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Subject: Re: [geda-user] when pcb disperse command loses elements
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References: <55E02536 DOT 8020202 AT envinsci DOT co DOT uk> <mrqbf8$8qg$1 AT ger DOT gmane DOT org>
From: "Matt Rhys-Roberts (matt DOT rhys-roberts AT envinsci DOT co DOT uk) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com]" <geda-user AT delorie DOT com>
Organization: Envin Scientific Ltd.
Message-ID: <55ED4807.7040904@envinsci.co.uk>
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2015 09:17:11 +0100
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On 28/08/15 20:06, Kai-Martin Knaak wrote:
> You probably identify the boundary of the working area with the 
> boundary of your layout. This is the way how pcb behaves by default 
> unless the user specifies an explicit boundary. To specify a boundary, 
> just put a closed loop of tracks on a dedicated layer called 
> "outline". The gerber export considers the middle of the tracks the 
> outline of the layout and emits the respective commands. The outline 
> can be any shape including arcs. I usually make the working area about 
> triple width and height of the intended board size. This leaves enough 
> room for all the dispersed components and an empty outline on the 
> bottom half of the working area. 

Thanks, I shall try experimenting with this.

>> Q2) Please can anyone tell me how to select all component designators
>> within the range 100-199, or 200-299, etc? I'm having difficulty working
>> with the regex when using 'select by name'.
> Try this search string:
> 	[A-Z]*1[0-9][0-9]
>
> Translation:
>    [A-Z] → any upper case letter
>    * → the previous item as many times as can be fit. Includes zero times.
>    1 → the character "1"
>    [0-9] → exactly one digit

Fantastic, this is precisely the medicine I was looking for.

Also, many thanks to all the other thread contributors; my gEDA life is 
enriched!

Matt :D