Ospark.com's quote section took a gerber .zip file (generated by Eagle
version 3.5) and said it couldn't find the board outline. It showed a few
other problems too which have been fixed, thanks to several people showing
working gerber code. Oshpark's need for a different form of board outline
seems to be the only remaining difficulty.
I'm hoping someone who has used Oshpark (or 4pcb.com?) will send a Gerber
..zip file that has been accepted to me at gbx@rs-big-print.com. This will
provide a "known good" example of a board outline that I can use as a model
when generating gerber files. Also, it needn't be generated by Eagle but just
be in accordance with Oshpark/4pcb's expectations.

Hul

Hul Tytus <ht@panix.com> wrote:
>
> Ospark.com's quote section took a gerber .zip file (generated by Eagle
> version 3.5) and said it couldn't find the board outline. It showed a few
> other problems too which have been fixed, thanks to several people showing
> working gerber code. Oshpark's need for a different form of board outline
> seems to be the only remaining difficulty.

It's been a while since I last used Eagle, but as I remember:

You draw the board outline on the Dimension layer 20 - ie if it's a rectangle,
four lines forming a closed loop.

I've not used Oshpark but it seems their CAM export script takes it from
there:
https://docs.oshpark.com/design-tools/eagle/generating-gerbers/

(on other CAMs you may have to add the Dimension layer to copper gerbers so
the fab picks it up from there, but that CAM generates a separate
..boardoutline.ger file)

> I'm hoping someone who has used Oshpark (or 4pcb.com?) will send a Gerber
> .zip file that has been accepted to me at gbx@rs-big-print.com. This will
> provide a "known good" example of a board outline that I can use as a model
> when generating gerber files. Also, it needn't be generated by Eagle but just
> be in accordance with Oshpark/4pcb's expectations.

If you did the above, is there something wrong with your lines that they
aren't being picked up? Does a Gerber viewer make sense of your
..boardoutline.ger file?

I don't have any examples I'm afraid, but when I was using Eagle the
dimension layer was picked up by the fab successfully (although I do recall
first time around having this problem as I failed to tick it in CAM export)

Theo

I did look at Oshpark's .cam data but not what you have mentioned.
The outline code appears ok now but I'll keep your suggestions on record
just in case something changes.

Hul

Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote:
> Hul Tytus <ht@panix.com> wrote:
> >
> > Ospark.com's quote section took a gerber .zip file (generated by Eagle
> > version 3.5) and said it couldn't find the board outline. It showed a few
> > other problems too which have been fixed, thanks to several people showing
> > working gerber code. Oshpark's need for a different form of board outline
> > seems to be the only remaining difficulty.

> It's been a while since I last used Eagle, but as I remember:

> You draw the board outline on the Dimension layer 20 - ie if it's a rectangle,
> four lines forming a closed loop.

> I've not used Oshpark but it seems their CAM export script takes it from
> there:
> https://docs.oshpark.com/design-tools/eagle/generating-gerbers/

> (on other CAMs you may have to add the Dimension layer to copper gerbers so
> the fab picks it up from there, but that CAM generates a separate
> .boardoutline.ger file)

> > I'm hoping someone who has used Oshpark (or 4pcb.com?) will send a Gerber
> > .zip file that has been accepted to me at gbx@rs-big-print.com. This will
> > provide a "known good" example of a board outline that I can use as a model
> > when generating gerber files. Also, it needn't be generated by Eagle but just
> > be in accordance with Oshpark/4pcb's expectations.

> If you did the above, is there something wrong with your lines that they
> aren't being picked up? Does a Gerber viewer make sense of your
> .boardoutline.ger file?

> I don't have any examples I'm afraid, but when I was using Eagle the
> dimension layer was picked up by the fab successfully (although I do recall
> first time around having this problem as I failed to tick it in CAM export)

> Theo