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Date:	Tue, 3 Jul 2012 21:56:32 -0700
From:	Colin D Bennett <colin AT gibibit DOT com>
To:	geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	Re: [geda-user] Solder Mask Invert - Gerber Export
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On Tue, 03 Jul 2012 23:35:47 -0400
Tim van Boxtel <tim DOT vanboxtel AT gmail DOT com> wrote:

> Hi all,
> 
> Is there a way to invert the solder mask during a gerber export
> using the most recent pcb release?
> 
> The gerber exporter always creates a negative of the final solder
> mask. I am trying out a hobby batch pcb service, osh park, with a
> simple 2-layer board with no solder mask openings on the rear
> side. The online bot processing my project is complaining that my
> rear solder mask layer is empty, which it is!  I want the entire
> surface masked.  To date, this negative has been understood by
> all of the manufacturers that I have dealt with.  I am thinking
> this may be a bug with the bot interface, but I would like to
> make sure.
> 
> A search of the mailing list turned up some threads from many
> years ago, hinting at this, but the functionality has seem to
> have been lost.  Is there an easy way to do this?

I use OSH Park with pcb and it works perfectly, but I haven't had a
blank bottom solder mask.

If you uploaded a bottom-solder gerber file, can you just omit it
from your submission?  Does that fix things?

If you can't figure it out, email Laen and he'll surely get it
figured out (but you may have to wait a while since he's very busy
these days).

Or, as a quick and just-a-little-dirty kludge, you could
intentionally add something to cause a solder mask opening on the
bottom side, so pcb will export a bottom-mask gerber (e.g., put a
solder mask clearance around a via).

Regards,
Colin

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