Gerber import issue

[bigbobber888]

We've been using Douglas Cad/Cam and are looking to possibly move to Eagle so we can export the files to a pick and place machine, so I am testing out Eagle.  I have Gerber files from our Douglas system which are format "%FSLAX23Y23*%".  But when I chose Gerber import, I get lots of "Unknown aperture definition 'definition' found while trying to determine wire width" errors and the imported board just shows a lot of random lines.  I can't get the drill file or silkscreen or any to import properly, same type of errors.  What am I doing wrong, or how can I get these to import properly?  If I use a separate Gerber viewer, the files all look correct.  Any help would be appreciated.

[one-of-the-robs]

As a general rule, importing Gerber files is not particularly useful. They do not contain anywhere near enough information. In particular, there is absolutely nothing in a Gerber file that could identify where components live, so it's not going to help you get pick and place export working. This is probably why the Gerber import facility in Eagle hasn't been worked on enough to make it really universal.

One option that may work is to load your Gerbers into something like gerbv then re-export. With luck, that may produce a format that the Eagle importer handles.

[bigbobber888]

Thanks for the update, I'll check into gerbv. 

My thought was to get the gerbers imported into Eagle and use it as a basis to add the necessary stuff to make it a usable file for pick and place (like adding the components onto the existing traces), so at least the boards don't have to be recreated from scratch, possibly introducing errors.  Or can't a gerber be used for anything like that?

[one-of-the-robs · Accepted solution]

You can import a Gerber as a kind of background image, draw enough of the schematic to have the components available, then hand-place the components in the correct places by lining up with the Gerber image. But that's about all. The Gerber file does not contain anything that would positively identify a pad as even being a pad, never mind which pin of which device, so there's nothing that the script can do to place the components for you. You're stuck with doing it by eye, which isn't very much less error prone than recreating from scratch. Still, at least you have a template onto which you can re-draw from scratch and have a feel for whether you're about right.

[bigbobber888]

So it isn't as straightforward as I had hoped.  Now I need to make a decision to start from scratch or find another way.

Thanks again for the help.