package is in use

Community PCB Design
1

I am moving to Eagle, but now I am having my doubts about my decision as some really simple things seem to be incredibly counter-intuitive.

I have created my own land pattern for a part, and now simply want to edit it.

When adding more pads, I get the error “package is in use”

but it is not in use. I selected the library in the library tree, right clicked and un-ticked “use”

What should I do?

2

This is probably the most annoying thing in Eagle. You need to disconnect the package from all devices it is in use by in order to add and remove pads. You can however fix geometries and even naming while everything is associated.

3

Yeesh… so if I had a Dip8 package with a hundred odd configs and I wanted to modify it slightly, I’d have to disconnect all of the 800 pins then reconnect pin by pin, while at the same time risking stuffing up any existing schematics and boards that use that land pattern???

Looks like I have to be very very careful and just make sure I get it right the first time. Better to learn the lesson early on… thanks theatrus

4

If you had a DIP8, you would not suddenly turn it into a DIP10. You can change the footprint, but you cannot:

  • add pads

  • remove pads

Thats it.

5

Fair enough. Adding pads is fundamentally changing the part after all.

Thanks for your answer. And well done to Sparkfun for the Eagle tutorial.