V10 does not PRINT at all....

Question

I just want to scream, really.....
I'm in the process of creating new components in Ultiboard and need to verify that sizing and orientation. I did the usual by selecting all the mech layers, drill layer, and the top silk, when I click preview, the image looks exactly as it should.....I hit print, it send the data to my printer.....and what comes out is a nice clean white sheet of paper.......thats it.....nothing else.
I try several times...no dice
I try to add every single layer.....still nice virgin white sheet of paper comes out.
I immediately run a "print test page" from windows xp....it comes out exactly as Microsoft coded it.....nothing wrong with the printer.
Try to do a direct print from the icon ribbon....still same output.......NOTHING.
I would classify this as a critical to severe error.
Anyone seeing this?
Chris
Signature: Looking for a footprint, component, model? Might be here > http://ni.kittmaster.com

Answer 1

I export as .DXF format files and open and print them from my CAD software, so I never had occasion to try a direct print.  So, as an experiment, I did an electronic print of the silkscreen layer on a small board design of mine, using Acrobat's PDF printer.  I got a result, but noticed it took a long, long time.  It was also missing the arcs I have in the outline of a selector switch.  Not cool. 
I will speculate the lengthy generating time results from something I noticed with the .DXF format files.  That is, arcs are piece-wise approximations made up of line segments, while solids, including round pads, are clusters of filled polygons.  Normally, .DXF, as currently exported from a number of CAD programs, makes arcs and circles by employing center point location and radius commands, and will fill a defined closed circle.  That the exported board files are not done this way clutters the result with large numbers of little elements, making them large for their content and slow to render in CAD software.  It is an area where a little sophistication would go a long way toward improving the portability of the output.
It may be that your printer is having trouble with the bulk of the clutter?  If it has a driver that doesn't play nicely with the spooler, that could also explain it?
As to checking dimensions, I would use the tools in Ultiboard.  Set the working layer to silkscreen and use the Place|Dimensions command.  Just don't set the dimension down on the layout after you have it; cancel it instead.  Otherwise, you can place the dimension, then use Undo to get rid of it.  I've have had no problems with the accuracy of the sizes being as dimensioned.  I have, however, seen printers that are a bit off when it comes to keeping X and Y well matched, so I consider them a less reliable check of dimensions.  Incidentally, to do this, you will probably want to right click in the board window with nothing selected, then pick Properties from the flyout menu.  Click on the Grid & units tab and set the visible grid and also the component, copper, and via grid steps to a small size, like 0.001" or even 0.0005" to make it easier to zoom in and pick out small dimensional differences.
Message Edited by Unclenick on 08-08-2007 07:30 PM
Message Edited by Unclenick on 08-08-2007 07:30 PM