Using ImgScan with LinkCAD

ImgScan does the raster-to-vector step; LinkCAD takes over from there. LinkCAD reads all three formats ImgScan writes, so you can check the result in the viewer, combine it with other layers, and convert it to formats ImgScan does not write, such as GDSII or OASIS.

ImgScan EXPORT	Open in LinkCAD as	LinkCAD documentation
GERBER	Gerber RS-274X	Gerber RS-274X
DXF	DXF	DXF
ODB++	ODB++, step step	ODB++

In the LinkCAD window

1. Convert the image with ImgScan, for example with EXPORT=GERBER.
2. Start LinkCAD. Select Gerber RS-274X as the import format and the target format as the export format, for example GDSII.
3. Open the file ImgScan wrote. Its coordinates are already in real units, set by PIXEL; no scaling is needed.
4. Check the result in the viewer, then finish the conversion as described in the conversion workflow.

In one batch file

Both programs run from the command line, so one batch file can convert an image all the way to GDSII. LinkCAD runs only if ImgScan succeeded:

@echo off
cd /d "%~dp0"
Exe\ImgScan.exe IMAGE=In\Test.bmp OUTPUT=Out\Out_Test.gbr EXPORT=GERBER ^
  PIXEL=1.0 THRESH=80 TRASHNUM=3 ACCURACY=2 BDWIDTH=2000 END
if %errorlevel% neq 0 exit /b 1
"C:\Program Files\LinkCAD 11\linkcad.exe" -i Out\Out_Test.gbr ^
  --input-format "Gerber RS-274X" -o Out\Out_Test.gds --output-format GDSII ^
  --quit --no-save-settings

For the other ImgScan formats, change the LinkCAD input options:

ImgScan output	LinkCAD options
Out_Test.gbr	--input-format "Gerber RS-274X"
Out_Test.dxf	--input-format DXF
Out_Test.tgz	--input-format ODB++ --OdbppInStep step

See the LinkCAD command-line interface for all options.

ImgScan or LinkCAD bitmap import?

LinkCAD can also import bitmaps itself. That is the quicker route for small images, such as a logo or a single die. Use ImgScan for large scans, for example a complete circuit board panel at 1 µm per pixel, and for its control over threshold, noise removal and band processing.