Okay so I have 3 different pieces of software for designing PCBs on my computer, including DIY Layout found here. I may just be clueless on this but I notice that the PCB trace layouts that I find here are reversed so that when you etch they come out the right way. My question is can you reverse the image in the software or do you have to export it to a graphics package to do it. The problem with that method is that you often loose resolution and proper sizing of the image.
Stan
iirc, Eagle has got a "mirror image" option somewhere when you're exporting it to an image file/printing. I haven't really used any other of the PCB design programs
otherwise I just use Irfanview http://www.irfanview.com/ for anything like that I might need to do (great little program for resizing/mirroring/rotating/etc... images)
Quote from: modsquad on December 01, 2006, 05:43:00 PM
Okay so I have 3 different pieces of software for designing PCBs on my computer, including DIY Layout found here. I may just be clueless on this but I notice that the PCB trace layouts that I find here are reversed so that when you etch they come out the right way. My question is can you reverse the image in the software or do you have to export it to a graphics package to do it. The problem with that method is that you often loose resolution and proper sizing of the image.
Stan
if you are using some iron-on transfer method (PNP, photo paper), you don't need to reverse the image. remember, the copper traces will be on the opposite side of the components. when you transfer it on the opposite side, it is *sort of* reversing it for you. don't worry about it.
choklitlove is right.
Most all of the transfers, at least in my gallery, are ready to roll.....except for sizing >:(
If your software allows it try "flip horizontal".
Aharon
he still shouldn't need to though. changing anything would really mess up the process. right? i can't think of a situation where you would need to flip anything.
correction: the one i can think of is if you draw a circuit on with a sharpie. if you want to use a printed PCB image for a stencil, you would need to "horizontal flip" that before-wards. i do not recommend using sharpies, however.
I understand what you are saying,out of the dozens of PCBs that I've made I only had a couple that I had to flip....................good to know how tho'...........
Aharon