X-Authentication-Warning: delorie.com: mail set sender to geda-user-bounces using -f
X-Recipient: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
X-Proofpoint-Virus-Version: vendor=fsecure
 engine=2.50.10432:5.14.151,1.0.33,0.0.0000
 definitions=2015-07-13_06:2015-07-11,2015-07-13,1970-01-01 signatures=0
X-Proofpoint-Spam-Details: rule=notspam policy=default score=0 spamscore=0
 suspectscore=5 phishscore=0 adultscore=0 bulkscore=0 classifier=spam adjust=0
 reason=mlx scancount=1 engine=7.0.1-1412110000 definitions=main-1507130120
Content-type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
MIME-version: 1.0 (Mac OS X Mail 8.2 \(2098\))
Subject: Re: [geda-user] PCB interface (ECAD vs. MCAD)
From: "Chris Smith (space DOT dandy AT icloud DOT com) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com]" <geda-user AT delorie DOT com>
In-reply-to: <1670171546.913210.1436776811789.JavaMail.yahoo@mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2015 10:01:31 +0100
Message-id: <79456AAA-24A9-4300-900D-005ABBCFCBDA@icloud.com>
References: <76520AC3-3E8D-4F80-A912-AB076DD8D0C6 AT icloud DOT com>
 <1670171546 DOT 913210 DOT 1436776811789 DOT JavaMail DOT yahoo AT mail DOT yahoo DOT com>
To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.2098)
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by delorie.com id t6D91f9F030500
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
Precedence: bulk


> On 13 Jul 2015, at 09:40, Cirilo Bernardo (cirilo_bernardo AT yahoo DOT com) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com] <geda-user AT delorie DOT com> wrote:
> 
> Now generally these
> days if you say "MCAD" you're talking about 3D solid model design
> software; if you're doing 2D stuff that's simply drafting software
> and not necessarily MCAD although no one will dispute that it's
> CAD.

That’s what I meant.  I was thinking purely of 2D geometry.

> Otherwise the only significant feature I can think of which is
> shared by ECAD and MCAD is the 2D geometry code needed to create
> outlines/cutouts/fills in the PCB design phase. I guess MCAD
> would also do clearance checks so you could script it to do
> DRC on 3D models of tracks if you really wanted to do things the
> hard way.

That’s my point.  If you ignore the modern 3D MCAD stuff and look at a simple 2D draughting package, like QCad, then PCB layout is just that plus electrical semantics — relationships between objects and layers.

Regards,
Chris
—
Chris Smith <space DOT dandy AT icloud DOT com>