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Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:25:46 -0400
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From: DJ Delorie <dj AT delorie DOT com>
To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
In-reply-to: <55B6674B.9080108@buffalo.edu> (message from Stephen Besch on
	Mon, 27 Jul 2015 13:15:55 -0400)
Subject: Re: [geda-user] bug? in Gerber Export in PCB
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> Specifically, there are three issues. The first is simply figuring
> out how to specify the base directory for the gerber files.

Specify that path as part of gerbfile

> This bit of the GUI really needs a standard Folder Chooser.

If you can come up with a gui-independent folder chooser, sure.  It
has to work under gtk, lesstif, windows, batch, and command line.

> The second issue is the weirdness of the the output file names.

PCB drawing layers do not directly correspond to copper layers.  PCB
drawing layers are combined in groups, the groups define your stackup
(including order) and those correspond to copper layers.  Since we
have no concept of "group names" we assign "group%n" to internal
layers, like we assign "top" and "bottom" to those, despite what you
name the drawing layers.

> The third issue is more serious and irritating. If I draw some stuff on 
> the "Spare" layer and then generate the gerbers, the spare layer 

All PCB layers are considered part of the mechanical PCB somehow.
There's no concept of a layer which doesn't end up as a copper layer
somehow, so all "pcb global" objects (i.e. holes, vias, etc) show up
on all layers.  We make an exception for the "outline" layer but
that's a hack.