Hi.
I have tried plot my board to HPGL format, but there are not filled zones in plt file, only outline.
Plot to gerber, postscript, SVG, PDF is OK, I see there filled zones.
Is it bug or is there a reason not to plot filled zones in HPGL format?
Branislav
KiCad version 4.0.2, 64bit Linux Lubuntu
Based on implementations of HPGL format export that I have seen, the format is simply:
pen down, move to, pen up, move to, etc…
i.e. there is no notion of a polygon in the implementations I have seen.
You would need to explicitly raster the polygon, i.e. cross hatch it, and also go around the outline, if you wanted to export a polygon in HPGL format if I am not mistaken.
If you absolutely require cross hatched/filled polygons in HPGL format, a quick method would be to import the Kicad layout or polygon into pcb-rnd, and run the :PolyHatch(interactive) command with either vertical or horizontal cross hatching only, plus outline, and suitable spacing, and save the resulting layout in Kicad format. There is a write up of the process here.
Good luck!
Erich.
Just as an example, I drew some tennis racquets in pcb-rnd on the copper layer,
and got the string look by placing polygons where the strings have to go, selected the polygons, then issued the
:PolyHatch(interactive)
command. I drew them in the copper layer in pcb-rnd, which supports arcs.
I cut them to the copy buffer and rotated.
I then moved them to the silk layer to allow export with arcs for the racquet frames to Kicad s-expression format. Kicad does not support arcs on copper as far as I am aware. If there are no arcs like the tennis racquet frames travelling to Kicad along with the cross-hatched polygon, then this is a non issue.
From pcb-rnd, you can do a “File:Save As”,
then pick Kicad s-expression format from the list
then load the saved layout in pcbnew:
Obviously, if you already have a polygon in Kicad that you want to cross hatch for HPGL export or perhaps a capacitative sensor, it would be easiest to save it in a Kicad s-expression layout, load that into pcb-rnd, convert, then save as Kicad s-expression.
Enjoy responsibly,
Erich.
Hi Erich,
thank you for very nice example, I will try it. Seems to be possible solution.
I spent some time by reading HPGL reference guide and I have found that HPGL supports filled poligons.
Now I am a bit sad, because using filled poligons in HPGL is as simple as in postscript, so I dont understand
why it is not implemented.
Branislav
