Checking Altium PCBs are the same

[Flyback]

Hi,
Somehow have two Altium projects for the same PCB...wondering which was the one from which we did the gerbers that got manufactured?
If we can proove that the PCBs are the same, then it doesnt matter, we can just use either.

So to proove the same....would you agreee on this method...
Produce a netlist from the schems of each in ALTIUM.
Then use Notepad++ to compare each netlist text file.
If the netlists are the same, then they at least are connected the same.....and have the same schem.

But for layers 1,2,3,4...how do you tell if the overall copper shape is the same?

Would you produce the gerbers, and then open them as txt files in notepad++ and compare them, one by one, ie, topcopper with topcopper, etc etc?

 

[For The Popcorn]

Print each layer from the Gerber files for both boards and overlay them on a light box.

 

[aliarifat794]

To compare the actual copper shapes on each layer, producing gerber files and comparing them is indeed a viable approach. However, instead of comparing the gerber files directly in a text editor like Notepad++, it would be more effective to use a specialized gerber viewer software.

 

[Pommie]

Could the file data help?
Do the files have dates modified and does that correspond with the order date?
Are they the same size?
Are you able to ascertain any file data of the boards ordered?
Is there a zip file with the gerbers that has a date?


Mike.

 

[For The Popcorn]

Regarding a text comparison of the schematic or Gerber files, I suspect that would be tedious and best.

I'm not certain the files are written in any particular order. Moving a component on the schematic or adding a label on the board may completely change the order of items in the file.

 

[ChrisP58]

As already suggested, use a gerber viewer. I use ViewMate from pentalogix.com.

Import the same layer from each of the two gerber sets into two differently colored layers in ViewMate. Any differences between the two will stand out.