The Idea was to bypass the lame gui using
the cmdline opts but it can't combine on export.

So the second try was just translating
then doing the 1hour-clicky-dance
to combine everyhing.

But as it turns out it's also unable to rotate
on cmdline.
(gerbv version 2.6.0)

Avoid gerbv for panelizong.
it is utterly hosed software.
Here's my notes:

combining boards
dimensions:
16-dip* 800x900
20-dip* 800x1100
24-dip* 800x1300
28-dip* 900x1500
32_q 1100x1100
44_q 1400x1400
8-dip 500x500
sot-143 300x500
sot-23 400x300
ctr 2100x1500
trk1x2 630x1162
minimum 2700x1575
fir 1300x850

overall board size:
100x100mm
3937x3937mil

arrangement:
2700
v
--------- ---------
| minimum | trk1x2 |(@90deg)
| |--------- < 3074
| |20-dip1 |(@90deg)
| | |
---------| |<2362
| |------- -- <2274
| ctr | 44_q | |
| | | |(sots)
------------------- <862
| fir |24/20dip | |
------------------- <12
^3700
^2537 ^3500
^2100
^1300

1237x712=20-dip2 (90deg)

1837x1412=44_q
437x1412=sot-23/143
2637x862=24dip1+20dip2=2400x800

sots
|23 |
---
| 23|
---
23
---<900
143
---<1400

meh gervb origin is bottom left
pcb is top left..

sots:
<1400
|23 |
---<1100
| 23|
---<800
23
---<500
143
---<0

argh.. gerbv can't merge on export(only GUI not cmdline)
rotation does work a bit differently:
sscanf(optarg, "%f;%fr%f", &transX, &transY, &rotate);

to set the unit to mil
-umil

can't batch merge but can translate...

the sots are at 3500;862r0

.../xlat.sh sot-143.pcb "3.500,0.862" sots1
.../xlat.sh sot-23.pcb "3.500,1.362" sots2
.../xlat.sh sot-23.pcb "3.500,1.662" sots3
.../xlat.sh sot-23.pcb "3.500,1.962" sots4

y stays unaffected... what's wrong?
commata? yez

----------------xlat.sh-----------------
#!/bin/bash
#./xlat.sh in coord out
#generates out with.
#in translated to coord

gbrlist=".bottom.gbr .bottommask.gbr .bottompaste.gbr .bottomsilk.gbr .top.gbr .topmask.gbr .toppaste.gbr .topsilk.gbr"
cnclist=".plated-drill.cnc .unplated-drill.cnc"
for i in $gbrlist; do echo "xlat $1$i to $3$i"; gerbv -x rs274x -o$3$i -T$2 $1$i; done
for i in $cnclist; do echo "xlat $1$i to $3$i"; gerbv -x drill -o$3$i -T$2 $1$i; done

nevermind. I had an old version. 2.8.2 can batch rotate.
Still no batch merge, but that's less of a problem.