[PEDA] Octagonal Pads

[Geoff Harland]

Like Dennis Saputelli, I am also thanking Harry Selfridge for testing how
pads with an octagonal shape are depicted within Gerber files, and for
reporting that there are no longer issues in that regard.

Perhaps that issue had really been fixed within SP3 (for AD6), but if so, it
still didn't help that the surmised associated item within the release notes
for that SP read:

"Rotated octagonal pads are now exported correctly to Gerber."

because as I said in a previous message, it was previously the case that
pads with an octagonal shape were *never* depicted properly within Gerber
files (and regardless of whether such pads were "rotated" or otherwise).

But even though I won't personally benefit from that change (as I don't have
a copy of AD6 myself), I am still very glad to hear that that issue has
finally been rectified.

At this stage I will refrain from any additional adverse comments about AD6
other than to say that the contents of the release notes provided with its
SPs strongly suggest that Altium still has to get its act together (or at
least before SP6 was released), as many of the associated defects (reported
as subsequently being rectified) should never have been encountered (even)
by beta testers at any stage, let alone by end users.

If some/most users think that there have been big improvements with the
release of SP6, then well and good, and certainly not before time. But I
still think that significant improvements are unlikely to come about (and be
sustained) unless some people are prepared to vigorously complain about
aspects which they regard as truly unsatisfactory.

Regards,
Geoff Harland.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Harry Selfridge" <harrys at encoreengineering.com>
To: "Protel EDA Discussion List" <PEDA at techservinc.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 5:23 AM
Subject: Re: [PEDA] Octagonal Pads


> It has become apparent that, despite all of the presumably
> authoritative talk, nobody engaged in discussion about AD and
> octagonal pads has actually taken a look to see whether or not the
> issue has been resolved.
>
> I couldn't possibly care less about octagonal pads; however, I took a
> few minutes to run exactly the same test on them that I ran on the
> new rounded corner pads.
>
> For the record, it appears that octagonal pads are presented and
> processed properly by AD6.6.  I converted the pads to octagonal on
> the same test layout I used for rounded corner pads (various angles
> of rotation, top and bottom layer surface pads, and thru-hole
> pads).  I produced two sets of Gerber files from that layout - one
> mirrored and one not.  I then read those Gerbers using four different
> CAM tools - CAMTASTIC, CAM350, Pentalogix Viewmaster, and Gerbtool.
>
> All CAM tools read the Gerbers the same way, and all renderings of
> the octagonal pads were correct.  There were no rotational or
> dimensional distortions on any rendering of the pads by the CAM tools
> available to me.
>
> It appears that, like many other REALLY OLD problems, this one has
> been fixed.  Note that this does NOT mean that there isn't a CAM
> program out there somewhere that will improperly process the
> octagonal apertures - I don't have access to every CAM program
> available.  It does mean that apparently Altium has gotten it right
> for some of the more commonly used CAM programs.  I can forward a set
> of Gerbers to anyone who needs to see for themselves.
>
> Instead of old 'whine' pressed from sour grapes, how about moving on
> to more recent vintage?
>
> Harry