Freeware (GNU license) PCB layout software

[ErikMiller]

Just discovered FreePCB:

http://www.freepcb.com/

I haven't tried it, but I know that folks on this forum are always looking for freebie PCB software.

[robotboy]

Awesome. Also, OS X and Linux users check out this program, which has the unimaginative name of "PCB".

http://pcb.sourceforge.net/

[aron]

Great! Thanks!
ARCHIVE

[ExpAnonColin]

Awesome. Also, OS X and Linux users check out this program, which has the unimaginative name of "PCB".

http://pcb.sourceforge.net/

And let's not forget Osmond for us Macaholics.

http://www.swcp.com/~jchavez/osmond.html

-Colin

[The Tone God]

Awesome. Also, OS X and Linux users check out this program, which has the unimaginative name of "PCB".

And BSD and pretty much any *nix users. I've been using PCB for years. All the PCBs and layouts at my site were done with PCB. Recently PCB got upgrade/ported to the GTK2 library from Xaw so it looks really good now and runs great.

Andrew

[mojotron]

Is there a freeware program that does?

- Schematic capture  
- Autorouting from schematic  
- DRC  
- Custom placement  
- Simulation (spice...)  
- works on either Linux, BSD, or Windows  

I guess you can't expect too much, but it would be really great if I found a free program that did some of the things Mentor/Cadance does or can be made to do..... Any thoughts?

[The Tone God]

Is there a freeware program that does?

- Schematic capture  
- Autorouting from schematic  
- DRC  
- Custom placement  
- Simulation (spice...)  
- works on either Linux, BSD, or Windows  

There is not one program that I know of that does everything in one package but there is a suite of tools called gEDA. It will do the schematic capture (I use it to draw the schematics on the more current articles at the site) and generate a netlist file. PCB is able to read the netlist file to generate the parts and ratsnest. PCB in the last year got an autorouter but if I haven't beaten this point enough autorouters suck for DIY effects. Spice is availble for opensource with a few different GUI frontends.

Andrew

[robotboy]

Awesome. Also, OS X and Linux users check out this program, which has the unimaginative name of "PCB".

And BSD and pretty much any *nix users. I've been using PCB for years. All the PCBs and layouts at my site were done with PCB. Recently PCB got upgrade/ported to the GTK2 library from Xaw so it looks really good now and runs great.

Andrew

Yeah, but isn't BSD dying?  :wink:

[The Tone God]

Yeah, but isn't BSD dying?  :wink:

Not according to Netcraft and this coming from a OS X user ?

Andrew

[MetalGuy]

You can download a fully functional PCB software /that usualy costs more than a grand/ called Target3001 from here:
http://www.pcb-pool.com/ppuk/service_downloads_target_request.html
The site of the original software is:
http://ibfriedrich.com/ - this version is also fully functional but limited to 100 pins and pads.
You will receive a link via email which will be active for 2 hours.
And of course there's a catch. The PCB Pool version of this software doesn't print 100% scale. This however can be easily "adjusted" if you print or save  125% and then with another software print 75%.

Enjoy!

[mojotron]

Is there a freeware program that does?

- Schematic capture  
- Autorouting from schematic  
- DRC  
- Custom placement  
- Simulation (spice...)  
- works on either Linux, BSD, or Windows  

There is not one program that I know of that does everything in one package but there is a suite of tools called gEDA. It will do the schematic capture (I use it to draw the schematics on the more current articles at the site) and generate a netlist file. PCB is able to read the netlist file to generate the parts and ratsnest. PCB in the last year got an autorouter but if I haven't beaten this point enough autorouters suck for DIY effects. Spice is availble for opensource with a few different GUI frontends.

Andrew

Great, thanks.... I'm not sure I understand the issues with autorouting.

[robotboy]

Yeah, but isn't BSD dying?  :wink:

Not according to Netcraft and this coming from a OS X user ?

Andrew

OS X user and BSD admin... LOL.