1. Open Pcb File In Eagle Point
2. Open Pcb File In Eagle County
3. Open Pcb File In Eagle Pass

Gerber files are kind of a “universal language” for PCB designs. Most manufacturers accept it. So when you finish your design, you need to generate a Gerber file. Maybe your file is (BRD) or (SCH), and so on, then you need to convert the file to a Gerber file.

This article will teach you step-by-step on how to use the eagle to generate or convert Gerber files and excel files

Open your EAGLE file, then click the ULP icon. (See Figure 2) Navigate to the pcbgcode folder located in Documents eagle externalusr-lang-prog. Select the pcb-gcode-setup.ulp file and click Open. The first time pcb-gcode-setup.ulp is opened, you will be asked to select a default G-Code profile. Figure 3I selected generic.pp for my CNC Mill. How to open PCB files. If you cannot open the PCB file on your computer - there may be several reasons. The first and most important reason (the most common) is the lack of a suitable software that supports PCB among those that are installed on your device. A very simple way to solve this problem is to find and download the appropriate application.

Choosing a reliable manufacturer is a important thing when you after your design, there are some factors you need take into consideration:

1.Can help you quickly check if there any problems in your design?

• EAGLE's thousands of library files can be overwhelming. We have more than 500 curated, proven design files for your use. 1) Grab them in GitHub, 2) drag-and-drop a ULP file into an open EAGLE schematic, or 3) find single product design files on product pages or in GitHub (note for product files: individual board files are in 'Hardware.
• Afaik, Gerbers can't be loaded back into Eagle PCB layout designer. When Gerbers are generated from an Eagle layout (from the BRD file), a lot of information is left out from the Gerbers. There are Gerber Viewer and Gerber Editor programs, which allow to edit Gerber files. They work independent of the software from which a Gerber was generated.

2.Can they meet any special requirements in your design?

3.Lead-Time, Quality, and then the Price is acceptable.

1.Gerber Files

Before we start next step, you’ll need to download another definition file:CAM file.

EAGLE provides a CAM job file, which will create your GERBER files for a, 2 layer board in an easy fashion. Please follow these steps:

First, download these files：

1.Load your board on the screen.

To do this from the EAGLE Control Panel, click on File/Open/Board and select the board you will use.

2.Click on the Icon on the top Tool bar that says ULP.

When the dialog box appears select the ULP file called DRILLCFG.ULP from the ULP directory. In a matter of seconds the command line you will notice a message saying ULP has finished.

3.Now click on the Icon that stands for the CAM Processor.

This will load the CAM Processor Screen. From this screen click on File/Open/Job (when asked to save “Modified Job” reply NO) and select the CAM job called GERBER.CAM from the CAM directory and click OK.

4.Now, click on the button that says Process Job.

This will prompt you with 2 messages. The first message will be “Delete the $$$ file after process” this is a dummy file that EAGLE creates; click OK. The second message is “More than one signal layer Active,” Click OK to this message as well. Depending on the board’s size and complexity, the entire process will take a few minutes or a few hours.

5.When the CAM Processor stops all process it means it has finished.

This process created several files that will have the same name as your board with different extensions:

.WHL Aperture Wheel File .PLC Silk Screen Component side

.CMP Copper Component side .STC Solder Stop mask Component side

.SOL Copper Solder side .STS Solder Stop mask Solder side

Then you need to zip the following files and deliver it to PCB Manufacturer

*The GTP file isn’t necessary for the PCB fabrication, because it is used to create a stencil(if your design had SMD parts) .

2.Excellon Files

(Make sure you have done step 1 and 2 before proceeding with Excellon files)

• Directly from the CAM processor click on File/Open/Job and select the CAM Job called EXCELLON.CAM from the CAM directory, then click OK.

• Now click on the small button that says Process. This will begin the EXCELLON file generation. Normally this process only takes a few seconds.

• The following files are created when the process ends.

.DRL Tool Rack File .DRD Excellon. Output.DRI Drill Information file

ICONS

CAM Processor User Language Program (ULP)

Adding Layers to the existing GERBER.CAM file

(Refer to your EAGLE 3.55 manual page 86.

The first page of this document teaches you how to create all the necessary Gerber files for a 2 sided board. But due to the growing demand for more than 2 layers we decided to add this portion to this document.

Initially GERBER.CAM generates all of the apertures needed to make a 2 sided board. By modifying the GERBER.CAM process we can easily add more steps to the CAM processor to take care of our additional layers.

Lets begin:

1.From the EAGLE control panel click on File/Open/Board and select the board you are interested in.

2.Click on the CAM processor ICON.

3.Now click File/Open/JOB and select the file called GERBER.

CAM from the CAM directory. If EAGLE prompts you to save the current process. Click NO.

4.Notice on the CAM processor screen a field called SECTION.

If, the section called “Generate a wheel file” is not visible, then click on the down arrow at the end of the section and select the section called Generate a Wheel File.

5.On the right hand side of the CAM processor screen you will notice the layer list.

Tag the additional layers you wish to include: Any inner layers or maybe the bottom silk screen layers (BPlace and BName). DO NOT UNTAG ANY OF THE OTHER LAYERS. Click on File/Save Job to save what we have done so far. I would recommend giving this CAM job a different name. For example, 4Layer.cam)

6.After tagging all the necessary layers click on the SECTION down arrow and select the very last section called Solder Stop Mask SOL.

7.Click on the ADD button. EAGLE will ask you to name the new section you are creating. You can give it any name you feel comfortable with, example, call it INNER POWER PLANE VCC, INNER SIGNAL LAYER 2, or BOTTOM SILK SCREEN). Click OK when done.

8.Now select the appropriate layer for this section. The inner power plane (for example $GND) only selects that layer by itself. Bottom silkscreen layer tag the Dimension, place, and BName layers. If it’s a regular signal layer combine it with PAD’s and VIA’s MAKE SURE NO OTHER LAYERS ARE TAGGED.

9.Change the name of the output. Use the table in the bottom of this page as an example.

10.Create a new section for every new layer needed. Repeat step 7, 8, 9 and 10 for every new layer.

Go to step 4 on page number 1.

Introduction

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the backbone of every electronic gizmo out there. They're not flashy like those microprocessors, or abundant like resistors, but they're essential to making all components in a circuit connect together just right.

We LOVE designing PCBs here at SparkFun. It's a love that we want to spread. It's a skill that benefits electronics enthusiasts of every caliber. Through this and a series of tutorials, we'll explain how to design a PCB using EAGLE -- the same software we use to design all of our PCBs.

This first tutorial goes over how to install the software, and tailor-fit its interface and support files.

Why EAGLE?

EAGLE is one of many PCB CAD softwares out there. So you might ask: 'What makes EAGLE so special?' We're fond of EAGLE for a few reasons in particular:

• Cross-platform -- EAGLE can run on anything: Windows, Mac, even Linux. This is a feature not too many other PCB design softwares can boast.
• Lightweight -- EAGLE is about as svelte as PCB design software gets. It requires anywhere from 50-200MB of disk space (compared to the 10+GB more advanced tools might require). The installer is about 25MB. So you can go from download to install to making a PCB in minutes.
• Free/Low-Cost -- The freeware version of EAGLE provides enough utility to design almost any PCB in the SparkFun catalog. An upgrade to the next license tier (if you want to make a profit off your design) costs at least two orders of magnitude less than most high-end tools.
• Community support -- For those reasons, and others, EAGLE has become one of the go-to tools for PCB design in the hobbyist community. Whether you want to study the design of an Arduino board or import a popular sensor into your design, somebody has probably already made it in EAGLE and shared it.

Of course, EAGLE has its drawbacks too. More powerful PCB design tools out there might have a better autorouter, or nifty tools like simulators, programmers, and 3D viewers. For us though, EAGLE has everything we need to design simple-to-intermediate PCBs. It's an excellent place to start if you've never designed a PCB before.

Recommended Reading

Here are a few tutorial and concepts you may want to familiarize yourself with before dropping down into this rabbit hole:

Download, Install, Run

EAGLE is available on Cadsoft's (the developer company) download page. Grab the most recent version that matches your operating system (the software is available for Windows, Mac and Linux). It's a relatively light download -- about 45MB.

EAGLE installs just like any old program, it'll self extract and then present you with a series of dialogs to configure the installation.

Licensing EAGLE

On the last screen of the installation process, you should be presented with a window like this:

One of our favorite things about EAGLE is that it can be used for free! There are a few limitations to be aware of when using the free version:

• Your PCB design is limited to a maximum size of 100 x 80mm (3.94 x 3.15in). 12.4 in² of PCB real estate, which is still pretty darn big. Even if you're designing a big 'ol Arduino shield, you'll still be well under the maximum size.
• Only two signal layers allowed. If you need more layers check into the Hobbyist or Standard licenses.
• Can't make multiple sheets in your schematic editor.
• Limited to email or forum support.
• For non-profit use only. If you're going to go out and sell your design, maybe check into the 'Light' version of the software.

Those limitations still make EAGLE an amazing piece of software. Engineers here at SparkFun could design 99% of our boards using the freeware version, if not for that pesky non-profit stipulation. You still have access to all phases of the EAGLE software, including the Autorouter.

If you need to upgrade your license there are a few versions available. Most licenses are still incredibly low priced (in comparing to the other stuff out there).

Exploring the Control Panel

The first time you open up EAGLE, you should be presented with the Control Panel view. The Control Panel is the 'homebase' for Eagle, it links together all of the other modules in the software.

You can explore the six separate trees in the control panel, which highlight separate functions of the software:

• Libraries -- Libraries store parts, which are a combination of schematic symbol and PCB footprint. Libraries usually contain a group of related parts, e.g. the atmel.lbr stores a good amount of Atmel AVR devices, while the 74xx-us.lbr library has just about every TTL 74xx series IC there is.
• Design Rules (DRU) -- Design rules are a set of rules your board design must meet before you can send it off to the fab house. In this tree you'll find DRU files, which are a a pre-defined set of rules.
• User Language Programs (ULPs) -- ULPs are scripts written in EAGLE's User Language. They can be used to automate processes like generating bill of materials (bom.ulp), or importing a graphic (import-bmp.ulp).
• Scripts (SCR) -- Script files can be used to customize the EAGLE user interface. In one click you can set the color scheme and assign key bindings.
• CAM Jobs (CAM) -- CAM jobs can be opened up by the CAM processor to aid in the creation of gerber files.
• Projects -- This is where each of your projects are organized into a single project folder. Projects will include schematic, board design, and possibly gerber files.

If you select a file in a tree, information about it will appear in the right-hand portion of the window. This is a great way to explore libraries, project designs (EAGLE comes with some fun examples), or to get a good overview of what a script's purpose is.

Using the SparkFun Libraries

Included with EAGLE is an impressive list of part libraries, which you can explore in the Control Panel view. There are hundreds of libraries in here, some devoted to specific parts like resistors, or NPN transistors, others are devoted to specific manufacturers. This is an amazing resource! But it can also be a bit overwhelming. Even if you just want to add a simple through-hole electrolytic capacitor, there are dozens of libraries and parts to sort through to find the right thing.

Instead of using the hundreds of default libraries, you can use the SparkFun EAGLE Libraries, which are filtered down to only include the parts that we've used in designs ourselves. And they're constantly updated with new parts we've discovered.

Here's how you can install and use the SparkFun libraries instead of (or in addition to) the default ones:

Step 1: Download the SparkFun Libraries

The most recent version of the libraries can always be found in the GitHub repository. For help using GitHub, check out our Using GitHub tutorial. Basically, all you'll need to do from the main repository page is click 'Download ZIP'.

Save the ZIP file somewhere handy. Then extract the folder -- don't forget where it is!

Step 2: Updating the Directories Window

Back to the EAGLE Control Panel window now. Go to the 'Options' menu and then select 'Directories'. This is a list of computer directories where EAGLE looks when it populates all six objects in the tree view...including libraries.

In the 'Libraries' box is where we'll add a link to the directory where the SparkFun EAGLE libraries are stored. There are a few options here. If you'd like to keep the default libraries and add the SparkFun library, add a semicolon (;) after '$EAGLEDIRlbr', and paste the SparkFun EAGLE Libraries directory location after that.

Note: Mac and Linux users should place a colon (:) between directories instead of the semicolon.

Step 3: 'Using' Libraries

Now, when you go back and look at the 'Libraries' tree, there should be two folders included, one of which should be our SparkFun Eagle Libraries. The last step is to tell EAGLE that, for now at least, we don't want to use the default libraries. To do this, right click on the 'lbr' folder, and select 'Use none'.

Then, right-click on the 'SparkFun-Eagle-Libraries-master' folder, and select 'Use all'. Then check the libraries in each of the two folders. Next to them should be either a grey or green dot. A green dot next to a library means it's in use, a grey dot means it's not. Your libraries tree should look a little something like this:

If you've created library parts that you would like to share with SparkFun to include in our Eagle library, visit this tutorial to see how.

Opening a Project and Explore

EAGLE is packaged with a handful of nifty example PCB designs. Open one up by expanding the 'Projects' tree. From there, under the 'examples' folder open up the 'arduino' project by double-clicking the red folder (or right-clicking and selecting 'Open project'). Note that, in this view, project folders are red and regular folders are the standard yellow.

Opening the project should cause two more EAGLE windows to spawn: the board and schematic editors. These are the yin and the yang of EAGLE. They should be used together to create the finished product that is a functional PCB design.

The schematic editor (on the left above) is a collection of red circuit symbols which are interconnected with green nets (or wires). A project's schematic is like the comments in a program's code. It helps tell the story of what the board design actually does, but it doesn't have much influence on the end product. Parts in a schematic aren't precisely measured, they're laid out and connected in a way that's easy to read, to help you and others understand what's going on with the board design.

The board editor is where the real magic happens. Here colorful layers overlap and intersect to create a precisely measured PCB design. Two copper layers -- red on top, blue on the bottom -- are strategically routed to make sure different signals don't intersect and short out. Yellow circles (on this design, but they're more often green) called 'vias' pass a signal from one side to the other. Bigger vias allow for through-hole parts to be inserted and soldered to the board. Other, currently hidden, layers expose copper so components can be soldered to it.

Keep Both Windows Open!

Both of these windows work hand-in-hand. Any changes made to the schematic are automatically reflected in the board editor. Whenever you're modifying a design it's important to keep both windows open at all times.

If, for instance, you closed the board window of a design, but continued to modify a schematic. The changes you made to the schematic wouldn't be reflected in the board design. This is bad. The schematic and board design should always be consistent. It's really painful to backtrack any changes in an effort to reattain consistency. Always keep both windows open!

There are a few ways to tell if you don't have consistency between windows. First, there's a 'dot' in the lower-right hand corner of both windows. If the dot is green, everything is groovy. If the dot is magenta, a window's probably closed that shouldn't be. Second, and more obvious, if you close either of the two windows a big, huge warning should pop up in the other:

If you see that warning STOP doing anything, and get the other window back open. The easy way to get either a board or schematic window back open is by clicking the 'Switch to board/schematic' icon -- / (also found under the 'File' menu).

Navigating the View

This is a subject that's usually glazed over, but it's important to know how to navigate around both of these windows.

Open Pcb File In Eagle Point

To move around within an editor window, a mouse with a scroll wheel comes in very handy. You can zoom in and out by rotating the wheel forward and backward. Pressing the wheel down, and moving the mouse allows you to drag the screen around.

If you're stuck without a three-button mouse, you'll have to resort to the view options to move around the editor views. All of these tools are located near the middle of the top toolbar, or under the 'View' menu. The zoom in -- -- and zoom out -- -- tools are obviously handy. So is the 'Zoom select' tool -- -- which alters the view to your selection. But really, if you're serious about using EAGLE...get a mouse!

Configuring the UI

EAGLE's user interface is highly customizable. Anything from the background color, to layer colors, to key bindings can be modified to fit your preference. Better tailoring your interface can make designing a PCB much easier. On this page we'll talk about how we at SparkFun prefer to customize our UI. None of these steps are required. Customize your UI as you see fit. These are just the settings that we've grown accustomed to.

Setting the Background Color

The first adjustment we always make to the UI is the background color of the board editor. The standard white background doesn't always meld very well with the array of colored layers required for board design. Instead, we usually opt for a black background.

To change the background color, go up to the 'Options' menu and select 'User interface'.

Inside the 'Layout' box you can set the background to black, white, or a specific color.

There are other options in this box to be explored, but you may want to hold off on adjusting most until you have more experience with the software.

Adjusting the Grid

Another UI improvement we like to make in the board editor is turning the grid on. Dimensions and sizes are so important to the design of your PCB, having some visible reminders of size can be very helpful. To turn the grid view on, click the icon near the top-left corner of the board window (or go to the 'View' menu and select 'Grid').

Switch the 'Display' radio button over to 'On'. We'll also make the grid a bit less fine by setting the 'Size' to 100 mil (0.1') and 'Alt' to 50 mil (0.05').

Running Scripts

Scripts are a much more streamlined way to quickly configure your interface. With one click of the button, you can automatically set up all of your colors and key binds. Script files can also be shared, and run by anyone. Running the SparkFun EAGLE script will get your UI to exactly match ours.

First, click here to download the script (in a zip folder). Unzip the 'spk.scr' file to a location you'll remember.

Then you'll need to run the script. In the board window click on the Script icon -- (or go to 'File' then 'Execute Script'). In the file browser, select the 'spk.scr' file you just downloaded and unzipped.

This should automatically set up your color scheme to look a little something like this:

Open Pcb File In Eagle County

This UI setup presents a nice logical view of the layers. The important copper layers are very visible, but distinct (red on top, blue on bottom, green for vias), and the silkscreen is white as it is on most PCB designs.

All of these colored layers will make more sense as you continue to use and explore EAGLE.

Open Pcb File In Eagle Pass

SparkFun Custom Eagle Settings

To find SparkFun's most up-to-date script, and other useful files, check out our EAGLE settings repository hosted on GitHub!

Resources and Going Further

If you've got EAGLE set up, and you're chomping at the bit to start designing a PCB, your next step should be over to our 2-part Using EAGLE tutorials: Using EAGLE: Schematic and Using EAGLE: Board Layout. That pair of tutorials will explain how to go from a schematic design, to laying out and routing a PCB, to generating gerber files and sending them to a fab house.

Or here are some other tutorials in our EAGLE series:

• How to Create SMD PCBs -- This should logically follow the PTH EAGLE tutorial. It's a bit more advanced and fast-paced.
• How to Create SMD Footprints -- If you want to create unique parts in a library, check out this tutorial.
• Making Custom Footprints in EAGLE -- Another footprint-making tutorial. This one details a unique process for making a custom 1:1 footprint.