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Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 07:01:29 -0800
From: Colin D Bennett <colin AT gibibit DOT com>
To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: [geda-user] Standalone DRC for Gerber files
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On Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:26:31 +0300
Dmitry Dzhus <dima AT dzhus DOT org> wrote:

> Hello!
> 
> I'm looking for a tool which would allow to perform design rule
> checking for PCB files in Gerber format. Any ideas if the code
> from gEDA's pcb can be used for that? At first glance it seems
> like pcb can only check files of its own format and its code is
> tied with GUI. I need something capable of doing batch testing.
> 
> Any relevant book recommendations about how DRC is implemented in
> general, since I think I'll start writing it if no suitable free
> software solution comes up?

It would be GREAT to have a free tool to run design rule checks on
Gerbers.

Has anyone used the online tool FreeDFM from Advanced Circuits?
<https://www.my4pcb.com/net35/FreeDFMNet/FreeDFMHome.aspx>
It looks like you can upload a zip of your RS-274X Gerbers and
get a DRC report at no cost.  I haven't tried it.

Ideally.... it would be REALLY awesome if there were a way to import
Gerbers into pcb -- this would enable both design rule checking
using pcb's engine, and also many other options such as

- panelizing boards given files from other people (non-pcb
  users ... what if I wanted to do what Laen AT DorkbotPDX does... can
  pcb support it? not now),

- easily importing reference designs from manufacturers (think
  RF circuits and other complex designs with tight design
  constraints that you don't want to manually recreate or trace by
  hand,

- porting a board layout from a proprietary tool into pcb.

I know the Gerbers lack a lot of the information that a pcb layout
file provides, but even if the elements (components), vias, etc.
were not automatically made into pcb native entities, it would be a
huge step forward anyway and be 90% of the way there, making a lot
of tasks possible.

Regards,
Colin