gEDA/PCB to Protel Ascii file format

[Hamid]

I had a problem with the PCB manufactures, that they only accpet Protel PCB
format.
But, since I using from gEDA/PCB and don't like to use protel for creating
my PCBs, and since searching the web no result for any converter beetween
this formats, I wrote a python script that convert from gEDA/PCB file format
to Protel Ascii file format. then I able to convert from Ascii file format
to bin format in Protel and send this file too PCB manufactures!

Note: This converter only work with gEDA/PCB files that use square braces
for basic unit and tested on pcb-20091103

Documention that i used:
http://www.eurointech.ru/products/Altium/Protel99SE_PCB_ASCII_File_Format.pdf
http://www.brorson.com/gEDA/land_patterns_20070818.pdf

Of course, this script is a quick hack and certainly have many bugs and will
be happy to test it.

For Downloading source code:
https://github.com/hamid-rostami/pcb2paf

[John Doty]

Post by Hamid
I had a problem with the PCB manufactures, that they only accpet Protel
PCB format.
But, since I using from gEDA/PCB and don't like to use protel for
creating my PCBs, and since searching the web no result for any
converter beetween this formats, I wrote a python script that convert
from gEDA/PCB file format to Protel Ascii file format. then I able to
convert from Ascii file format to bin format in Protel and send this
file too PCB manufactures!

Why not just use "gnetlist -g protelII"? The "pcb" program is only one of the many layout back ends gEDA supports.

John Doty Noqsi Aerospace, Ltd.
http://www.noqsi.com/
jpd-***@public.gmane.org

[Hamid]

Since, I want to draw my PCBs in my manner and don't like to autoroute from
schematic netlist to PCB.

Post by John Doty

Post by Hamid
I had a problem with the PCB manufactures, that they only accpet Protel
PCB format.
But, since I using from gEDA/PCB and don't like to use protel for
creating my PCBs, and since searching the web no result for any
converter beetween this formats, I wrote a python script that convert
from gEDA/PCB file format to Protel Ascii file format. then I able to
convert from Ascii file format to bin format in Protel and send this
file too PCB manufactures!

Why not just use "gnetlist -g protelII"? The "pcb" program is only one of
the many layout back ends gEDA supports.
John Doty Noqsi Aerospace, Ltd.
http://www.noqsi.com/
_______________________________________________
geda-user mailing list
http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user

[Peter Clifton]

Post by John Doty

Post by Hamid
I had a problem with the PCB manufactures, that they only accpet Protel
PCB format.
But, since I using from gEDA/PCB and don't like to use protel for
creating my PCBs, and since searching the web no result for any
converter beetween this formats, I wrote a python script that convert
from gEDA/PCB file format to Protel Ascii file format. then I able to
convert from Ascii file format to bin format in Protel and send this
file too PCB manufactures!

Why not just use "gnetlist -g protelII"? The "pcb" program is only one of the many layout back ends gEDA supports.

He's doing layout with PCB, but for some reason his fab house wants only
Protel files.

IMO, time to get a new fab house - any worth giving the time of day to
can deal with gerber files, although I hear ODB++ is increasingly
popular amongst the "serious" fabs.
--
Peter Clifton

Electrical Engineering Division,
Engineering Department,
University of Cambridge,
9, JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0FA

Tel: [phone] - (No signal in the lab!)
Tel: [phone] - (Shared lab phone, ask for me)

[John Doty]

Post by Peter Clifton
He's doing layout with PCB, but for some reason his fab house wants only
Protel files.

Ah, I misunderstood.

John Doty Noqsi Aerospace, Ltd.
http://www.noqsi.com/
jpd-***@public.gmane.org

[Peter Clifton]

Post by Hamid
I had a problem with the PCB manufactures, that they only accpet Protel
Of course, this script is a quick hack and certainly have many bugs and
will be happy to test it.
[3]https://github.com/hamid-rostami/pcb2paf

I notice your screen-shot showed missing vias. I take it you noticed
that.

FWIW, I'm doing a feasibility study on Altium <-> gEDA file format
converters which directly support the newer binary format. It is not as
hard as one might imagine, but certainly requires some
reverse-engineering work. Once the binary container is unpacked, there
are still the internal binary records to decode, but it is definitely
possible.
--
Peter Clifton

Electrical Engineering Division,
Engineering Department,
University of Cambridge,
9, JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0FA

Tel: [phone] - (No signal in the lab!)
Tel: [phone] - (Shared lab phone, ask for me)

[Hamid]

Thank you for your notice, indeed I was'nt handle vias and pads in this
script yet.
Also, only solder and component layers will be convert to protel ascii
format.
I'll fix soon as possible, Or if you want I'll be happy to give write access
to git repository.

That is good idea to convert gEDA/PCB<>Altium Binary format and certainly
that is possible, whether exist any document for Altium binary format ?

Post by Peter Clifton

Post by Hamid
I had a problem with the PCB manufactures, that they only accpet Protel
Of course, this script is a quick hack and certainly have many bugs

and

Post by Hamid
will be happy to test it.
[3]https://github.com/hamid-rostami/pcb2paf

I notice your screen-shot showed missing vias. I take it you noticed
that.
FWIW, I'm doing a feasibility study on Altium <-> gEDA file format
converters which directly support the newer binary format. It is not as
hard as one might imagine, but certainly requires some
reverse-engineering work. Once the binary container is unpacked, there
are still the internal binary records to decode, but it is definitely
possible.
--
Peter Clifton
Electrical Engineering Division,
Engineering Department,
University of Cambridge,
9, JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0FA
Tel: [phone] - (No signal in the lab!)
Tel: [phone] - (Shared lab phone, ask for me)
_______________________________________________
geda-user mailing list
http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user

[Peter Clifton]

Post by Hamid
Thank you for your notice, indeed I was'nt handle vias and pads in this
That is good idea to convert gEDA/PCB<>Altium Binary format and
certainly that is possible, whether exist any document for Altium
binary format ?

As far as I've found - none... so all that exists is what I've written
so far ;) The formats aren't too bad, but it will take a bit of work
reverse engineering every field of every structure.

The existence of of the documentation for the ASCII format helps a lot,
as it at least defines a sub-set of what we're expecting to find in the
process.
--
Peter Clifton

Electrical Engineering Division,
Engineering Department,
University of Cambridge,
9, JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0FA

Tel: [phone] - (No signal in the lab!)
Tel: [phone] - (Shared lab phone, ask for me)