Re: Traveling Salesman Syndrome

Hi Alan,
Last week I broke down and bought the $30 Turbocad
in Staples. Works a little better than the free version. It
would not install on my AMD 333 with WIN95b. I had to copy the
files to my hard drive and install it from there. I tried
a clean copy of WIN95b with no luck. TurboCad is worth the
money except it won't import PLT files. My Corel will but
it makes the lines fatter on some of the lines in a DXF
file when you save the PLT as a DXF. It also messes up the
DXF files from TURBOCAD. This works with that, but not with
this. I feel like I am trying to use Chevy parts on a Ford.
Use the test board that came with Eagle and make
a outline file of it as a Gcode. Let me know how many extra
moves you see.

Bob

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Alan Marconett KM6VV <KM6VV@a...> wrote:
> Hi Bob,
>
> I have only looked at the Gerber output, and the outline Gcode
output
> (which could be all one needs). How is the size off? By a scale
> factor? Offset in X or Y?
>
> The PLT file output is another possibility. Now THAT's a mess!
Yeah,
> DXF's are a lot of fun. :-|
>
> Alan KM6VV
>
>
> cncdxf@a... wrote:
> >
> > Hi Alan,
> > Eagle has a ULP file that exports the pads and
> > traces as a DXF. The problem is the size is off! I was hoping
> > to be able to trace over the DXF in TURBOCAD. Thought I had
> > it! I just love these so called DXF files. They are as funny
> > as the words WINDOWS compatible.
> >
> > Bob
> >
> > --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., Alan Marconett KM6VV <KM6VV@a...>
wrote:
> > > Hi Bob, Jon,
> > >
> > > PLT format? I have found that ViewCompanion v2.0 is inexpensive
> > and can
> > > convert .PLT files to DXF or a host of other formats. From
there,
> > you
> > > could import into Vector CAD/CAM; reorganize, and generate the
> > Gcode.
> > > OR the CAD-only could save DXF, and let Yeager's ACE generate
the
> > > Gcode. The Harley file is a good file to experiment on (who can
> > read
> > > DXF's), as I have found out.
> > >
> > > I haven't designed any boards in Eagle (yet), but I have
exported
> > the
> > > hexapod and other demos for experimentation/edification.
> > >
> > > http://www.softwarecompanions.com/ (ViewCompanion)
> > >
> > > I'll experiment with the .PLT file output!
> > >
> > > Jon had some good comments on the T.S. problem. Seems to me,
that
> > as
> > > the "traces" are "closed" tool paths, when you cut them, you
come
> > back
> > > to the same point. So like Jon said, we're only needing to
sort the
> > > rapids, I.E., the starting points of the traces, as I see it.
How
> > about
> > > a "flood fill" to keep the rapids in-between trace starts to a
> > minimum?
> > > Start at origin, find the first point from that within a
specified
> > > radius, cut it, find the remainder of start points, then expand
the
> > > radius, etc. Or maybe the center of the radius needs to be
moved
> > to the
> > > point just done? (that's not really a flood).
> > >
> > > Alan KM6VV