X-Authentication-Warning:	delorie.com: mail set sender to geda-user-bounces using -f
X-Recipient:	geda-user AT delorie DOT com
X-Envelope-From:	paubert AT iram DOT es
Date:	Wed, 16 Jul 2014 12:52:53 +0200
From:	Gabriel Paubert <paubert AT iram DOT es>
To:	"Peter C.J. Clifton" <pcjc2 AT cam DOT ac DOT uk>
Cc:	geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	Re: [geda-user] Gerber Export Generates Abitrary Drill Tool Numbers
Message-ID:	<20140716105253.GA14816@visitor2.iram.es>
References:	<53C56517 DOT 2030901 AT hagertechnologies DOT com>
	<20140716080241 DOT GA9087 AT visitor2 DOT iram DOT es>
	<b4ad6c5f98037a24aaadef5575c38787 AT cam DOT ac DOT uk>
MIME-Version:	1.0
In-Reply-To:	<b4ad6c5f98037a24aaadef5575c38787@cam.ac.uk>
User-Agent:	Mutt/1.5.21 (2010-09-15)
X-Spamina-Bogosity:	Unsure
X-Spamina-Spam-Score:	-0.2 (/)
X-Spamina-Spam-Report:	Content analysis details: (-0.2 points)
	pts rule name description
	---- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------
	-1.0 ALL_TRUSTED Passed through trusted hosts only via SMTP
	0.8 BAYES_50 BODY: Bayes spam probability is 40 to 60%
	[score: 0.5035]
Reply-To:	geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Errors-To:	nobody AT delorie DOT com
X-Mailing-List:	geda-user AT delorie DOT com
X-Unsubscribes-To:	listserv AT delorie DOT com

On Wed, Jul 16, 2014 at 11:05:51AM +0100, Peter C.J. Clifton wrote:
> On 2014-07-16 09:02, Gabriel Paubert wrote:
> >On Tue, Jul 15, 2014 at 01:29:59PM -0400, Geoffrey Yerem - HEAT,
> >LLC wrote:
> >>Hello,
> >>	I'm having a small problem with the Gerber export in PCB.  When it
> >>generates the cnc drill file, it starts the tool numbers at an
> >>arbitrary count.
> >
> >Not exactly an aribtrary count, it uses the same number space for
> >Gerber
> >apertures and drill numbers.
> 
> I think we deliberately don't re-use numbers between the various
> files we export. This allows people to copy+paste outline / random
> notes layer content in the output file into the files for other
> layers - without any apperture clashes / conflicts.

I have to disagree for __drill__ numbers. I can understand it for
aperture which go into Gerber files (since I sometimes edit them
by hand myself). But drill numbers are not even in the same file 
format as apertures and are not processed by the same machine, so
having independent number spaces does not hurt (and you obviously
can't play copy/paste games between Excellon and Gerber files).

Besides that, aperture numbers start at 11 in PCB (actually you
are allowed to start at 10 from the Gerber specification), drill
numbers with my patch start at 1. The first 10 (or at least 9)
drill diameters can't even overlap with valid aperture numbers.

I've never need more than 6 drill size on a given board, how often 
have you made a board with 10 or more different drill sizes?

> I'd suggest you change your board house. If their CAM software is so
> broken in one respect, I would suspect there could be other issues
> lurking. It also speaks to a certain lack of investment in their
> process, so who knows where else they will be using sub-standard
> workflows.
> 
> For our ammusement, you might find out which vendor supplied their
> BROKEN CAM software, which version it is / which centuary they
> purchased it.
> 
> Sorry not to be more helpful.. As Gabriel said, you may be able to
> patch the source-code to achieve what you want. Just be SURE to
> check the Gerber files that result actually preview correctly in a
> gerber viewer (like "gerbv") before sending them for manufacture.

My patch does not affect in the slightest the photoplotter Gerber files
(well some aperture numbers might change because the drill numbers
no more affect their allocation, but that's a minor side effect).

	Regards,
	Gabriel

- Raw text -