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Hackaday reports:
One barrier for those wanting to switch over from EAGLE [software for producing printed circuit boards] to KiCAD has been the lack of a way to convert existing projects from one [file format] to the other. An Eagle to KiCad ULP [User Language Program] exists, but it only converts the schematic--albeit with errors and hence not too helpful. And, for quite some time, KiCad has been able to open Eagle .brd layout files. But without a netlist to read and check for errors, that's not too useful either.
[Lachlan] has written a comprehensive set of Eagle to KiCad ULP scripts to convert schematics, symbols, and footprints. Board conversion is still done using KiCad's built in converter, since it works quite well.
Overall, the process works pretty well, and we were able to successfully convert two projects from Eagle. The entire process took only about 10 to 15 minutes of clean up after running the scripts.
The five scripts and one include file run sequentially once the first one is run. [Lachlan]'s scripts will convert Eagle multi-sheet .sch to KiCad multi-sheets, place global and local net labels for multi sheets, convert multi part symbols, build KiCad footprint modules and symbol libraries from Eagle libraries, create a project directory to store all the converted files, and perform basic error checking.
The Eagle 6.xx PCB files can be directly imported to KiCad. The scripts also convert [Vias] to Pads, which helps with KiCad's flood fill when [Vias] have no connections. This part requires some manual intervention and post processing. There are detailed instructions on [Lachlan]'s GitHub repository and he also walks through the process in the video.
Previous KiCAD-related stories
(Score: 2) by VLM on Wednesday January 13 2016, @12:44PM
Ditto your last line AC
Also
no restrictions on layers and board size
You can almost hear some pointy hair talking to some market droid about how they'll lure engineers in with some drug dealer "first hit is free" model and this has spread like wildfire on the commercial side. Which is good because you can test if the software works at all for what you're trying to do, and hobbists who can't afford $10K/yr will just pirate it anyway so you're not losing any money.
The problem is engineers hate arbitrary constraints. "Sure the competitors sell USB cables that are just trustworthy copper wires, but ours catch fire when you draw more than 375 mA and we don't even charge extra for that." F that, even if I know I'll only like a 20 mA LED with it. Just so not interested. Yeah yeah I don't wanna pay for a giant 4 layer board, I really don't, but I even worse don't want to have to scrap ALL my work if I hit an unavoidable design constraint and now have to rm -Rf the whole project and start over with another CAD project because I have "too many layers" or the board is an inch too wide for the free version. What if next month's new release has different "free" criteria and now I gotta scrap the whole project? I'd never use a tool designed to fail if there's a reliable and consistent tool right next to it that looks a little different but doesn't have any arbitrary constraints.
In summary you can hook people on drugs with "first hit is free" but weird arbitrary constraints are like engineer repellent. May as well tie garlic to the oscilloscope or turn silver bullets into BNC connectors.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 13 2016, @07:26PM
AC from above. I do agree what you said, but also i think for a free version the Eagle limits are ok. If the board size was somewhat bigger, they'd be great for a hobbiest. Personally i don't care about the layers, 2 is enough for me, but the board size and the fact that i like the way Kicad does things better than Eagle is what keeps me using Kicad. I do thank Cadsoft for reasonable free version though, that's what i started with.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 13 2016, @09:46PM
That's the 2nd time you used "free".
The implication is that the app is freeware--the correct term for what you are intimating (EAGLE is definitely -NOT- Free Software).
What you're actually referring to is the demoware version of Cadsoft EAGLE.
Another word for that is crippleware.
Limits:
80mm x 100mm maximum board size (~3" x ~ 4")
2 copper layers
Single-page schematics
Cadsoft has also DRM'd their product.
The DRM is, of course, not mentioned anywhere in their license.
It's possible to get locked out of your work product--and the company has stated that they won't help you recover it.
This has previously been discussed here in some detail. [soylentnews.org]
In the story here about CERN and KiCAD, the experience of Markus Zingg [electrondepot.com] was mentioned specifically.
Cadsoft treats its users like shit (even paid-up customers).
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 14 2016, @10:08AM
Alright, alright, freeware demo version. Ok, i don't know how cadsoft treats their customers, but compared to many many other freeware/demo version of commercial programs, eagle is atleast usable. That's just what i was saying.