Registry / data / gerber-parser

gerber-parser

library4.2.7jsnpmunverified

gerber-parser is a JavaScript/TypeScript library that provides a streaming parser for Gerber (RS-274X) and NC drill files, commonly used for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing. It functions as a Node.js transform stream, taking a text stream of a Gerber file and emitting structured JavaScript objects representing the file's contents, which can then be consumed by PCB visualization or plotting tools. The library is part of the Tracespace collection of open-source PCB visualization tools. The current stable version is 4.2.7. While a precise release cadence isn't explicitly stated, the project maintains an active development cycle within the Tracespace ecosystem, with major versions introducing breaking changes to improve parsing accuracy and specification compliance. Its key differentiator is its streaming architecture, allowing efficient processing of large Gerber files without loading the entire content into memory, and its explicit focus on the Gerber X2 standard for enhanced data integrity.

data serialization

npm install gerber-parser

github ↗package ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · GERBER-PARSER

gerber-parser

datajavascriptv4.2.7

Install

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Import

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Disk

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Pass rate

0/ 6

Env Coverage0 / 6

glibc

18–22

musl

18–22

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

tested against v? · npm install

Install × environment matrix

Each cell = how many times install + import succeeded across repeated harness runs. Partial = flaky.
glibc = Debian/Ubuntu slim · musl = Alpine Linux

musl

node 18–226 runs

build_error

glibc

node 18–226 runs

build_error

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

gerberParser

✓ import gerberParser from 'gerber-parser';

✗ import { gerberParser } from 'gerber-parser'; const gerberParser = require('gerber-parser').default;

The primary parser function is a default export, instantiating the transform stream.

gerberParser (CommonJS)

✓ const gerberParser = require('gerber-parser');

✗ import gerberParser from 'gerber-parser';

For Node.js environments still using CommonJS, `require` is the correct method, as the package exports the function directly as the module.exports.

Parser (Type)

✓ import type { Parser } from 'gerber-parser';

When using TypeScript, import the `Parser` type for type-hinting the stream instance.

Demonstrates how to create a `gerber-parser` instance, pipe a Gerber file stream into it, and handle data, warnings, and completion events.

import fs from 'fs'; import gerberParser from 'gerber-parser'; import type { Parser } from 'gerber-parser'; // Create a dummy Gerber file for demonstration const dummyGerberContent = ` %FSLAX26Y26*% %MOIN*% %LPD*% G01*% D10*X1000000Y1000000*D03*% M02*% `; const dummyGerberPath = 'dummy_file.gbr'; fs.writeFileSync(dummyGerberPath, dummyGerberContent); const parser: Parser = gerberParser(); parser.on('warning', (w) => { console.warn(`Warning at line ${w.line}: ${w.message}`); }); parser.on('data', (obj) => { // Each 'data' event emits a parsed Gerber object console.log(JSON.stringify(obj, null, 2)); }); parser.on('end', () => { console.log('Gerber file parsing complete.'); fs.unlinkSync(dummyGerberPath); // Clean up dummy file }); parser.on('error', (err) => { console.error('Error during parsing:', err.message); fs.unlinkSync(dummyGerberPath); // Clean up dummy file on error }); // Pipe the stream into the parser fs.createReadStream(dummyGerberPath) .pipe(parser);

Debug

Known issues

breakingVersion 4.0.0 of `gerber-parser` explicitly accepts only Gerber X2 (or drill) files by default. Passing a non-X2 Gerber file will now throw an error.

fix

Ensure all Gerber files passed to the parser conform to the Gerber X2 standard. If processing older Gerber files is necessary, consult the API documentation for options to disable this strict validation, though it's not recommended for production.

affects: >=4.0.0

gotchaBrowser usage requires bundling. If using in a browser environment without a build tool (like Webpack or Browserify), you must use the pre-built `gerber-parser.min.js` script and access the library via the global `gerberParser` variable.

fix

For modern browser applications, bundle `gerber-parser` using a module bundler. For simple script tag inclusion, ensure you use the `dist/gerber-parser.min.js` file and access the global `gerberParser` variable.

affects: >=1.0.0

gotchaThe parser emits `warning` events for non-critical issues or deviations from best practices in the Gerber file. These are not errors but can indicate potential problems or non-standard syntax.

fix

Always attach an `on('warning', handler)` listener to the parser stream to log or handle these warnings. This helps identify and address potential issues in the Gerber input files.

affects: >=1.0.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

Error: Not a Gerber X2 file

Attempting to parse an older Gerber RS-274D file or a malformed Gerber file with `gerber-parser` v4+ without disabling strict X2 validation.

fix

Convert the Gerber file to the X2 standard or ensure it is a valid X2 file. Alternatively, if explicitly needed and understood, consult the `gerber-parser` API documentation for options to relax X2 strictness (though generally not recommended).

TypeError: gerberParser is not a function

Incorrectly importing or requiring the `gerber-parser` module, attempting to `new` the result, or misusing CommonJS `require` with an ES module setup.

fix

For ES Modules, use `import gerberParser from 'gerber-parser';`. For CommonJS, use `const gerberParser = require('gerber-parser');`. The module exports a function that you call directly to get a stream instance (e.g., `const parser = gerberParser();`).

Upgrade

Version history

4.2.7latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity

5 hits · last 30 days

node

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Resources

githubhttps://github.com/tracespace/tracespace ↗

packagehttps://www.npmjs.com/package/gerber-parser ↗