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Novità ver. 11.0
Enhanced Database
Structure
The new database enhancements to GerbTool is a step
forward toward a much more robust and sophisticated product. As
the core database is enhanced, so too are the formats that we can
support and the features that can be executed upon that data. A
perfect example of this would be the addition of polygon support
and voids within polygons. This has opened new doors to both how GerbTool
can work with data and how it can be compatible with other systems
that support these entities. As the product continues forward, WISE
will leverage the database enhancements further, and support
additional intelligent formats as user demand dictates.
Navigator
The Navigator helps push GerbTool beyond the
competition with respects to ease-of-use. Through the Navigator, you
can access vital information about any design: layer information,
aperture data, net connectivity, composites, and layer sets. You can
setup layer structures by tagging and moving their layers in the
appropriate order. Blind & Buried layer sets can be quickly and
easily defined. Apertures can be selected, added, changed, and even
dropped into a specific location through Drag & Drop techniques. All
of these things can be achieved from one centralized location with
no menu selections or tool bars needed.
Additionally, you have full access to the GerbTool command structure
via the Navigator by simply changing the flip-tab at the bottom.
Here you can execute individual commands and build a “My Commands”
list of functions that you use on a regular basis. Even macros can
be accessed and executed here. Again, all of this is performed from
a centralized location, eliminating the need for menus and tool bars.
ODB++ Interface
ODB++ is being used more and more by a variety of
customers, and has now become another one of the many file formats
that can be used to fabricate printed circuit boards. Users of
GerbTool can now interface with customers and/or vendors that have
chosen to standardize on the ODB++ format through our new ODB++
interface. This interface offers two levels of support: fully
intelligent, which will maintain all of the EDA like information
store within the ODB++ file; and a non-intelligent graphics-only
import, which is much like simply starting with Gerber files but
with everything tagged, identified, and stored under a single
directory tree.
DirectCAM Interface
DirectCAM is the native format for the CAM350 and
FabFactory product lines. Additionally, PowerPCB uses it as an
intelligent transfer format. By offering support for DirectCAM
within GerbTool, FabFactory, CAM350, and PowerPCB users now have
additional options as to how they wish to deal with the verification,
analysis, and documentation of their PCB designs. GerbTool Version
11.0 supports up to version 6.0 of the CAM350 product line (although
it should be noted that CAM350 Version 7.0 can produce a version 6.0
file natively).
Improved Test Fixturing
Test Fixturing was revised for version 11 to help
improve usability and quality of the output. Some of the more
noteable improvements are support for multiple probes sizes, which
allow increased flexibility during bed-of-nails fixture generation.
Additionally, version 11 now supports double-sided fixture
generation for improved compatibility with a wider range of
fixturing equipment. Flying Probe users will appreciate the addition
of IPC-D-356A, as it will streamline output processes further and
increase compatibility with more machines. GerbTool’s 356A support
is fully featured and includes adjacency information as well.
Multiple Panel Support
Now GerbTool allows you to load multiple jobs within a
single .GTD database and panelize them quickly and efficiently.
Multi-job panelization allows you to optimize your output for
proto-type, limited piece count production, and assembly panels.
On-the-Fly Polarity
Changes
With this release of GerbTool, you now have the ability
to change polarity “on the fly” and not have to deal with composites. You
can now quickly create “scratch” data conditions without the need
for setting up composites. Additionally, when GerbTool reads in
simple positive & negative data files, it will set the polarity
switches accordingly without the need for composites (you can
control this feature). This allows you to see and make changes to
the layer information real-time, again without the need to deal with
composites.
Drag-and-Drop Gerber
File Loading
Being able to drag files directly into GerbTool or onto
the GerbTool icon greatly speeds up the import process. You no
longer have to execute import or open commands. Additionally, Gerber
files can be grabbed straight from a ZIP file and pulled directly
into GerbTool without the need to perform a separate extraction
process.
Context Sensitive
Toolboxes
First there was the “Right Button Toolbox,” which we
introduced in GerbTool version 9.0. Now we have taken that concept a
step further through the introduction of “Context Sensitive Right
Button Toolboxes.” You can now speed up simple edits like moves,
copies, transcodes, and more by simply moving the cursor over the
source object and clicking the right mouse button. A context
sensitive toolbox will now appear, giving you the ability to adjust
the properties of that specific object, make copies of it, move it,
or even transcode it to another D-code. This means fewer mouse
clicks and moves because you don’t have to move away from the item
you are working with to select a menu or toolbar.
Auto Drill Detection
To help eliminate the “trial and error” process of
loading Drill data, we have enhanced the Import Wizard so that it
will now try to detect the format of Drill data as well as Gerber
data. You are even presented with a new interactive display mode
that lets you see what the drill data will look like before
committing to the load.
User Configurable
Toolbars
While the Navigator improves the ease-of-use, we
recognize that some users may choose to stick with what they know
best: toolbars. This release of GerbTool allows users to take their
toolbar usage to the next level by allowing customization of any or
all of the current toolbars found within the product. You can now tailor
GerbTool to your specific needs and have toolbars show only what you
wish to see. This helps prevent “hunting” or “scanning” across a
particular toolbar for the feature that you need.
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