footprinter.xyz - Quick footprints from component datasheets - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: fredgreer
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 12, 2019, 01:16:19 pm
content: Hi all,I've been hacking away at a little project you might find useful:http://footprinter.xyz/It's a very basic footprint editor that lets you draw pads on top of the recommended footprints from component datasheets.There's more information on GitHub athttps://github.com/fredgreer/footprinterPlease let me know if it helps you!

author: pierreraymondrondelle
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2019, 01:02:37 pm
content: Hi,Please tell me how to use it and what version of Kicad it is compatible with.Thanks in advance.

author: Spirit532
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2019, 09:18:20 pm
content: That is really great!A couple suggestions:Snap alignment of pads to others - not to a grid, just so that they're all straight and of the same size.Very basic edge recognition to snap to lines on the document

author: ignilux
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2019, 10:22:27 pm
content: Neat! One thing I would suggest would be to have the size of new pads be equal to the size of the most recent pad placed.

author: Habropoda
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2019, 12:35:25 am
content: There is some sort of copy function shown on the demo but I don't see how it is started. Is this working for anyone?

author: Spirit532
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2019, 12:37:01 am
content: Quote from: Habropoda on May 22, 2019, 12:35:25 amCtrl+C and then Ctrl+V works for me.

author: Habropoda
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2019, 12:39:44 am
content: That does it. Thanks!

author: pierreraymondrondelle
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2019, 09:56:22 am
content: Hi,How do you install / use it ?There's no executable, so I think that it's a plugin. I'm stuck here !Regards

author: Habropoda
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 04:37:00 am
content: It's not a plug in. It works as a web page in Firefox but would not work in IE. Try a different browser.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 05:11:55 am
content: Don't those things in the datasheet always say "not to scale" and such?

author: pierreraymondrondelle
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 10:42:58 am
content: Quote from: Habropoda on May 23, 2019, 04:37:00 amNot so obvious to openhttp://footprinter.xyz/! The readme file is very confusing.Thanks a lot anyway, you put me on the right way.Regards

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 23, 2019, 11:40:31 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on May 23, 2019, 05:11:55 amyup. exactly my first thought ... also vertical and horizontal may be differently scaled.i would like to see a 'solidowrks style' interface.you draw shapes and specify distances / lengths between objects.

author: Nerull
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2019, 03:36:42 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on May 23, 2019, 11:40:31 amVery much this. Every time I have to draw something in any EDA I've tried I find myself really wishing I had a dimension tool.

author: mark03
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2019, 04:39:27 pm
content: The nice thing about Kicad is that the footprint format is plain text and fairly simple. With some practice you can have a text editor open in one window, the datasheet in another, and just enter the footprint by hand. This is much faster than any graphical tool.

author: thinkfat
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 08:30:05 am
content: I tried it briefly to create a QFN40 footprint from a datasheet.Precision is not good, to match the pad sizes from the datasheet I still end up entering the actual numbers from the datasheet, I'm not able to match the numbers using the visual interfacePositioning of the pads is consequently offPositioning the pads with the mouse is tedious and difficult get the necessary precisionScreen captures from the datasheet, which is what I'd mostly do, doesn't give a reference precise enough. All the lines are multiple pixels thickFootprint attached for reference

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 03:49:49 pm
content: Quote from: thinkfat on June 03, 2019, 08:30:05 amfootprints like that are easy to make. it's the crap like this that is a pain in the butt :

author: thinkfat
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 08:09:33 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on June 03, 2019, 03:49:49 pmYeah, I know. If you need a standard footprint there are other, better options, like the footprint wizards in KiCADBut still, I'd prefer a parametric input instead of a point-n-click interface, which might get me a result quickly but what's it worth if the pads are a couple 10ths of millimeters off because it's not possible to setup the scale or place the pads with enough precision.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 09:19:06 pm
content: Quote from: thinkfat on June 03, 2019, 08:09:33 pmexactly. Last friday i had to make one for a power ic that had pads with 45 degree and 33 degree angles in them ... QFN device with internal pads ,pads with cutout , pads that widen as the enter the body. And of course datasheet had all measurements .... except the ones i need ( center of pad and pad length and width. They only gave the edge coordinates ... mmaaargghhhhh so i modeled it in solidworks since there you can easily specify anything to anything and the tool will warp and bend your sketch to your specification. ) load the step file in altium -> create pcb from 3d body model . kaploink. done.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2019, 09:28:45 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on June 03, 2019, 03:49:49 pmAnd connectors. Especially the ones that come without 3d file to verify, and interlock with an enclosure, with a datasheet full with strange mix of imperial and metric values. Drafted by a person who is a mechanical engineer, never made a footprint in his life and doesn't really speak English.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2019, 02:52:50 pm
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on June 03, 2019, 09:28:45 pmyup, those too.. i HATE connectors. to the point that, if a manufacturer can not provide a detailed STEP file i refuse to use their product.

author: LapTop006
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 07, 2019, 09:45:48 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on June 04, 2019, 02:52:50 pmHave you found you're able to trust those STEP files? So far I've always created the part per the numbers and just considered it a bonus if the step file works, let alone is fully detailed (and not obnoxious colours).