Using Design Block with Modules or replicating layout of Module?

[pemerick]

Hi, Is there a way I'm missing to duplicate the layout of a Module? It seems like Design Blocks get close to supporting this but, they can't be placed inside of Modules without disconnecting from the layout side.

Problems I see with the current workflow:

1) Using Modules allows for hierarchical design on the schematic side but, don't support layout replication.

2) Using Design Blocks allows for schematic and layout replication between designs and for replication of layout within the same design but, within the same design no hierarchy is implemented which, causes net conflicts unless each net is renamed individually when placing the Design Block layout. 

A workflow that I think may work well would be characterized by:

1) Modules would be used to create design hierarchy on the schematic side, as they already do

2) Design Blocks would be used for schematic and layout replication between designs, as they already do

3) Now for the new part: Design Blocks can be inserted into Modules which would maintain hierarchy and prevent net conflict. For each Module the Design Block layout would be added to the layout. If a new instance of the Module was added to the schematic, a new instance of the Design Block layout would be added to the layout. Editing a "Design Block Module" on the schematic or layout side would update each "Design Block Module" as it already does when editing the schematic of a Module. Updates to the schematic and layout of the "Design Block Module" could be saved back to the Design Block or a "Design Block Module" could update to external changes to the Design Block, similar to how components can be updated to external changes.

I hope someone can address my question and the developers find this suggestion useful.

[jorge_garcia · Accepted solution]

Hi @pemerick,

I hope you're doing well. Thank you for these suggestions. You are not missing anything, these are the current limitations of the design block and module functions in EAGLE.

We have plans to rework the hierarchy implementation and at that time the current issues will be resolved. Thank you for the suggestions, several of our developers are hear on the forums and they'll see your comments.

Thanks you for taking the time to gives us your feedback. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[trhodesL6HUL]

This is exactly what I'm looking for! It would save massive amounts of time and schematic space if we could place Design Blocks (schematic/board) inside Modules. 

@jorge_garcia is there an ETA for when Design Blocks into Modules will be released?

[brianbackbar]

@jorge_garcia I would also be very interested in this reworked hierarchy implementation in EAGLE. Do you have any idea of when we can expect such an update?

[NorbertL]

+1 currently I use design blocks a lot to do that. However, that comes with all the compounding issues related to naming nets and so on.  

[pblase]

Being able to use modules and design blocks together is rather essential. I have a standard connector layout that I'm using across multiple boards. The pin layouts obviously must match from one board to another. However, I have some of the pins, the "Bus", in a module - and I can't include this in the overall format with the board outline and other pins. 

Is there any other easy way to ensure that everything stays aligned when I import the design-block/module(s) into a new board? 

[jens.kolbenschlag]

I was also frustrated with the lack of this feature, and knowing the speed of development on EAGLE it will probably take another 10 years until the planned new hierarchy implementation works, which is slightly longer than it would take me to manually redo my module designs.

So I decided to just write an ULP that implements this function to replicate the layout of a module, similar to the "replicate layout" script in KiCad.
You can find the ULP here: https://github.com/JensKolb/Replicate-Layout-ULP