Eagle Training

[Dan_Margulius]

Hello

Does Autodesk provide at this stage Webinars for specific needs in Eagle?

For example, we acquire the software but we need someone to teach us how to use it. 

I mean to one on one webinar and if costing is involved also it is OK from our part.

Thanks

Dan

[cdenneyB9ZMH]

We are also interested in professional training courses. Paying for the courses is fine if they are of very high quality and come from the the vendor of the software (Autodesk in this case)

[edwin.robledo]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for your participation on forums, I will look into this and provide the details as soon as possible.

Best Regards,

Ed

[TravisJoe]

I would also be interested in this. I see that there has been some webinars planned, but they are so spread out that it will take several months to watch them all. 

One of the reasons I did not switch to Eagle in the past is I felt like the community supported the product more than the company. The probably with the community is you can a lot of different opinions and inconsistent tutorials and training. Much of the training material you find online now is years old and aimed towards new users only.

I would love to see a professional training and best practicing learning materials. 

[cdenneyB9ZMH]

I agree with TravisJoe. There are a lot of tutorials on the web, including the very popular Adafruit and Sparkfun tutorials, but these are only surface level tutorials. I'd really like to see a deep dive into each button/feature of the software like many of the other professional tools we use here.

We're now using Eagle exclusively for our circuit board layout work and paying the monthly fee to get it fully featured. Part of the benefit of this is that you can get tech support. I'd love to see professional tutorials/webinars included with such a package or even for a marginally higher fee. Right now we are mostly just teaching ourselves everything as we come across the need to perform a certain task.

[edwin.robledo]

Hi Dan,

Please contact me directly, please take a look at your PM inbox.

Regards,

Ed

[C.Nicks]

Hi Dan,

I'm not sure Autodesk's plans for webinars or training, but I agree with the sentiment TravisJoe has regarding community vs company support.

I have been using Eagle as my primary tool since 2011, starting with version 4, and never had much luck wading through forums for the very specifics I was looking for. Most of the workarounds/shortcomings I've learned has taken quite a bit of trial and error.

In my time designing 130+ boards, I have figured out many tricks, workarounds, and useful scripts. I am constantly tuning my workflow, even opening up the brd/sch files in text editor in order to get things the way I like them. I am interested in finding ways to put my intimate knowledge of Eagle to more use and be an active part of the community.

I do not have any official capacity with Autodesk to offer any training, but I feel I have a lot of in depth knowledge that may help some out.

Edwin Robledo, I don't know the official avenue to take, but let me know if I can be of assistance.

[cdenneyB9ZMH]

C.Nicks

Sounds like a great opportunity to publish your own training course 🙂

[docholiday93065]

I second that motion!

[matt.berggren]

Hi All!

How much appetite is there for web-based versus onsite (ours or something regional)? I'm keen to know how much time folks would *really* invest in a web based program? Two hours? A full day? Two days?

Reason I ask is that for years now I've been running workshops in SF (free) that span a full day and take people thru designing hardware with EAGLE. (You can find them on Meetup.com, some RF, some PCB, some hands on soldering and building stuff as well). It started before I joined Autodesk as a way of helping the folks in the startup community who are trying to build something and may not have some of the foundational knowledge with EAGLE or professional PCB mfg. to make headway.

That said, since joining, I've flirted with a few options:

1). Take that program on the road (most material is public on Hackaday.io/matt ).
2). Convert it all to video and publish it (actually don't like this much because you miss the interaction)
3). Do this as webinar content. (Harder because you can't see users screens and if someone gets stuck working along with you you can't pause and help them...also makes hands-on harder).

Paid on-premesis training is not really my angle here. I would prefer that we just teach folks and monetize thru licenses and subs renewals and organic user growth! (Please tell your friends buy a license!) Certainly hear you about the desire for this though. I'd taught many-an onsite training class at another EDA company which shall remain nameless. 🙂

As talented and Jorge and Ed are (could NEVER imagine life without these two!), I'd like to try and run this a few times myself just to understand how it might be successful and what the opp is. However knowing what sort of patience people have for online training versus willingness to travel to on-site, versus pure video stuff would be great feedback! Also keen to know any other thoughts folks have!

Best regards,
Matt

[TravisJoe]

I think web based and video based is fine, but have them span a wider range of skills and markets. For example I do not need to know the basic, and a large percentage of your audience doesn't. I mostly need to know moderate skill level best practices for professional PBC design.

Like a lot of software tools I have used there typically is 3 levels. Entry level (from the start), professional (core professional, advanced hobbyist) , and specialized (RF, high speed, ect).

I also like the method of talking about tools, then a practical walkthrough of using the tools in real life situations. I dislike when the focus is only on one specific feature and how it is practically used and best practices are not shown. This is one of my big issues with previous Eagle tutorials, they have a lot of "Well this is how I do it" approaches and not necessarily based on how the software is more or less intended to be used.

And yes if it was not for Ed and Jorge, I would have a much more negative view of Eagle. It is great and powerful, but intuitive is not a word I would use.

[ADresden]

Yea, point. I'd like to see a short video highlighting how to get to the RF differential, etc...
I'd also like to have HEAVILY EDITED downloadable video, for the time saving, ability to pause, turn back and forward anytime I want. Edited video can be 5x shorter than live one. Or even 10x. In case of some people 20x.

Basically, you need a script (scenario), which you make the shots for, then cut and add comment last. I've seen some video which I watched with silent breath, where the (now parkinsonic) professor Williams was explaining the HF attenuation method in slow analog designs. The video has likely 90 seconds, and it took certainly over 50 hours to make it. There is also a full Design Note pdf that preceded it. I highly recommend seeing it. And reading the pdf.

[cdenneyB9ZMH]

Hi Matt,

Here's my two cents, but this is just my opinion and may not necessarily be the best for everybody (certainly won't be the best for everybody...)

I prefer in person training over video training. Video training is fantastic in a pinch, but for other high end software that we use here (think $10,000+) we've always paid for in-person training at the manufacturer's HQ. When the software was purchased brand new, the cost of that training was included with the purchase. So far, most of this software hasn't transitioned to the ongoing payment structure that EAGLE has. So marketing/sales would have to determine how to finance such training.

I whole heartedly agree with TravisJoe in the fact that there should be 3 levels of training. Dare I say 2 levels of training and then other specific classes. For instance...

Level 1 - introduction to EAGLE. Assumes a background in electrical design basics (don't have to describe what a symbol/footprint/device are) but walks you through all of the functions of the software. Each button explained except perhaps for more advanced features.

Level 2 - Professional EAGLE training. Best suited for people who've been using EAGLE for a few months or a year. More advanced features are covered. EAGLE staff to determine what those more advanced features are. Developers could be invited into a session of the training for Q&A.

Level 3 - like TravisJoe said, these could be design specific. Perhaps if Level 1 and Level 2 are two days of training, then Level 3 might be 1 day of training, but only cover one specific thing. RF, High Speed, etc. So there could be multiple Level 3's. (Level 3 - RF. Level 3 - High Speed. Level 3 - yadda yadda)

I think web based training could be specific to entry level stuff. "What's a symbol." "What's a footprint." "How to connect components." the kind of thing you find SparkFun and Adafruit publishing (which are awesome BTW)

Anyway, my two cents. I realize that onsite kind of stuff would not work for everybody. It's just been my experience that these are the most productive sessions because it pulls you away from your every day work and allow you to focus, without the distraction of your boss telling you that you have to stop training and get this finished today! (spoken as a terrible boss myself, who does this to his people 🙂

-Chris

[TravisJoe]

@cdenneyB9ZMH

Yeah, with some variation I think we are pretty much in agreement. I would prefer regional seminar training, or on site training, but realize the software price point makes this a little harder. I am a little luckily that I live in Portland near one of Autodesk major locations. Like you, I am used to software like Inventor (Still have my Intermediate certificate from 2007) and Solidworks, that hold VAR and other training courses or on site training. Makes it much easier to tackle application specific issues.

My biggest concern is up to date, bottom to top practical training. I do not like hunting the internet for 5 way to learn the same thing. I would rather learn the intended "proper" best practices, before learn how to be creative with scripts/ULPs. The sessions should be broken down in manageable chunks (skill level and then 30-60 minute focuses) while also putting focus on professionals as much as hobbyist markets.

I will say that Ed and Jorge have obviously been doing this for awhile, and when asked specific questions they answer them very well. I realize they are often trying to show off to all levels and in most webinars cannot take the time to hit all aspects.

I think this is also due to Eagles power and flexibility, it was design to "do anything" which makes teaching less straight forward.