What PCB program can do this?

**ddogg_777** · 04-05-2005, 04:06 PM

Hey everyone, I am trying to make my own pcb and I have been searching for a freeware program (eaglesoft perhaps?) that can make a momentary button pad such as you can see in the picture. Any ideas?

**evandude** · 04-05-2005, 04:21 PM

eagle can easily do that. you can create your own parts and add them to the library; you make a symbol, and you make a board layout (in your case, it would be the touchable part and a little of the connecting trace... then you give it two pads so it knows where the traces are supposed to connect) and then you link them together. here's a tutorial.

http://myhome.spu.edu/bolding/EE4211/EagleTutorial4.htm

you won't get such pretty, smooth, rounded shapes like that, but you can certainly get interleaved 'fingers'. if you need some help, PM me and when I have time I can make an example for you and send you the library.

Eagle is an awesome program, I use it all the time, but it is made in germany and although it's in english, some of the features are not quite intuitive.

**ddn** · 04-05-2005, 04:24 PM

*sigh*
Really? Come on.

www.expresspcb.com
www.pad2pab.com
www.pcb123.com

**evandude** · 04-05-2005, 04:31 PM

for the most part though, those commercial programs given by the board manufacturers are pretty limited, and usually are only useful if you want to have that particular company make the board for you... and personally I don't see paying $40 to $50 just to get one, two, or 3 boards made as being a good deal unless it's something really complex.

if all you want is some buttons, you can probably find someone to make the board for you for cheap... many people, like myself, make their own PCB's and could probably make you one for 1/10 the price of those places, and in that case eagle is usually a better solution.