Eagle 9.6.2 won't complete the Group & Move operation

[Anonymous]

I have the free version of Eagle PCB 9.6.2. I am trying to do a group move - Eagle starts the group move, but won't complete the move. It's a very simple operation and I'm set back 2 days struggling with this.

I am somewhat new to Eagle (1 prior design) and the current one I'm working on  is a mod' of an existing design someone else did on Eagle. Any help would be awesome. I am so desperate that I'm considering redoing the whole in design in another PCB tool that I'm more familiar with. 

[one-of-the-robs]

Should I assume you've read my response to the other thread you added this to? If not, do so.

Otherwise, give us a hint, please? You say you're on the free edition - where are you trying to move the group to? Can you move a smaller group? Can you place it back where it started?

[Anonymous]

Hi, yes I went through some of the other answers...See snip below. I was trying to move these thru-hole vias (for a 22 pin component) to the left 50 mils (one side at a time), but it won't let me...I even tried to move just one of the these vias (grouped with anything related to that via). It seems to have a problem with some of the things connected to via...the second snip below is maybe another clue. (sigh!)

[Anonymous]

I didn't answer one of your questions Rob : no I can't even place it where it was originally (I have to hit the esc key to get out of that mode).

[one-of-the-robs]

Is this a board you have designed from scratch, using this "free edition" of Eagle, or did you get it from elsewhere?

Where is your origin?

Are the "vias" actually vias or pads of a component?

[Anonymous]

It was designed by a previous employee, but using a free version of Eagle.

"Where is your origin?"....hmmm, is that the origin of the design at 0,0?...if so it's 500 mils off the board, bottom left corner.

"Are they vias or pads?"...my guess is they are thru hole vias sized to support the component pins.

[one-of-the-robs]

Are you able to upload the design here for me to try out? If the parts you're trying to move are all in the valid area and don't involve any inner layers or anything then I don't know why it would give that error. Being able to try it out directly will speed things up a lot.

[Anonymous]

Rob,

Yes, see attached...as you're looking at the board, I'm trying to move each side of the 11 thru-hole vias to the left by 50 mils.

thanks,

Jim

[one-of-the-robs · Accepted solution]

OK, your problem is twofold, but both of them are because that board was not created with the free version.

First, the origin is nowhere near, and a chunk of the board has negative Y coordinates. This is only possible with the full version, definitely not the free one. However, that's not what's stopping you.

If you look at the images you posted, there are blue hashed ovals attached to some of the vias. These are actually routed traces on inner layers. Again, that's not possible with the free version, and moving such traces (or even any pads or vias they attach to) is not allowed. The free version does not support inner copper layers.

Additionally, there are a number of duplicate vias on top of each other and a number of "hole" objects on top of them. Whoever created this did not know how to use Eagle.

To be honest, there's so much wrong with that board and so little of use that I'd say your best option is to chuck it and start again. If you don't want to do that, set your layer selection to only show the ones you're not allowed (2..15) and unroute everything that remains. Then set the layers back to everything, group the whole board, and move it all into the valid upper right quadrant so that the (0 0) origin actually is just to the left and below the board. Then show only the "holes" layer and delete any that are in places where there are vias. Cleaning up the duplicate vias will be more involved as you'll need to find them all. As I say, much better to start from scratch and do it properly!

[Anonymous]

thanks for taking a look at this Rob. (nothing like having an expert to quickly solve newbie problems.)

I'm an EE that's contracted by this company to finish up some work the previous designer did... so this being a 4 layer brd means they must have purchased a license for Eagle that I wasn't aware of. 

(I'll need a ground plane and power plane on this board to add a low noise analog circuit that will be in close proximity with a very noisy 5V digital circuit - so the 4 layer board's inner power and ground plane will help me there.) 

I guess I'll start anew - now I'll have to make sure the dang form factor is exactly perfect (it fits into a very tight area).

Thanks again, Jim