SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-29T08:20:13-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsCustomer #750262 on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPCustomer #750262urn:uuid:77d15067-c3ed-c0ef-d863-6063eb61500c2017-10-01T07:27:36-06:00<p>The "Download the ULP" link is still broken. Is there plans to fix this?</p>
Customer #50206 on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPCustomer #50206urn:uuid:21d5d706-d9ba-30e9-04ec-0b522ffeec632017-09-27T10:22:50-06:00<p>I figured it out. Instead of using the right-click and "save link as" method in the file list, I clicked on the file in GitHub and then right-clicked on the Raw button and "save link as". There is most likely a better procedure but it worked for me. It would be nice to fix the link in this article.</p>
Customer #50206 on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPCustomer #50206urn:uuid:f1416ec9-6745-55c4-e27c-49cdf40c741b2017-09-27T10:06:33-06:00<p>So I'm trying to follow this tutorial but as mentioned below there is an issue with the ULP link. I found the file on GitHub here:
https://github.com/sparkfun/SparkFun_Eagle_Settings/tree/master/ulp
When I try to use the SparkFunConfig.ulp file I get a syntax error. I am using Eagle 8.3.1. Any suggestions?</p>
Customer #1008367 on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPCustomer #1008367urn:uuid:065d80df-2de7-6474-5316-8ac87a2927422017-06-01T08:28:13-06:00<p>The ULP link is broken I believe. Could you fix it please? Thanks!</p>
Customer #792187 on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPCustomer #792187urn:uuid:46b0deae-fbf5-38bc-9813-305e62f4491e2017-03-02T10:42:35-07:00<p>Hi, I'm getting an error "syntax error" when I drag the sparkfun ulp file onto the schematic or board window. I have the eagle 8.0.2 version running on Win12.<p>Cheers,</p><p>Jacques</p></p>
M-Short on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPM-Shorturn:uuid:a9374b48-b1dc-c324-aa88-9276f43fdc132016-02-19T16:58:00-07:00<p>That is commonly the case for Open Source but not a requirement, in fact that really just depends on the copyright license that is chosen. We put our stuff under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" rel="nofollow">Creative Commons</a> license that does require that, but there are plenty of other options that are either more or less restrictive. Open Source really just means that the source is available. Placing a pdf of the schematic and board files would be considered open source as well, but if you wanted to build your own you would have to grab a design program and lay it out yourself. Open Source isn't about making it as easy and cheap as possible for people to take and sell your designs, it is about giving the user information. While we encourage people to take our designs and use them, and even resell them, we are more interested in making sure the customer who buys the board can easily view the schematic and if need be the board layout to understand how the board works.</p>
NorseEngineer on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPNorseEngineerurn:uuid:8ab63b4d-6d82-51af-a2af-3e55a9739b2b2016-02-19T15:27:46-07:00<p>While I understand the draw of Eagle, I feel like if more big companies had hands in the development of free alternates, such as KiCAD, that the software would mature much quicker and thereby gain bigger 'fan base', and in turn allow for more and better development. It would lower the entry cost of designing and producing circuit boards. Its very much the cycle that open OSs such as Ubuntu have seen, and look at their growth.<p>I'm not saying you should switch, as your goal isn't really "open source as an end in and of itself". You know your process better than anyone on these comments, so I'm just providing one argument in favor of at least doing some development with an open platform like KiCAD.</p><p>Thanks for the kind and insightful response!</p></p>
NorseEngineer on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPNorseEngineerurn:uuid:89f8fa7d-7185-b14b-bdb6-0b8445bc07382016-02-19T15:24:25-07:00<p>My understanding of Open Source, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that if you take what has been built, designed, or written before you, you are legally obligated to tell people where you got the base design/code/board and make whatever you are making open source as well. By doing so, you have a sort of collaboration that closed source hardware/software/projects don't have.<p>Now, if you use Eagle (which is a great piece of software) and do as SparkFun has, making lots of open source things, that is great. However, due to the limitations of Eagle, the ideas they have, the projects the start, are limited.</p><p>Take for instance their basic <a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11420" rel="nofollow">signal generator</a>. I saw this and immediately got out some paper and pencils and designed a unit that takes this basic concept and makes in a more robust and fully functional signal generator and <a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9530" rel="nofollow">data logger</a> (which incidentally also is a product at SparkFun).</p><p>I ran into a big issue however when the board eclipsed the maximum size of the free version of Eagle. Not only that, but I soon realized that I could never legally sell any boards I designed with Eagle. So, I was stuck. Do this bit of engineering on my own, and for myself only in Eagle, or start porting this stuff to KiCAD (or some other open product).</p><p>That is a project I've put aside for the time being because I don't want to redo the work that has already been done.</p></p>
Rasheverak on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPRasheverakurn:uuid:b5da2d37-96f8-77d0-6f77-fde771247ace2016-02-19T09:38:38-07:00<p>The awkward moment when you can write ULPs for EAGLE that are better than EAGLE's actual preference panes.</p>
M-Short on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPM-Shorturn:uuid:d5666bdc-5acb-5d11-2613-4013970e8f5d2016-02-19T09:00:28-07:00<p>That's a tricky one. We are committed to Open Source because we want you the customer to have access to the files and be able to view them. Since Eagle has a free version it fits our needs. While we've periodically looked into different software Eagle seems to fit the needs of our engineers (and our budget) the best without compromising the customers ability to view files. While we are committed to Open Source we also use tools like Windows, MacOS, and Linux in the building because each has its advantages and works well in certain applications. Personally I see Open Source as a tool, or an means to an end, with the end being transparency to the user. But I don't see Open Source as an end in and of itself.</p>
.Brent. on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULP.Brent.urn:uuid:1b05d15e-c0cf-1407-16a3-0b0913b238ed2016-02-18T22:01:07-07:00<p>Good to know. Which version of EAGLE? What OS are you running?</p>
bithead942 on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPbithead942urn:uuid:7c794846-f571-b80e-38a0-be4bbd827a192016-02-18T21:30:17-07:00<p>FYI: I got errors when I dropped the file onto a library window. It worked ok when I dropped it onto a board window.</p>
dvdnhm on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPdvdnhmurn:uuid:6753a7dd-f3c4-6efd-b419-a7d092423ca02016-02-18T19:47:01-07:00<p>Eagle files are open, you can even change it with notepad. what difference it would make whether the software open-source or not?<p>I think the reason is Eagle is more common, it is being around for 28 years. Also Eagle design files are available from major manufacturers, ie: Atmel, TI. I download their experiment board designs to check schematics and use the parts in my own design. So I dont have to create my own library. I never see a design package for KiCAD.</p></p>
NorseEngineer on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPNorseEngineerurn:uuid:d82d4362-279b-4f7f-4d1f-64e54e8a1eb52016-02-18T16:53:37-07:00<p>I'm surprised that with SparkFun's commitment to Open Source that all their boards are Eagle files only. Why not use a platform, like KiCAD, that is as open as the schematics themselves?</p>
.Brent. on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULP.Brent.urn:uuid:726ba416-77b7-535f-d2f5-f7b5ff2864262016-02-18T10:29:22-07:00<p>The user is free to choose any directory they want by clicking the change buttons. I tried using a more customized path. If EAGLE supports creating intermediate directories as required, it doesn't doesn't make it easy. I could get the OS_SIGNATURE, parse it, and then uses the commands and existing paths for that OS to make specific system calls to create the necessary directories. I decided not to do all of that work to make that preference decision for the user. Leaving the files in the old version might be helpful and currently only takes up about 1/2 MB. If you want to change the defaults edit lines 25 through 29 of the ULP. If you customize the ULP, you might want to comment out line 616 to prevent updates from overwriting your changes. A feature to fix that could be implemented in the future.</p>
dksmall on Enginursday: Configuring EAGLE PCB Design Software with a ULPdksmallurn:uuid:7cc26677-00ff-d815-af26-ea4284fbf6702016-02-18T10:05:18-07:00<p>The problem I see using the directory commands the way you do, is everytime there's an Eagle update, you will need to move your scripts, libraries, and ulp files from eagle-7.5.0 to eagle-7.something_new. Why not specify something outside the application path that won't change with every Eagle update?</p>