I'm pretty new to this SMT stuff, and I'm looking at resistor arrays.
From what I can see on my main supplier's website (RS) most of the SMT arrays are of a package type '1206'.
Now, my PCB layout package (gEDA PCB, yes, I use Linux) has a footprint for 1206, but it seems to only be a single pair of pads and not the 8 pads that the arrays would need.
Do you think this is an error in the PCB package, or is the 1206 'package' just \$\frac{1}{4}\$ of the actual package and I'd need to place 4 footprints at the right spacing?
Specifically this is the product I am looking at: http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=4351807
Best Answer
The libraries in the official distribution are not very extensive. The gEDA way is to find/create your own, you'll likely have your own personal preferences about pad lengths, symbol sizes, silkscreen formatting etc. There are no resistor arrays in the default libraries to my knowledge.
1206 is a common large SMT resistor package, as you guessed. It refers to a 120 mil by 60 mil rectangular package. Some newcomers to SMT prefer to use individual 1206 components, but most use 0805 (80 by 50 mils...you get the idea) for general resistors that have to be hand soldered. I like 0603, personally, but I like to solder under a binocular microscope.
However, in automatic soldering, it's also a popular outline for arrays: the 4 resistors fit in a space 120 mils by 60 mils. You'll also find them in 0805 and 0603, but you'll want to stick with 1206 if you're new at this. After peering into my crystal ball, I'm guessing that you might be looking at a page on RS like this and datasheets with packages like this:
...and footprints like this:
You need to draw the second image as a footprint in PCB, using the dimensions in the table.
Some parting thoughts: