Exporting .pcb file from existing Eagle Project (.brd, .sch)

[christoph.sacher]

Hi everybody,

is there a method (script, ulp, cam) to export a .pcb file from an existing project.

Having troubles because my gerber files are not accepted.

Thanks in advance, regards

[matt.berggren]

Can you elaborate a bit more? What format of PCB file do you need? (Is this a 3rd party format that they are requesting?)

Also, what was wrong with the Gerber files that you submitted? Do you have any feedback from the mfg? EAGLE gerbers are pretty standard (RS274X). Could you post the .cam file you're using when generating gerbers?

Best regards,

Matt

[christoph.sacher]

Hi Matt,

thanks for the fast reply.

I´am bound to a certain manufacturer who can´t handle gerber files ( I used the preinstalled gerb274x.cam).

He requires .pcb file

http://www.reviversoft.com/file-extensions/pcb

Thanks

[matt.berggren]

Hi Christoph -

Are they asking for a "pcb" file or for a file with a .pcb extension?  The reason I ask is that PCB is a general term and each design tool (EAGLE, KiCAD, Diptrace, Altium, etc) have a "PCB" file type.  This type of file is essentially the BRD file before you generate the gerber files.  EAGLE uses the BRD extension for the PCB file type, despite the extension being .BRD and not ".pcb".  It's a bit like saying "send me a txt file" without actually meaning the .txt extension but rather a file containing plain text.  

If the file required needs a .pcb extension, this is something altogether different.  For example, Altium uses the file extension .pcbdoc.  It does NOT use a .pcb file extension except for very old file formats dating back to the days of Protel.  PCAD used to use a .pcb extension prior to that tool being obsoleted by Altium.  And just to be clear, every PCB file has a different file format, many of which are NOT human readable (EAGLE and KiCAD both use open file formats but Altium does not, for example).

Tools such as KiCAD have their own extensions but I guess the point is, that .pcb is not a specific extension without some specific detail including "what tool?" and "what version of that tool?".  It is not like a .DOCX file which you know always belongs to MS Word.  So here's what I would suggest:

1)  If this is ambiguous, ask the mfg for what specific .PCB file format they require (from what tool) and let them know you use EAGLE.

2)  If they say an EAGLE PCB file is adequate, then send them the EAGLE .BRD file in your project directory...This is the PCB file, despite the extension.

I hope this helps!  Please let us know if you're still stuck!

Best regards,

Matt - Autodesk.