Re: [Kicad-developers] KiCad Project Tree improvements

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:36:54 -0700

Hi,

Again to the tree and workspace, I try to explain why I would like to have a workspace and automatically download, before we start discussing about technical details. My fault... Please keep the focus first on the usability part.

I however am not sure about the usefulness of being able to access libraries and templates without going through a project first, as you can't use them without one.
A really important point.

Currently there are all libraries come with KiCad in the folder "/usr/share/kicad/library".

I don't like that, because there are a lot of libraries which I never will use, but there are not all libraries which I need. Some of then are automatically loaded, and if I have to search something in the Library Browser there is a lot of stuff which I even don't know.

My proposal would be to strip down the "built in" libraries to a minimum, which is really required.

Then you create a workspace, call it for example AVR-Workspace, where you download all Libraries to the workspace. In this workspace I can create my projects which automatically have loaded all the libraries which are installed in the KiCad folder AND in the workspace folder.

Then it's much easier to use the Library browser, because there are not hundreds of parts which I don't know.

If you wish you can create a second workspace, e.g. PIC-Workspace where only the PIC Libraries are installed etc.


So, furthermore if we have this basis, it should be possible to integrate search within Eeschema, press "A" to add a part, write e.g. "LM317", press enter (assuming LM317 is not available) and a popup appears whit the message:

LM317 was not found, would you like to install one of the following Libs to your workspace?
[KiCad Main Server: Somelib]
[someuser.github.com: Anotherlib]
etc.

You select the source, the lib is automatically downloaded, installed within the workspace and the LM317 is automatically added.

But I would prefer an overview in the Project explorer. I think it should also be possible to make dependencies between parts and footprints, so if I install a PLCC6 RGB LED the matchin footprints should be installed automatically.



This is about what I'm thinking about downloading libs. I'm waiting to hear other opinions.



Andreas

Am 15.04.2013 01:24, schrieb Carl Poirier:
Hi,

Welcome to the mailing list. I'm another user of KiCad in my free time. :)

I really like the idea of having an easy access to shared content on the Internet from KiCad directly. I think it could be made to be much more intuituive than doing a web search manually.

I however am not sure about the usefulness of being able to access libraries and templates without going through a project first, as you can't use them without one.

Carl

On Sunday, April 14, 2013, Andreas Butti wrote:
Hi everybody

I'm new to the KiCad mailing list. I'm a computer scientists, in my free time I sometimes use KiCad.

I had some Ideas to improve the project tree, and if the community thinks they are useful I may can implement them.

What I would change the tree to the following format:

- Root: Workspace (instead of Project)
    - Projects
        - Project A
        - Project B
        - Project C
    - Templates
        -MyTemplate A
        -MyTemplate B
    - Libraries
        - AVRs
        - RGB LED PLCC6

etc.

If you now clicks to "Projects" you get on the right side the options to
- Create a new Project
- Create a new Project from Template

If you click to "Template" you get the options
- Create a new template
- Search for templates [INPUT FIELD]
- [List with newest online templates, can be downloaded]

If you click to "Libraries"you get the options:
- Create a new library
- Search for libraries [INPU TFIELD]
- [List with newest online libraries, can be downloaded]

if you click to a Project you get the start screen you now have:
- On top the buttons to start Eeschema, CvPcb etc.
- Below is not the Log output, there is
    - A Field for a Project Description (I think text, maybe RTF)
    - A list to assign Libraries to the project. The Libraries are managed in the workspace


And now the technical background:
Add workspace, new views on the right etc. is not much to do. It means we need additional to the project also a workspace file.

For downloading Libs or Template we have to opinions:
- Define a standard, everybody who wants to provide libraries has to implement this interface (e.g. REST)
- Allow Plug ins

I would do a mix of both, we should define a standard with REST, but  we should implement the client in a scripting language. We can e.g. use python or _javascript_. (e.g. https://developers.google.com/v8/embed)

Then its easy to add 3rd party sites, e.g. if somebody wants to share his libraries or templates on github it only needs a github client _javascript_ and we can access such libraries from main KiCad screen.

What do you think about?

Andreas

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