Gerber Object

A Gerber object holds the layers of a Gerber file: copper, mask, silkscreen and outline. It is the starting point for most PCB work. The object shows the shapes as polygons and flashes, and it gives the source for the isolation, cutout and clearing tools.

Where to find it

• File > Open > Open Gerber (shortcut Ctrl+G). Select a Gerber file (.gbr, .gtl, .gbl, .gto, .gm1 and similar).
• Project tree: a Gerber row. The title of its Properties tab is Gerber Object.
• Use the Gerber Editor button in the Properties tab to edit the object. See Gerber Editor.

Screenshot placeholder: images/Gerber-Object-1.png - the Properties tab of a Gerber object with the General Information frame open.

Quick start

1. Open a Gerber file with Ctrl+G.
2. Select the new Gerber row in the Project tree.
3. Check that Solid is on and the copper looks correct on the canvas.
4. Click Isolation Routing in the Plugins frame to make a Geometry object for the isolation paths. See Isolation Routing.
5. Click Generate Geometry in the Bounding Box part of the Utilities frame to make a box around the board, if you need a board outline. See Cutout.

Parameters

General Information (Plot Options)

Parameter	Description	Default
Solid (check box)	Shows the polygons as filled shapes. Clear it to show only the outlines.	On (gerber_solid)
Multi-Color (check box)	Draws each polygon in a different color.	Off (gerber_multicolored)
Name (text box)	The object name in the project. Press Enter to apply.	Object name
Plot (check box)	Shows or hides the object on the canvas.	On (gerber_plot)
Follow (check box)	Makes a Follow geometry: the path that cuts through the middle of each trace. This check box is shown in Advanced mode only.	Off (gerber_follow)
Gerber Editor (button)	Starts the Gerber Editor for this object.	-
INFO (toggle button)	Shows or hides the attribute tree of the object (bounds, units, shape counts).	Hidden

Tools Table (Apertures)

This frame is shown in Advanced mode only.

Parameter	Description	Default
Apertures (check box)	Shows or hides the apertures table.	Off (gerber_aperture_display)
Mark All (check box)	When on, shows all apertures on the canvas. When off, removes all the mark shapes from the canvas.	Off
Apertures table - #	The index of the aperture.	-
Apertures table - Code	The aperture code (for example D10).	-
Apertures table - Type	The aperture type: circular, rectangle, macro and similar.	-
Apertures table - Size	The aperture size.	-
Apertures table - Dim	The dimensions. For R and O types: width and height. For P type: diameter and number of vertices.	-
Apertures table - M (check box per row)	Marks the aperture instances on the canvas.	Off
Buffer Solid Geometry (button)	Makes the buffered geometry that the isolation needs. The button is shown only when the Gerber file was loaded without buffering.	-

Plugins

Each button starts a tool with this object as its source.

Button	Result	Page
Isolation Routing	A Geometry object with the paths that cut around the copper.	Isolation Routing
Cutout	The geometry for the board cutout.	Cutout
Film	A positive or negative film for UV exposure.	Film
NCC	A Geometry object for non-copper clearing.	Non-Copper Clearing
Follow	A Geometry object with the follow paths.	Follow

Utilities (shown with the Utilities button)

Parameter	Description	Default
Non-copper regions - Boundary Margin	The distance from the outer copper to the edge of the box that surrounds all objects. In mm (or inch).	0.1 (gerber_noncoppermargin)
Non-copper regions - Rounded (check box)	The resulting geometry has rounded corners.	Off (gerber_noncopperrounded)
Non-copper regions - Generate Geometry (button)	Makes a Geometry object named <name>_noncopper. It is the area outside the copper, inside the margin box.	-
Bounding Box - Boundary Margin	The distance from the edges of the box to the nearest polygon. In mm (or inch).	0.1 (gerber_bboxmargin)
Bounding Box - Rounded (check box)	The box has rounded corners. The radius is equal to the margin.	Off (gerber_bboxrounded)
Bounding Box - Generate Geometry (button)	Makes a Geometry object named <name>_bbox. The shape is a square box around the object.	-

Transformations

These controls are the same for all object types. See Object Operations for the full list.

Parameter	Description	Default
Scale (text box)	The factor for the scale. Expressions are allowed, for example 1/25.4.	1.0
Scale (button)	Scales the object by the factor. A factor of 1.0 does nothing.	-
Offset (text box)	The move in X and Y, in the form (x, y). Expressions are allowed, for example (1/3.2, 0.5*3).	(0, 0)
Offset (button)	Moves the object by the offset.	-
Transformations (button)	Opens the Transform tool for this object. See Transform.	-

Beginner / Advanced (level button)

Click the level button in the title bar to switch the object between Beginner and Advanced mode. In Beginner mode, the Tools Table frame, the aperture table check box and the Follow check box are hidden.

Context menu

Right-click a Gerber row in the Project tree. The entries are described in Objects Overview. The Join entries As Gerber, As Excellon and As Geometry convert the object. See Object Operations.

Advanced

• Units: the units of a Gerber file come from its header. A file without a unit setting uses the Gerber import default (gerber_def_units, inch). The object uses the units of the project. See Preferences-Gerber.
• Buffering: the buffer decides how the copper is made. The default is full (gerber_buffering). With delayed buffering (gerber_delayed_buffering), the buffer is made later, when a tool needs it. Use the Buffer Solid Geometry button when the file was loaded without buffering.
• Simplification and the circle steps are set in Preferences-Gerber. The options change how the object is read.
• Aperture scale and Aperture buffer factors are set in Preferences-Gerber.
• Multi-Color and Solid only change the drawing. The shapes stay the same.
• To change the shapes of the object, use the Gerber Editor or the transform operations in Object Operations.

See also

• Objects Overview - Excellon Object - Geometry Object
• Gerber Editor - Importing Files - Preferences-Gerber
• Isolation Routing - Non-Copper Clearing - Cutout - Follow - Film
• Object Operations - Glossary