Sprint Layout 60 | Macros
Supercharge Your PCB Design: A Guide to Sprint-Layout 6.0 Macros
If you’ve spent any time in Sprint-Layout 6.0, you know its strength lies in its "free drawing" simplicity. But even the best DIY layout can become tedious if you're manually drawing every resistor pad and IC footprint. That’s where macros come in—pre-defined component footprints that you can drag and drop directly onto your board.
Here is how to find, install, and manage your macro library to speed up your PCB workflow. Where to Find Sprint-Layout 6.0 Macros
While the software comes with a basic library, the community has built massive collections for modern components:
Essential Component Packs: Sites like SolderingMind offer updated lists for common footprints like through-hole resistors and capacitors.
GitHub Repositories: For specialized or custom parts, developers often share libraries on GitHub. Check out the sl-macros collection for SMD-DIL and diode footprints, or the Arduino-specific macro files.
Community Collections: Platforms like Pinterest and FMUSER host large macro file bundles shared by hobbyists. How to Use the Macro Library
The macro library is integrated directly into the workspace for high-speed access:
Access the Library: Click the macro button in the toolbar to toggle the library panel on the right side of your screen.
Browse Components: Use the tree-view to expand categories like "IC," "Connectors," or "SMD".
Drag & Drop: Click a macro in the preview window and drag it onto your design board.
Quick Edits: Double-click a macro in the library to pre-define component data (like values or identifiers) so they are automatically included every time you use that part. Creating Your Own Custom Macros
Can't find a specific footprint? You can easily create one yourself: iwakura/sl-macros: Collection of macros for Sprint Layout
GitHub - iwakura/sl-macros: Collection of macros for Sprint Layout · GitHub. GitHub macros sprint layout 60
4rakcheev/arduino-sprintlayoutmacro: Macro files for sprintlayout
GitHub - 4rakcheev/arduino-sprintlayoutmacro: Macro files for sprintlayout · GitHub. GitHub Sprint-Layout 6.0
In Sprint-Layout 6.0, macros are the pre-defined component footprints (like resistors, ICs, and SMD pads) that form the building blocks of your PCB design. While the software comes with an extensive standard library, many users expand it with custom collections to include modern or niche components. Managing the Macro Library
The macro library is a structured tree-view located on the right side of the main workspace.
Accessing Macros: Click the corresponding button in the toolbar to show or hide the library panel.
Usage: Select a macro to see its preview at the bottom of the panel, then drag and drop it directly onto your layout.
Customization: You can rotate macros to any angle, label them with identifiers and values, and move them freely. Expanding Your Macro Collection
If the default library is insufficient, you can find and install additional component packs:
External Repositories: Community-driven collections are available on platforms like GitHub (iwakura/sl-macros) , GitHub (nekitoss/my_sprint_layout_library) , and GitHub (Dark-Sarmat) .
Specialized Components: Some collections specifically focus on modules like audio amplifiers, relays, and original Toshiba transistors that the base program may lack.
Installation: To add new macros, place the downloaded files into your established macro-directory. You can change or reset this path via the settings menu if you move your library to a different drive. Creating Custom Macros
If a specific component doesn't exist, Sprint-Layout 6.0 includes tools to build your own:
Footprint-Wizard: A tool that automatically generates footprint elements once you specify the type and parameters. Supercharge Your PCB Design: A Guide to Sprint-Layout 6
Manual Creation: You can draw custom pads, tracks, and labels, then save the selection as a new macro to reuse in future projects. Technical Features in Version 6.0 iwakura/sl-macros: Collection of macros for Sprint Layout
GitHub - iwakura/sl-macros: Collection of macros for Sprint Layout · GitHub. Sprint Layout 6.0 - ELECTRONIC-SOFTWARE-SHOP
Sprint-Layout 6.0 is widely regarded as one of the most user-friendly tools for manual PCB design, largely due to its extensive library of
(pre-defined component footprints). A "good report" on these macros highlights their versatility, ease of use, and the vast community-driven libraries available for free. 📦 The Macro Library: Key Features
The strength of Sprint-Layout lies in how it handles components: Massive Built-in Database : Official and community versions often come with over 4,600 macros covering SMD, DIP, transistors, and specialized modules. Drag-and-Drop Workflow
: You can simply pick a component from the sidebar and drop it onto the workspace. Intelligent Labels : Macros include designated fields for Identifiers
(e.g., R1, 10k), which remain linked to the footprint even when moved. Live Preview
: A visual window allows you to see the component before placing it to ensure the orientation and size are correct. 🛠️ Customization & Community
While the default library is robust, the software shines when you expand it: User-Created Repositories
: Many enthusiasts share specialized libraries on platforms like SolderingMind Easy DIY Creation
: You can create your own macro by drawing a footprint and saving it as a
file. This is essential for modern Chinese modules (like ESP8266 or DC-DC converters) that don't follow standard IC spacing. Portable Integration
: Portable versions of the software often bundle the most popular "Mega-Libraries," making it easy to carry your entire design kit on a USB drive. Radioaktiv.ru ⚠️ Pro-Tips for "Good" Results To ensure your project remains professional and error-free: Macros Sprint Layout 60 is all about condensing
Sprint Layout 6.0 Русская версия - Радиоактив
* 13.11.2012. - улучшен экспорт Excellon; - добавлена и активирована клавиша F9 – переключение активации слоёв, но только К1 и К2, Radioaktiv.ru
Here is solid, actionable content on using macros in Sprint Layout 6.0, focused on the most useful macros for PCB design efficiency.
Macros Sprint Layout 60 is all about condensing power into a small, fast package: with thoughtful hardware choices and purposeful firmware mapping, it becomes a precision instrument—ideal for anyone chasing speed and efficiency on a minimalist platform.
Unlike scripting or API-based automation in professional tools like Altium or KiCad, macros in Sprint Layout 6.0 are saved snippets of PCB geometry. They are pre-designed blocks of copper traces, pads, vias, and silkscreen that you can drop into any project with a few clicks.
Think of them as "PCB LEGO bricks."
A macro can be:
When you save a macro, Sprint Layout stores it as a .LMK file (Layout Macro). You can then import this file into any new design.
Sprint-Layout 6.0 is a widely used Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design software, popular among hobbyists, students, and small engineering firms for its simplicity and lack of steep learning curves. While the software excels at manual routing, one of its most powerful efficiency features is the Macro function.
This write-up details what macros are, how they function within the Sprint-Layout environment, and how they can be used to streamline the PCB design process.
The number "60" in our keyword is significant. It typically refers to one of two things in hardware design:
Without macros, designing a 60-key keyboard or a 60-pin breakout board could take 4-6 hours. With macros, it takes 20 minutes.
