PCB New - Not Sure What The Problem Is

Sort of a follow-on to this post but thought I’d try again with less clutter…

I don’t know what the problem is but this is what is happening:

Example - Two simple projects;

  1. Project: Alarm_Tiny (pcb_WslotPLAY)… A project with Good Results
    • I can export the Gerbers and No problems using any of the files in CopperCam and Cuprum gerber viewer.
    • However, KiCad’s Gerbview has problems loading the Drill File.

  2. Project: Tofu… A project with Bad Results
    • The Trace and Cuts layers load okay in CopperCam, Cuprum and KiCad’s Gerbview
    • The Drill file gets Offset and seems to get scaled.
    • The Drill file errors when loading in KiCad’s Gerbview

Attached are the two PCB files (Tofu just has one part and some traces. It’s only a test file).
pcb_WslotPLAY.kicad_pcb (28.0 KB)
tofu.kicad_pcb (5.6 KB)

Sure would like to understand what the problem is (perhaps it’s ‘me’, either way, I’d like to know).
Thanks
The Gif video below may help…

Share all project files (some settings are stored in other files than the pcb files. I think one example of settings stored this way are gerber export settings)


Generally if there is an offset between the drill file and other files then i suspect they did not use the same origin. You can choose the origin used for both independently. Make sure that you select the use of the auxiliary axis either in both dialogs or in neither of them.

Pretty sure I ensured there are Auxillary Origins and Checked the box to use them in Gerber export…

Files attached (Zipped)

Alarm_Hall_Tiny13A.zip (549.1 KB)
tofu.zip (230.3 KB)

I can open the gerbers included in both projects without trouble in kicads gerber viewer meaning i can not replicate the behaviour you describe above.

I also checked the files in gedas gerber viewer and they look good (geda does however not support everything kicad generates. It especially does not like the oval drills)

I do not have access to your CAM tool so i can not look into this.


It does seem that the gerber settings are no longer part of the project as i do get different settings than you (i do not get the “combine npth and pth” setting that you clearly used as you only have one drill file)
So it might be a good idea to make a screenshot of the gerber and drill file dialogs for both projects.

… well, that’s an ‘inch’ towards progress. Thanks.

Attached is screenshot of errors when loading Drill file into KiCad’s Gerbview (long, long list).

There are No oval holes the the Tofu project, only a 8pin DIP (round holes and oval pads.

The Oval holes (and pads) in the Tiny project Work - no problems (of course, I add a graphic rectangle to enable milling the slot).

I get your errors if i open the drill file with the import gerber tool. You need to use the import drill tool to open drill files.

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That worked (I didn’t realize the need import differently). Thanks.

But, that’s not the problem loading into CopperCam (most often the Drill files load fine. CopperCam can handle Gerber and Excelon (and can tweak the formating…). Been using it for years.

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