RS-274X Nah, your not still sending out that old technology are you???.... ;-) <Waffle mode ON> I too am a great fan of the embedded apertures version Gerber file, it has a far better chance of being more accurate than relying upon someone typing in an aperture file correctly. However I like to go one step further in the data chain with my Gerber DATA, as (bar one) all the PCB & solder paste screen manufacturers that I have come into contact with use GC-CAM to do thier panel layouts etc I find it much better to send them a CWK/GWK file created by GC-Prevue (thier freely downloadable Gerber viewer program). Using GC-Prevue enables me to check that the Gerber files that I create are correct, make any last minute modifications that I had missed, make some alterations that my CAD package could not, do my own step & repeat (helps confirm initial panel sizes), and lots more besides. I then save all the Gerber data that my CAD package produced into one easily viewable file that I then send to the manufacturer who can load the data instantly without messing, we can both then confer about any queries as we both have the same data on screen. And its a great boon in the fact that I can then be sent the stepped & repeated panel to check and confirm that it suits my manufacturing requirements before even photoplots are done. It also enable me to see panels a lot better than a faxed checkplot (its 1:1 & saves a lot of cock ups). The only problem that I have with this procedure (and I have had it made a company procedure) is that some of the smaller local fab houses are still using old DOS based versions of GC-CAM & cannot read my files. so I have to revert to them thar old extended gerber files. I would rather that they upgrade as they do lose some work through not fitting in with this method. I dont want to be accused of advertising Graphicode products (a cheque will do GC!), I tried some of the other Gerber viewers but none of them were as compatable as this (It may be different for you though). Now I know that I seem to have waffled a bit off track, the origional question being about using RS-274X but after using RS274D for what seemed an eternity of problems and then finding it suddenly got better when RS-274X came along and then going one step further I just couldn't help but to share the benifits of doing this. As for file compression when sending, .ZIP is the only one for me with both PKzip & WinZIP being so widespead why use anything else, Wel actually I do - I use "EasyZIP 98" it does everything that I did with the others, and this too is freeware. Before you ask, yes I do actually run software that is paid for. Now all I want is Linux, "Cadstar for Linux", etc. (I'm not saying that my boss is tight, but - oh well go on then, yes he is....) <Waffle mode OFF> T.T.F.N Matthew Lamkin Printed Circuit Board Draughtsman Protec Fire Detection PLC Churchill Way, Nelson, Lancs BB9 6RT. Tel 01282 717393 Fax 01282 717273 Email = [log in to unmask] Company Web Site = http://www.protec-fire-detection.plc.uk >-----Original Message----- >From: Hiteshew, Michael [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] >Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 1999 4:21 PM >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [TN] RS274X format... > >> Steve Gregory wrote: > <snip> > ...yes there may some apertures that aren't >> loading, but maybe they're not supposed to...for whatever reason. Why >> there >> would be apertures in a gerber file that's not supposed to be used I have >> no >> clue...but I've had files like that before... > <snip> > > Steve, > Some of the cad software I've used will try to process data into the >gerber > file that the user has "zero'd out", or given a zero length, width, >diameter or hieght > attribute to. These show up in the gerber anyway, usually as draws or >flashes of > the smallest available aperture. This is possibly what you're seeing. > I'd like to use this opportunity to ask how RS274X format is being >received. > Would anyone like to respond as to whether you you find it easier to >work with > compared to standard gerber and aperture table formats? > Also, I'd like to ask what data compression format is preferred. >From the > choices of PKzip(file.zip), GNU zip (file.gz), or unix tar and compress >(file.tar.Z) > which would you most like to have? > > - Mike Hiteshew > >################################################################ >TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c >################################################################ >To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following >text in the body: >To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name> >To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TechNet >################################################################ >Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section >for additional information. >For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or >847-509-9700 ext.312 >################################################################ > ################################################################ TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ################################################################ To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TechNet ################################################################ Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section for additional information. 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