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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Playing with Sprint Layout 6.0
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Mixtel90 Guru  Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 7937 |
First, there is a free viewer for SL6 files on the official site. I've been having a go with the auto ground plane system this time and it's remarkably good once you figure out how to use thermal pads. :) Here's an interpretation of Geoff's suggestion (in the Getting Started manual) for using a 28-pin Micromite as an I2C expander. It's designed to go in the mini box (again), has 17 available IO pins, a feedthrough port for another unit, an optional IRQ signal to the host and optional pullups. Micromite I2C expander 01.zip It needs some sort of tweaking to get alternative I2C addresses to be practical, but that can probably be sorted out in some way. I'm not actually considering Gerbers at this point, it's just a little project to try out things in Sprint Layout. . Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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vegipete Guru Joined: 29/01/2013 Location: CanadaPosts: 1132 |
Ground planes are fun. I often find that rotating thermal pads 45 degrees makes them fit better. Another useful hint is holding the ALT key when you select an element that is part of a group. This allows you to select _only_ that element and make changes. Works with SHIFT also to select more than one element. Visit Vegipete's *Mite Library for cool programs. |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 7937 |
I've only just discovered using ALT. It's a lot easier. :) I like the way of setting the links on thermal pads. Very neat. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9610 |
HINT: SL6 does not have any "Slot" tool or feature, so to make slots in your boards, simply overlap as many holes as you need to make the slot. Make sure to disable the automatic capture mode while you do this, or SL6 will try to layer all the holes on top of one another instead of beside.  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 7937 |
Can't you just draw a slot on level O? EDIT: It looks as if you can also draw a Zone then tick a box for "Cut out". Unfortunately I can't find that option anywhere in the manual. There is also a box for "Solder Mask only", which I assume lets you create keep-out areas in the ground plane. I've done conversion of the PicoMite VGA mini to ground plane now (it let me rearrange a few bits to get it neater, but otherwise it's the same). Then I got a bit carried away and I think I've figured out how to fit the R2R ladder onto a plug-in module so you can have colour or greyscale output. It's looking very promising. And it still fits into the same box. :) . Edited 2021-12-29 20:59 by Mixtel90 Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 7937 |
The sl6 files of my latest ground plane experiments: This is more or less a direct conversion. PicoMiteVGA12a.zip I've changed the video system here to allow modules to be used. PicoMiteVGA12x2.zip At one time the viewer application didn't show ground planes. I don't know if this is still the case as I don't use it. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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