EAGLE Professional PCB layout/ schematic software

Hello,

Do you know if it is possible to get .PDF prints of schematics with the "Eagle Professional" PCB layout software?

If not, do you know which is the cheapest schematic/PCB layout software which has .PDF printout facility?


Also, do you know if it is possible to import Orcad PCB layout files into Eagle Professional?

Also, do you know if it is possible to import Eagle Professional PCB Layouts into OrCAD?

I don't know if Eagle can do it natively, but you can install cutepdf writer (it is free) and print anything that can select a printer as a pdf file. I've just checked with Eagle and it worked.

https://www.cutepdf.com/products/cutepdf/writer.asp

Cross tool import of layout data is generally is only provided by a few tools, surely not between Orcad PCB and Eagle. Even if it's promised for a specific tool combination, it's not necessarily a reasonable way to convert a design. It may be more effective to revuild the layout from the scratch, possibly tracing some critical geometries with an imported image of the old design as a template.

On the other hand, an ambitioned programmer with some CAD experience should be able to write a converter. The XML file format of the recent Eagle version allows full access to all layout and libray data both for import and export.

pdf printing is built in to Eagle so you don't need a separate pdf writer, although with one you can rpint from any CAD package to pdf.

There are one or two user ULPs for helping get Orcad netlists in/out of Eagle and orcad_netlist.ulp which exports components but they are not totally automatic and I don't know how well they work. There is an expensive conversion program done by some company I believe, but in general export/import is not that straightforward.

Keith

The Engineer asked me for the Orcad compatibility.

..i confess, i do not know what Orcad is........but i thought it was the DOS based (non-windows) PCB layout software?....is this true?.

Isn't Orcad the same as DOS Based Protel?...i.e. a very old software package?

Orcad is now part of Cadence

It has been around since DOS days - I still have a DOS version and it still works on XP in a DOS window.

Keith

Google would have told you. It's a present Cadence product. Orcad schematic has been popular as DOS tool for many years, it was acquired by Cadence long ago.

I wonder what the guy wants. There's no real Orcad compatibility for layout data, except by using Orcad.

i put "what is orcad software" into google , and it took me to............

https://www.cadence.com/products/orcad/pages/orcadforpcb.aspx

...but this doesn't tell me if Orcad is windows based or DOS based.



wikipedia doesnt tell if orcad doeas windows based pcb/schematic software as well as the DOS based version.....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OrCAD

I hear you kindly inform that there is a DOS based version, but is there a windows based version of it aswell.?

I wonder what the guy wants

Click to expand...

...Please allow me to explain.........i have been tasked with designing and laying out an emergency lighting SMPS PCB.....i have offered to do this in Eagle Professional software ........but the engineer in charge has asked me to use PCB/Schematic software which is compatible with Orcad.

...so i am wondering..............

1....what is orcad?
2.....Which pcb/schematic softwares are compatible with it?
3......if its very expensive to buy software thats compatible with orcad, then is it worth me making that investment?.....or is orcad so old and dated and "hard to use" that its simply not worth me buying software thats compatible with it?

I am an electronics design/layout contractor, working for a company

I don't think the DOS version has been sold for a long long time - only Windows.

If you need to make it "compatible" with Orcad then you probably need to use Orcad. Orcad is not old and dated - it is a "modern" Windows program. It is not cheap though.

Keith

Ive just emailed Orcad about cost for windows based PCB/Schem Orcad with max 4 layers and max 300mm * 300mm PCB size.

However, they often dont get back, so could you provide a rough price?

Around 18 months ago it was £1300 for the Schematic and £3500 with PCB layout but there seemed to be deals around where you could get the Schematic with PCB for £1700. The "standard" version for that price doesn't include some things like differential pair routing, placement replication...

Keith

Thanks....the DOS ORCAD os free though?

I don't know of a free version of Orcad, although I think there is a demo version or Orcad/Pspice around which may be DOS.

You will have compatibility issues between old and new versions. Version 16.3 schematics cannot be read by versions 16.2 I believe, although prior to that versions back to version 7 had compatible formats I think.

Keith

I think pdf printing is included in the Eagle software, especially in the new version 6.3. But also in the older versions i think.
Yes, just read it. it is included. you can find it