X-Authentication-Warning: delorie.com: mail set sender to geda-user-bounces using -f
X-Recipient: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
X-IPAS-Result: =?us-ascii?q?A2EyAAAuR/Vbly4YzoJkHQEBBQEHBQGBUgcBCwEBg1gSJ4x?=
 =?us-ascii?q?vjS6XOIF6DYRsAoQvNQgNAQMBAQEBAQECAgIQAQEBAQEIFgZYQgEOAYRsAQIDJ?=
 =?us-ascii?q?xNPCxgJJQ9IBhODIYIBAQWsCTOKK4wcgX+DdS6KWQKPF5BlCZEhI5EFmCqBRwG?=
 =?us-ascii?q?CDDMaCDCDJ4I1jiY+AQExhz2GdAEB?=
X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="5.56,261,1539640800"; 
   d="scan'208";a="250025563"
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2018 12:55:31 +0100
From: "Gabriel Paubert (paubert AT iram DOT es) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com]" <geda-user AT delorie DOT com>
To: "Richard Rasker (rasker AT linetec DOT nl) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com]" <geda-user AT delorie DOT com>
Subject: Re: [geda-user] Suppressing RefDes silk screen in PCB (Gerber)
 export?
Message-ID: <20181121115531.eurgaa4el6twhpko@lt-gp.iram.es>
References: <cb08346f-bbf3-339d-56c0-3839e1968e6e AT linetec DOT nl>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: <cb08346f-bbf3-339d-56c0-3839e1968e6e@linetec.nl>
User-Agent: NeoMutt/20170113 (1.7.2)
Reply-To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Errors-To: nobody AT delorie DOT com
X-Mailing-List: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
X-Unsubscribes-To: listserv AT delorie DOT com
Precedence: bulk

On Wed, Nov 21, 2018 at 12:31:50PM +0100, Richard Rasker (rasker AT linetec DOT nl) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com] wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> With decreasing component size and increasing component density, it is often
> impossible to put components' RefDes next to the respective components in a
> legible manner.
> 
> In these cases, I usually place the RefDes in the middle of components,
> overlapping the solder pads, so that I still have a good overview of what
> I'm doing while designing the PCB.
> 
> The problem is that some PCB houses signal this as an error, and I have to
> explain that they can simply drop the silk screen print where it overlaps
> with solder pads.
> 
> One PCB house even printed the silk screen on top of solder pads, which
> probably isn't desirable from a soldering point of view (although I didn't
> experience any problems with the reflow process).
> 
> 
> My question: is there a way to suppress the RefDes in the exported Gerber
> files? In the View -> Displayed Element Name menu, PCB offers to show the
> RefDes, the value or the description (footprint) of the component, but no
> option 'none'.

With PCB, you can do it selectively with the H (hidename) key. This
allows you to remove the refdes on small components (0402 and smaller),
but keep them on the large ones.

With pcb-rnd, you just delete the text, but you still see the refdes in small
print in a kind of bounding box around the component.

	Regards,
	Gabriel