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Gerbv-2.0.0 released!

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Stuart Brorson - 13 Jan 2008 15:26 GMT
Hello!

This is to announce the release of gerbv-2.0.0!  Gerbv is an open source
Gerber file (RS-274X only) viewer for Linux and other unix flavors.  Besides
viewing Gerbers, you may also view Excellon drill files as well as XYRS
(pick-place) files.  For more information, browse to gerbv's web site:

http://gerbv.sourceforge.net/

Gerbv is allied with the gEDA Project, an open-source collaborative
which has produced an end-to-end tool chain for PCB design on Linux and
other unices.  The gEDA Project's website is here:

http://geda.seul.org/

Gerbv release 2.0.0 represents a a whole new look for gerbv.  Most
importantly, the layer control GUI has been made much more powerful through
the outstanding work of Julian Lamb.  Julian has also re-worked the GUI's
button and menus to make them more  convenient to use.  We are certain that
you  will find gerbv-2.0.0 even easier to use than before because of Julian's
amazing work!

Other changes include:

* Julian Lamb incorporated the cairo graphics library into gerbv,
 thereby enabling export to a variety of different output file
 formats, including PDF, PS, SVG, and PNG.  
 (GDK rendering remains available as a configure option for
 older Linux systems.)
* Cairo rendering also supports "transparency mode", showing you
 which layers are underneath other layers.
* Drill parser rewrite by Joerg Wunsch giving better support for
 internationalization and formats.
* Added report windows showing statistics of Gerber and
 drill codes used (as well as CAM errors) by Stuart Brorson.
* Parser improvements from Stefan Petersen and Julian Lamb.
* Aperture handling improvements from Stefan Petersen.
* A new unit test suite (and nightly test runs) by Dan McMahill.
* Improved autodetection of file-type by Stuart Brorson.
* Improvements in the graphical rendering of pick-and-place files.
* Export of images from the command line (cairo only).
* Complete implementation of the Gerber spec.
* Open multiple layers at once in File->Open dialog.

Gerbv's homepage is on SourceForge:

       http://gerbv.sourceforge.net/.

There you will find a bug database, a feature request database, the CVS repo
and a commit mailinglist.  

To download gerbv-2.0.0, go to

       http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/gerbv/

and grab gerbv-2.0.0.tar.gz

To install gerbv do this:
1. tar zxf gerbv-2.0.0.tar.gz
2. cd gerbv-2.0.0
3. ./configure
4. make && make install

Interesting configure options are:
--help              : Lists all configure options.
--disable-cairo     : Use GDK only for graphics rendering.
--disable-exportpng : Disable compilation of export of PNGs.
--prefix=<dir>      : Install to dir <prefix>.
--with-maxfiles     : Set maximal number of files (default 20).
--enable-unit-mm    : Change default unit in status bar to mm from inch.

Thank you for using gerbv-2.0.0!

                             -- The gerbv team
MooseFET - 13 Jan 2008 17:24 GMT
[....]
> This is to announce the release of gerbv-2.0.0!  Gerbv is an open source
> Gerber file (RS-274X only) viewer for Linux and other unix flavors.  Besides
> viewing Gerbers, you may also view Excellon drill files as well as XYRS
> (pick-place) files.  For more information, browse to gerbv's web site:
[....]
> To install gerbv do this:
> 1. tar zxf gerbv-2.0.0.tar.gz
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> --help              : Lists all configure options.
> --disable-cairo     : Use GDK only for graphics rendering.

I used this one and it did seem to compile OK.  As is often the case,
they demand that you have a very new version of the various libraries
so if you are using an old install you are likely to spend a feew days
trying to get all the libraries up to date enough.

> --disable-exportpng : Disable compilation of export of PNGs.
> --prefix=<dir>      : Install to dir <prefix>.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>                               -- The gerbv team
Robert - 13 Jan 2008 21:38 GMT
> Hello!
>
[quoted text clipped - 75 lines]
>
>                              -- The gerbv team

Nice to hear. Congratulations.

Robert H.
Robert Baer - 14 Jan 2008 04:26 GMT
> Hello!
>
[quoted text clipped - 70 lines]
>
>                               -- The gerbv team

  Is there a ersion for Windoz?
JeffM - 14 Jan 2008 05:26 GMT
Stuart Brorson wrote:
>>This is to announce the release of gerbv-2.0.0!  Gerbv is an open source
>>Gerber file (RS-274X only) viewer for Linux and other unix flavors.
>>
>Is there a [version??] for Windoz?

*gEDA and Windoze*
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.cad/browse_frm/thread/ea158211467
80ed/e4a231f59c06d1e7?q=*-not-*-*-*-*-*-*-more-clueless-*-*-*+zz+*-*-*-gEDA-*-un
der-Windows-*-*+qq-qq+*-*-*-*-*-a-Thankless-Job

Look at the bottom of the **this way** page linked there.
DJ Delorie - 14 Jan 2008 06:08 GMT
> *gEDA and Windoze*

Note that while gerbv is affiliated with gEDA, it is a separate project.
JeffM - 14 Jan 2008 21:46 GMT
Robert Baer wrote:
:::Is there a [version??] for Windoz?

http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:uBqluTIfd_AJ:gerbv.sourceforge.net+is.avail
able.here+Second+Juergen.Haas+Windows.version

(Not the current codebase.)
As Stuart and I indicated, this stuff is GPL'd;
the source code, which will include the latest mods,
is available for the adventurous.

JeffM wrote:
>>*gEDA and Windoze*
>>
>Note that while gerbv is affiliated with gEDA, it is a separate project.

Right.  The *thankless job* part WRT Windoze, however,
seems to carry over.
http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:_J_CuFDJ1F4J:sourceforge.net/project/showfi
les.php?group_id=33921%26package_id=131878+gerbv.windows+inc+inc+inc+2004-10-19

(The most recent version is from 2004.)
.
.
Re: *Knoppix* (mentioned elsewhere)
Another alternative to a native Windows port:
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.cad/browse_frm/thread/3b6f24029a8
b34cf/5ef0c2c6f82294d6?q=*-Knoppix-like-CD-with-gEDA-*-*+Quantian+Cygwin+Win-200
0-or-XP+Gtk.libraries+MinGW+qq+*-distro-*-*-providing-open-source-scientific-and
-engineering-apps+recent.improvements

(Expect somewhat dated versions of the software
on that bootable CD.)
DJ Delorie - 14 Jan 2008 21:56 GMT
> Right.  The *thankless job* part WRT Windoze, however, seems to
> carry over.

I wasn't disputing that ;-)
ChairmanOfTheBored - 14 Jan 2008 08:40 GMT
>Stuart Brorson wrote:
>>>This is to announce the release of gerbv-2.0.0!  Gerbv is an open source
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
>*gEDA and Windoze*

Geeze, there is a knoppix screensaver for windows that boots up knoppix
under qemu within windows.

I'd bet it would work under that.  I also have a Knoppix release on my
USB thumb drive that already has gEDA in it.
Stuart Brorson - 14 Jan 2008 12:30 GMT
:> This is to announce the release of gerbv-2.0.0!  Gerbv is an open source
:> Gerber file (RS-274X only) viewer for Linux and other unix flavors.  Besides
:> viewing Gerbers, you may also view Excellon drill files as well as XYRS
:> (pick-place) files.  For more information, browse to gerbv's web site:
:>
:> http://gerbv.sourceforge.net/

:   Is there a [v]ersion for Windoz?

Short answer:  Not yet.

Longer answer:  Getting it to run on Windows is an ongoing project
undertaken by certain members of the gerbv team.  The program is built
on GTK, which is portable to Windows.  Also, some of the developers
have take the effort to include the necessary MingW32 stuff to
facilitate execution on Windows.  As I understand it, gerbv currently
builds and starts on Windows, but has severe bugs, and so is not ready
for official release.

If you feel brave, download the code from CVS and try
hacking on it under MigW32 on a Windoze box.  Patches are always
welcome, and getting more people working on a Windows port means that
one will be available sooner.

Cheers,

Stuart
John Devereux - 14 Jan 2008 13:42 GMT
> Hello!
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> http://gerbv.sourceforge.net/

[...]

Congratulations - gerbv is great! Nice to see it is still being
improved.

Hopefully it will appear in debian.

Signature

John Devereux

ChairmanOfTheBored - 15 Jan 2008 02:36 GMT
>> Hello!
>>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
>Hopefully it will appear in debian.

 Knoppix Live DVD is Debian, and it is in there.

 I am practically certain that it would be in the set included in other
Debian Live DVD distros as well, not to mention many Live CDs. Hell, some
Live CDs are directly targeted at EDA.
John Devereux - 30 Jan 2008 17:56 GMT
>> Hello!
>>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Hopefully it will appear in debian.

[2 weeks later....]

Whoohoo!

I ran gerbv just now and debian has automatically updated it to
V2.0.0.

Good job, graphics are beautiful, works very nicely.

I don't know if you could always load Excellon drill files as well as
gerbers - but I just noticed this feature (and have already found an
error in the file I was about to send off).

Signature

John Devereux

Stuart Brorson - 31 Jan 2008 13:28 GMT
In sci.electronics.cad John Devereux <jdREMOVE@thisdevereux.me.uk> wrote:
: I ran gerbv just now and debian has automatically updated it to
: V2.0.0.

: Good job, graphics are beautiful, works very nicely.

Thanks for the compliments!  The program shows off the abilities and
professionalism of the gerbv team.  

: I don't know if you could always load Excellon drill files as well as
: gerbers - but I just noticed this feature (and have already found an
: error in the file I was about to send off).

You have been able to load and display both Excellon drill files -- as
well as pick-and-place files -- for some time.  This ability is not
new in gerbv-2.0.

However, we *have* made the code which autorecognizes Gerbers
vs. drill vs. pick-place files more robust.  Therefore, you can
reliably do "File -> import layer", click on a file, and gerbv will
figure out what type of file it is and then parse it appropriately.

Also, you can now do "Analyze -> analyze drill files" and get a report
showing (amongst other things) what drills you are using in your
design, and how many times they are used.  This can be useful when
dealing with a fab house with a limited drill set, or a charge when
you go over some number of allowed drills.

Cheers,

Stuart
John Devereux - 31 Jan 2008 15:35 GMT
> In sci.electronics.cad John Devereux <jdREMOVE@thisdevereux.me.uk> wrote:
> : I ran gerbv just now and debian has automatically updated it to
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> reliably do "File -> import layer", click on a file, and gerbv will
> figure out what type of file it is and then parse it appropriately.

Yep, I can just do file-open, and select all the gerbers and excellons
at once. They all get read into different coloured layers, with the
CNC drill file(s) appearing as circles of the appropriate size.

> Also, you can now do "Analyze -> analyze drill files" and get a report
> showing (amongst other things) what drills you are using in your
> design, and how many times they are used.  This can be useful when
> dealing with a fab house with a limited drill set, or a charge when
> you go over some number of allowed drills.

Thanks for the good work, and the Debian packaging.

Signature

John Devereux

 
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