all extensions appear that are allowed for cambam, like *.cb*, *.cambam, *.dxf, *.tap, *.nc, *.3ds *.drl and *.drd.

For me it would be a nice to have.

Thanks,

Helmut

Offline helmuto

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2016, 16:38:24 pm »
Hi, it's me again.

In my former comment and experimenting with excellonio.dll I did not recognize that I suddenly had 2 different and conflicting dll's. So please forget it.

I have found a much easier solution for eagle users.
We know: When you use the cam processor of eagle and export excellon you have to use *.drd.
But this is not really the truth. If you use the extension *.drl and add a blank behind the l of drl eagle accepts the drl and cambam can work with the normal drl extension.

Seems to be a very simple solution and works fine.

Have much fun. 

Offline joel.r1

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2016, 07:23:53 am »
http://www.webspace.ne.jp/rental/icon_tree_bbs/bbs.php?pid=5574&mode=pr&parent_id=326
Hi Major_Wood,
can you document what should be done to force mm, the site is no longer available!
Thanks,
Joel

Offline Dragonfly

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2016, 16:55:59 pm »
Helmut,
I found that DipTrace (I am using the free version) installs two ULP modules in its program folder which convert Eagle Schematic and PCB layouts to DipTrace ASCII format which is then loaded into DipTrace. Tried them and they work. Converted the PCB of Arduino Mega 2560. Haven't tried yet to export Gerber and drill files from the converted one.

Offline joel.r1

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2016, 15:39:23 pm »
http://www.webspace.ne.jp/rental/icon_tree_bbs/bbs.php?pid=5574&mode=pr&parent_id=326
Hi Major_Wood,
can you document what should be done to force mm, the site is no longer available!
Thanks,
Joel
Found it. We have to insert the following section into the eagle.def file :
[EXCELLON_METRIC]

Type = DrillStation
Long = "Excellon drill station (metric units)"
Init = "%%\n"\
"M48\n"\
"M71\n"
Reset = "M30\n"
ResX = 25400
ResY = 25400
;Rack = ""
DrillSize = "%s C%0.2f\n" ; (Tool code, tool size)
AutoDrill = "T%02d" ; (Tool number)
FirstDrill = 1
BeginData = "%%\n"
Units = mm
Decimals = 2
Select = "%s\n" ; (Drill code)
Drill = "X%1.0fY%1.0f\n" ; (x, y)
Info = "Drill File Info:\n"\
"\n"\
" Data Mode : Absolute\n"\
" Units : 1/100 mm\n"\
"\n"

Then be sure the ExcellonIO Config is showing correct value for X-Scale (metrics) and Y-Scale (metrics). I had to stick in 0.001 for both.
Joel
« Last Edit: April 15, 2017, 09:04:00 am by joel.r1 »

Offline joel.r1

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2016, 09:59:34 am »
Hi,
I documented all the steps from Eagle to CamBam in millimeters.
At least I know it is saved somewhere...
Joel
*** updated pdf file to correct typos ***
« Last Edit: April 13, 2016, 14:31:02 pm by joel.r1 »

Offline EddyCurrent

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #10 on: April 13, 2016, 10:22:29 am »
Joel,

I don't use this myself but those look to be good instructions and a good job done for others to follow.  ;D

Just a couple of typos if I may;

2.5 - Cut & paste layer from one instance the to the second instance of CamBam to have both mill and drill in
the same file.

2.8 – Nice millign milling and drilling of your PCB.
Filmed in Supermarionation

Offline joel.r1

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2017, 10:54:50 am »
[EXCELLON_METRIC]
ResX = 2540
ResY = 2540
He Guys,
In running the test with Eagle and CamBam Rev 1, just found a typo in my text above.
Please correct ResX = 25400 and ResY = 25400.
Values in pdf file are correct.
Don't forget to load ExcellonIO 1.5.1 in first post as the one installed by default with CamBam does not read .drd files. (Thanks DH42 to highligh this one)
Joel
« Last Edit: March 18, 2017, 10:56:21 am by joel.r1 »

Offline joel.r1

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2017, 16:21:47 pm »
Hi,
I had just been told the modifications listed in response #8 and pdf #9 above are not working with last version 8.x.x of Eagle.
I cannot have it tested as my computer is too old and limited to 32bits applications.
Joel
« Last Edit: November 05, 2017, 16:23:21 pm by joel.r1 »

Offline dh42

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2022, 11:36:56 am »
Hello

A guy on a french forum tried to open the file in attachment but with no luck. (done with kicad)

Any advice ?

++
David

Offline pixelmaker

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Re: Excellon plug-in update 1.5.1
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2022, 16:26:53 pm »
no problem on my mac
I hope I can upload the file

"You cannot upload that type of file."

I have only changed the file extension from .gtl to .rar.
The file is no longer compressed!