Support board outlines from Eagle, KiCad, and others

[Eliot Phillips]

This has been scattered across a few posts and issues (of mine) so I thought I'd formalize the request.

Both KiCad and EAGLE represent their board outlines with a graphic line. In EAGLE you draw it on the the Dimensions layer. In KiCad it's drawn on the Edge.Cuts layer.

Both programs output it as a Gerber file with a graphic line representing the board edge. The center of that line is where the intended board edge is.

Currently you could get by by opening the gerber using -follow (follow doesn't work right now), then generating an isolation path off of that, then using exteriors to pick the outside isolation path and generate a cncjob based on it.

It would be nice to have one command that handled that.

The end goal being, whether you're sending your board to a PCB manufacturer or cutting it yourself with the help of FlatCAM, you just need to create one set of Gerber files that isn't specific to either process.

[Juan Pablo Caram]

Just to be clear... you would like a single-click solution for this? I ask because I believe it can be done the way the program is right now.

Could you please attach a gerber with an example board outline?

[Eliot Phillips]

Gerber includes both radiused and filleted corners.

[Eliot Phillips]

Yes, I think this is a one button solution that would exist the same place as the current "Board cutout:" tool or as an enhancement to the current tool.

The board outline layer is also used to specify unplated slots and internal cutouts.

[Juan Pablo Caram]

Merged with #215