Adding text to drill map

Hi, I make PCBs which are part of a serialized drawing package. The circuit will be (for example) 223-4071 sheet 1. The top foil will be sheet 2 , bottom foil sheet 3 etc with each layer having a new sheet number.
This is fine except that when the drill maps are created, they can only be viewed in GerbView, and so far as I can see there is no possible way to append any drawing number to the sheet.
The show source option in GerbView does show everything for each layer except for the off PCB text so I cannot edit it there.

Is there any way, or could there be anyway, to edit the text in the drill files, either in a .drl file or in Gerbview?

Caution, there are two file types with the names you are referring to. Are you referring to the “Map File” or the “Drill File”? You mention both, seemingly to indicate the same file.

The (usually Exellon) “Drill File” is what is used by manufacturing with just drill hit locations and a text tool size table, where the “Map File” is more targeted towards documentation with graphical drill symbols and a graphical tool size to symbol key.

The “Map File” can be exported as HPGL, PostScript, Gerber, DXF, SVG, or PDF. I haven’t been able to get my border and title block on my "Map File"s (granted I haven’t tried that hard), so you may need to export as PostScript, DXF, or SVG. Then import that into a 3rd party drawing package (AutoCAD, Draftsight, Inkscape, Impress, TeX, etc…) with a boarder and title block for inclusion in your drawing package.

Or… Maybe I’m misunderstanding your end purpose.

Hi and thanks for that response.

I have to produce drawings of every file we use including the drill map an all need to be annotated as a sub-sheet to the drawing pack.

I will give the dxf route a try. PCB tracks do not export as solid lines in dxf so I have not bothered with them up to now. I just use pdf.

Incidentally SolidWorks offer a free almost compatible with Autocad 2D drawing package called Draftsight.
If you are familiar with AutoCad it is worth a look.

Yeah… I mentioned that in my response. :wink: I learned 2D cad on AutoCAD for DOS back in the 90’s, one hand on keyboard for commands and the other hand on the trackball. I searched for ages for an interface compatible 2D CAD package that I could afford for my personal computer. I finally found Draftsight and stopped looking. :smiley:

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