Eagle PRO.......loads of plot data when gerbering means what?

[treez]

I have a SOT89 package on my 4 layer pcb. I made its unusual shaped footprint by sticking lots of polygons together.

When i gerber the board, eagle messages me, saying that this SOT89 package has unusual polygons, and that this is going to result in loads of plot data, and therefore do i really want to continue with the gerbering..........

i did notice that the top copper layer (where this package is) came out as 1MB in the gerbers, whereas other layers were less, eg the bottom layer was 603KB.

.......i am not sure why Eagle thought it necessary to message me like this.....what significance does it have?....does it mean more expense to get the board made up?

 

[keith1200rs]

It won't affect the board but will possibly increase plot time. I guess you used some very fine track polygon fills which were probably unnecessary. I have never seen that error even when making unusual shapes like this:

and that uses 0.01mm lines.

Keith.

 

[treez]

....so those "pads" are not actually pads , but copper shapes?............how does eagle know its a pad, ...or is there a pad buried in the shape?

 

[keith1200rs]

There are two pads in the shape - the polygons overlap the pads. You also need to remember to draw the solder resist layers manually over the polygons - they are only automatically created for pads.

Odd shaped pads are supposed to be easier in 6.3 but I haven't tried it - I am still using 5.11.

Keith