Help with Eagle PCB software

[Ayjay]

Hi.. I am trying to design a PCB in Eagle (trial version) and am having difficulty in creating isolation paths for the various traces. I have used the polygon command to draw a ground plane box around the layout but when I perform the ratsnest command, the space around each trace is very small. I have tried to read the help file, but it just confuses me more. Can anyone out there tell me how to increase the size of the isolation area between traces?

Thanks in advance

Ayjay

[Greolt]

Ayjay

If you are like me and do single or double sided homebrew boards have a look at "FreePCB" http://www.freepcb.com/

I tried Eagle and found it difficult to learn.

FreePCB will import net lists from eagle, protel, pads etc

There are many much smarter people than me on this forum, many of whom would
use Eagle, however if your needs are similar to mine have a look at it

[pminmo]

Isolation paths for a copper fill is set via the isolate parameter when you do a polygon.
If your referring to manual routing turn the grid on and set it to a finer multiple. In english units .05 is the standard, but I usually manually route on a .0125 grid.

Let the autorouter route it is an option.

Make sure you start from a schematic, it won't make sense without.

While there are other pcb tools out there, if the circuit is even remotely complex eagle will check to the schematic so all the nets match. i.e. no errors.

[Ayjay]

Thanks Phil!! (I feel like such an idiot)

Ayjay

[scratch_6057]

Not to negate what Phil has said, if it works it works, there is
more than one way to skin a cat, or work with software.
However my experience with, and what I’ve read about
EAGLE suggest that changing the grid size is more useful
when a component has pads which do not fall on the 0.1 inch
spacing standard of thru hole components, things like DB 9 or
DB 25 board connectors, L298, SMD, or you need to place
parts off that 0.1 inch grid.

Using the Clearance Tab of the DRC (Design Rule Control ?)
Panel you can change the spacing of WIRE to WIRE, WIRE to
PAD, WIRE to VIA, PAD to PAD, PAD to VIA, VIA to VIA.
It says Wire but think TRACE.

Button to bring up the DRC is Directly Under the Autoroute
button. CLEARANCE is the third TAB at the top of the
Window / Panel.

Click APPLY (third button at the bottom of the
Window / Panel) BEFORE closing the control panel.

Something else I personally find helpful is the RESTRING
To change pad diameter to something other than the 25% width
of the traces. Again if you change anything click APPLY (third
button at the bottom of the Window / Panel) BEFORE closing
the control panel.

One other thing you might find usefull if you are drilling
manually and you don’t like the size of the hole EAGLE leaves
in a pad is DRILL-AID.ULP you can use it to fill in some of
the hole area. If it’s not in your ULP directory under EAGLE
you can download it from CADSOFT (Eagle’s) web site.

OK I’ll Shut Up Now.

[pminmo]

Originally Posted by scratch_6057 However my experience with, and what I’ve read about EAGLE suggest that changing the grid size is more useful when a component has pads which do not fall on the 0.1 inch spacing standard of thru hole components, things like DB 9 or DB 25 board connectors, L298, SMD, or you need to place parts off that 0.1 inch grid.

RE .1 grid, yes you want to stay with a grid that is a multiple of .1. Eagles default grid is .05, I also use .025 then .0125. The grid at .05 works for simple layouts with a lot of available space, as the design get tighter, you have to go down in grid size.