Problem in creating Board from Schematic in Eagle! Help!

[pannaguma]

Hi guys,
i have spent about 4-5 days viewing Eagle tutorials by Warren Young (Tangentsoft) and Jason (rpcelectronics). Well it helped me build my own parts (will upload it here soon) and also i seem to be done with the schematic.

But in the step in which you make the board is where i am getting stuck.
In the tutorial by Jason, it shows a rectangular box representing the PCB board dimensions, visible next to the diagram of the parts along with the air wires. I think u have to drag the part on to the rectangle, and then sort out the wiring.

But i cant see the rectangle anywhere, nor am i able to figure out how to turn it on.
Please help me out.

Thanks for reading.

 

[daviddlc]

One way is:

- Select the Draw Lines tool
- Select the Dimension layer
- Select widht of the line to 0
- Start the rectangle from origin 0,0

You are done

 

[keith1200rs]

When you switch to the PCB, make sure the dimension layer is turned on, layer 20. The outline doesn't need to be zero width (and may be hard to see if it is). I use 0.2mm.

Keith

 

[pannaguma]

Thanks for the replies david and keith. That seems to have worked. Created my first set of gerber files!

But I have a new doubt now...its related to drill holes.
Well, basically I am just starting out and my first board is an evaluation board for 0.5"x0.5" size VCOs from Crystek Corp.

I bought a 0.3"x0.3" size eval board, which I am using as a guide to build my own board. So the original board has drill holes all over it. Also I read somewhere that drill holes are required for surface mount type devices. The VCO I have is SMT.

Well this hasnt been covered in the tutorials AFAIK, so can someone tell me in which step do we add the drill holes? Also as a general thumb rule, what dia of the drill hole should we allow? (the overall VCO size is 0.5"x0.5")

Also I am attaching the picture of the eval board for reference, the dimensions of which are 2"x1.5".
**broken link removed**

Finally, I guess I also need the screw holes at the four corners...again is the procedure same as for above? or is it different?

Thanks for reading.

 

[keith1200rs]

For mounting holes there is an icon on the left. I am not near a computer so cannot remember if it is called drill or hole - a circle with a crosshair in it.

The drills you mention are vias connecting two side of ground plane. Assuming you have both sides as ground, type via 'GND' or use the via symbol. You need to make sure it is connected to ground - whatever name you have given it. You can do that when you create it by typing 'GND' or change the name after you have placed it. To change it after, use 'name' - the same command/icon used to change component names (not values). Around 0.5mm should be ok unless it looks huge when you add it compared to other components. If so, reduce it but make sure you PCB supplier can make it (most can manage 0.3mm).

Keith