GBR2MIC is intended to read a RS274X (Gerber) file and to convert it into a MIC (ver 1.5) file for the Mycronic Large Area Laser Writer (LRS). The GBR2MIC program should produce the identical results on the LRS as the Gerber file would produce on a photo plotter.1
Multiple RS274D files may be loaded and processed as a group as long as they share a common set of aperture definitions. The GBR2MIC software enables the user to specify which of the files are to be processed and their polarity.
The GBR2MIC program creates a single MIC file from a complex RS274X file. It does not rely on any MIC Boolean operations but will decompose all Gerber Boolean operations (such as those generated from complex aperture macros or from LPD/LPC commands) into dark regions or polygons.
There may be Gerber files where the operator of GBR2MIC determines that the boolean and overlap functions are not required and will only slow down the translation. In this case the operator has the option to adjust the conversion from a software setting. GBR2MIC offers a range of different approaches designed to provide a MIC file that rasterizes very efficiently. This option becomes very important for extremely large Gerber files.
Polygons (area fill boundaries) in the Gerber source are not allowed to self intersect. GBR2MIC will detect any such polygon and issue a warning, marking the coordinates of that violation in an ascii log file. Gerber draw commands often self-intersect and GBR2MIC shall either fix such self intersections automatically or shall issue a warning with coordinates if it is unable to correctly fix the problem. In no case should GBR2MIC either drop data or create an invalid MIC file.
GBR2MIC can be run from a GUI (graphical user interface) which takes a user through the various settings and controls to produce the desired output.
1. Some RS274X commands are not supported. View the list here.