This article will give you a short introduction how to use EAGLE right first time. We have prepared it in collaboration with our friend Richard Hammerl from CadSoft.

Control Panel

EAGLE Control Panel is the EAGLE starting window.

Use the Control Panel

  • To overview the Libraries and the User Language Programs already installed in EAGLE.
  • To manage new and existing projects.
  • Customize your program settings.

TIP

In Options User Interface activate “Always Vector font” and “Persistent in this drawing” so your text is always optimized for Gerber output.

Design Link

Use the DesignLink function while you are drawing your schematic

  • To look up technical data on a particular component.
  • To check out availability and price.
  • To place online orders for components used.

TIP

DesignLink works in collaboration with Farnell/element14. Via a link to the Premier Farnell website it provides information on more than 550,000 components.

To access, click on the DesignLink icon in the schematic editor and choose the General option.

Schemetic

Use the EAGLE schematic section

  • To draw your own schematic.
  • To edit or adapt an existing schematic.
  • To access EAGLE’s massive pre-installed component libraries.

TIP

  1. Never change the 0.1inch grid. All EAGLE schematic symbols in all libraries are based on this grid. You can set it to millimeter (2.54mm), but don’t change it. NOTE: the drawing grid is used just for the schematics; it is completely independent of the board layout grid.
  2. Click the DISPLAY icon and switch on layer 93, Pins. Then you can see exactly where the pins of a component have to be connected to a net.
  3. Use the NET command to draw a connection (net). Not the WIRE command.

Layout

To layout your PCB, open the Layout Editor from Schematics.

  • All connections are changed into point to point “airwires”.
  • Use the ROUTE command to convert each airwire into a track.
  • Run the RATSNEST command to check that all connections have been made.

TIP

  1. If you are using BGAs or SMDs, select a grid that matches the component grid.
  2. Always load an appropriate set of DRC rules (minimum track, gap etc.). Download EAGLE DRC files (DRU files) from our website here. These use the parameters of our low-cost pooling services to help you achieve the most cost-effective board layout.
  3. You can load EAGLE .BRD files directly onto our website. If you prefer to output Gerber and drill files, always use matching 2.6 inch formats for both to eliminate rounding and mismatch errors.