Ben Jackson

Tools

PCB Plugins (more detail coming eventually):

• autocrop.c provides Autocrop() which shrink-wraps your PCB down to just the existing elements. Read the original announcement.
• smartdisperse.c provides SmartDisperse() which improves on DisperseElements() by using the netlist as a hint. Read the original announcement.
• distalign.c provides Distribute() and Align() which can evenly space or align elements using a variety of reference points. Read the original announcement which includes many examples or another message with tips.
• jostle.c is a first draft of a plugin which can move wires out of the way when you need space for something like a via. It's not polished, but it can do some pretty impressive things, like open a hole in the middle of a wide bus.

Everyone has a boxsym script. Mine is the result of starting to hack on djboxsym and then deciding to rewrite it. It's not finished, but there are some really good bits. Most interesting is probably the pseudo-PostScript gaf package that lets you render symbol primitives with translation, rotation and mirroring. Eventually all boxsyms could be written as layout modules for this program.

• bjjboxsym

Samples

If you're considering gEDA/PCB, here are some sample projects I've done using the tools:

• An Altera FLEX 6024A Protoboard, which led me to fix many bugs with polygon handling.
• A CPLD LED blinker based on XAPP078
• A MMA2260 Accelerometer Demo Board

Symbols

Tested on a Real PCB

Not Tested

• 780x-SO8.sym—Any 780x style voltage regulator in SO8
• ir_recv.sym—A standard (?) IR Receiver Module