The GBRipSpool Monitor runs in the background and waits for files to be placed into a "hot folder" to be processed. When it detects the presence of a file in the hot folder it launches the GBR_RIP program, rasterizing the file and producing a bitmap file.
The user can define multiple "hot folders" or directories to be monitored by GBRipSpool. Each hot folder can have its own settings as to the image area, DPI, output directory and other rasterizer settings.
Once the Gerber file has been rasterized, it is deleted from the hot folder. All that is left in the hot folder is a log file which summarizes the time required to RIP.
From the Main Menu you can configure the monitor, pause or stop it and view the log file.
Each Hot Folder (also known as a "watched folder" ) can be configured separately for a different RIP behavior. For example, one might set up a "standard" hot folder where the RIP does no rotation, mirroring or scaling. Any Gerber file sent to this hot folder is processed directly as drawn by the user.
A second hot folder could be defined that rotates the input data by 90 degrees around the center of the plate. You could call this hot folder rotate90.
Run in Foreground - When this option is checked, the GBR_RIP Program will automatically appear in the foreground when a new file is placed in a “hot folder”.
Timeout - When this option is checked, the program will stop trying to process a file after the specified number of seconds in which the user has entered. If this item is not checked, the program will continue to process the file endlessly.
In general, for each hot folder the RIP can be configured to run differently. The RIP reads a configuration file but rather than force the end user to manually edit it we have provided a GUI that can read and write the configuration file.
Click on any of the various sections for more details on its function.
GBRipSpool reads a configuration program located in the same directory as GBRipSpool. The configuration file is an ASCII table that controls all aspects of how the monitor runs. The GUI reads and writes this file.
# GBRipSpool Configuration File
DisplayStatus: <Y/N> changed by "Run in Foreground"
Timeout: <integer> seconds to timeout
HOTFOLDER: <string> name of the Hot Folder
Path: <string> path of the Hot Folder
Destination: <string> output of the Hot Folder
GerberFormat: <RS274X/RS274D> format of Gerber input files
[Aperture: <string>] path of the aperture file, only for RS274D
[Archive: <string>] path to archive folder, only if archive is on
GerberExtensions: <string> comma-separated list of Gerber file extensions
Unit: <inch/mm> units in Gerber file
DPI: <integer> Dots Per Inch
Format: <Tiff/Packbits/ Output format
Bitmap/RawBitmap>
Flatness: <integer> amount to flatten curves
Inverse: <Y/N> Whether to invert polarity
Rotate: <double> Degrees to rotate counterclockwise
MirrorX: <Y/N> whether to mirror horizontally
MirrorY: <Y/N> whether to mirror vertically
ScaleX: <double> factor for horizontal scaling
ScaleY: <double> factor for vertical scaling
Clip: <Y/N> Y for manual clip region, N for automatic
Repeat: <Y/N> Y to step and repeat image, N otherwise
StepNX: <integer> times to repeat horizontally, if Repeat: Y
StepDX: <double> horiz. distance between repeats, if Repeat: Y
StepNY: <integer> times to repeat vertically, if Repeat: Y
StepDY: <double> vert. distance between repeats, if Repeat: Y
Margin: <double> margin around image
ImageWidth: <double> width of image, only if no margin
ImageHeight: <double> height of image, only if no margin
Centered: <Y/N> Y if image to be centered, only if no margin
OffsetX: <double> image x offset from lower-right, if no
margin & not centered
OffsetY: <double> image y offset from lower-right, if no
margin & not centered
EXAMPLE
# GBRipSpool Configuration File DisplayStatus: Y Timeout: 300 HOTFOLDER: 274x - inch Path: E:\gbrip\274xinch Destination: E:\gbrip\output GerberFormat: RS274X GerberExtensions: gbr,gbrt,ger,art,pho,274x Unit: inch DPI: 1000 Format: Bitmap Colors: 16 Flatness: 1 Inverse: Y Rotate: 90 MirrorX: Y MirrorY: N ScaleX: 1 ScaleY: 1.5 Clip: N Repeat: Y StepNX: 1 StepDX: 26.6 StepNY: 1 StepDY: 13.3 ImageWidth: 54.56 ImageHeight: 43.5 Centered: Y