I'm using CircuitMaker 2000, a layout program a quarter of a century old, but it's served me well for dozens of designs. I've never had a problem sending the program's Gerber files to fabricators, but recently I'm being told that "...your .DRL file doesn't call out the hole specs." The CircuitMaker manual claims that Excellon gear looks for a .TOL file for hole diameters, and sure enough, that's exactly where the hole sizes are. Does anyone know why "offshore" PCB shops aren't able to correlate the .DRL and .TOL files?

 

No, Excellon drill format is not obsolete.
I have been using CircuitMaker (even before version 2000) for many years now and never knew that it had TraxMaker.
So I looked into this, and yes, the drill tool table is in .TOL file.
Try changing the file extension to .DRI and sending it along with the .TXT file back to the board shop.

 

No, Excellon drill format is not obsolete.
I have been using CircuitMaker (even before version 2000) for many years now and never knew that it had TraxMaker.
So I looked into this, and yes, the drill tool table is in .TOL file.
Try changing the file extension to .DRI and sending it along with the .TXT file back to the board shop.

 

Aha! Thanks much for that MrChips! I did have one overseas fabricator discover the .TOL file and was able to use the drill size info there. Others were stymied.

I really lament the passing of CircuitMaker. It creates publication-quality schematics, has a capable SPICE modeling utility, and the accompanying TraxMaker layout program is not only intuitive and well documented, but I have at least a hundred custom footprints that I would have to re-do for another provider's program. Despite my workmates recommending I upgrade to something newer, at age 85 I think I'll muddle through with CircuitMaker until the bitter end.