On 9/24/2013 5:15 PM, Dick Hollenbeck wrote: > On 09/24/2013 03:14 PM, Wayne Stambaugh wrote: >> On 9/24/2013 3:34 PM, Lorenzo Marcantonio wrote: >>> Premise: I don't get why this was done, since I find the existing >>> library-order search perfectly adequate, however it's an interesting >>> idea and obviously must have its merits (simply I can't see them, I need >>> better glasses or a different workflow :P). Also I use the 'board as >>> a library' approach suggested in the manual i.e. I never use the library >>> related operations in the module editor. Create footprint archive does >>> the library creation step for everything (for now it supports only the >>> legacy mod files, will that change with the new file-for-module >>> libraries?) >>> >>> First of all: very good the environment variable replacement idea; a lot >>> of symlinks trickery was required to make it work for different users. >>> >>> Tried to play with the library path dialog and it's good. I presume that >>> the 'path' column changes significance depending on the plugin (a .mod >>> file for legacy, a directory for the new format and so on); that plus >>> the path substitution makes impossible a 'browse' button for the >>> path...however I think that nearly immediately users will ask for it! >>> In fact I have many libs and I generated the fp file with a shell one >>> liner:P >> >> The ability to use any footprint library that is supported by a plugin >> without having to convert them to one of Pcbnew's formats is important >> for some users and certainly is more convenient. >> >>> >>> Has the description column some significance or it's only a remark? >> >> It's just a remark that gets saved in the footprint library table entry. >> >>> >>> Possibly useful enhancement: while playing I added an inexistant >>> pathname... the >>> next cvpcb run it said: >>> >>> Some files are invalid! >>> IO_ERROR: Footprint library path does not exist <<< here the missing file >>> would be useful >>> from /home/lomarcan/cvswork/kicad-bzr/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp : Load() : >>> line 214 >> >> I'll take a look at it. I did fix a few bugs in r4345 so I may have >> already fixed it. >> >>> >>> Another thing trapped by my wx debug build: >>> >>> ASSERT INFO: >>> ./src/generic/listctrl.cpp(3063): assert "col >= 0 && col < >>> GetColumnCount()" failed in SetColumnWidth(): invalid column index >>> >>> BACKTRACE: >>> [1] wxOnAssert(char const*, int, char const*, char const*, wchar_t const*) >>> [2] wxGenericListCtrl::SetColumnWidth(int, int) >>> [3] FOOTPRINTS_LISTBOX::SetFootprints(FOOTPRINT_LIST&, wxString const&, >>> COMPONENT*, int) >>> [4] CVPCB_MAINFRAME::BuildFOOTPRINTS_LISTBOX() >>> [5] CVPCB_MAINFRAME::ReadNetListAndLinkFiles() >>> >>> It does so often (every time it repopulates the right column), and I see >>> no sign of column resizing... I have seen the bug comment in the code >>> and it trips even on wx 2.9 with gtk-2.0. That's just for information. >> >> This one should be fixed in r4345. >> >>> >>> Then I tried to 'update' a couple of components: it was C0805 (old >>> package), then become smd:C0805. Everything fine till now, saved the cmp >>> file without problems. Maybe one day the cmp file will go away and only >>> the netlist will survive :D (the problem is when a part is deleted and >>> a new one get its refdes... from the cmp file it takes the *old* >>> package, which is bad) >> >> At some point, I plan on doing away with the cmp file. I have to write >> the code so Pcbnew can save the new s-expr netlist file. Once that's >> done, cmp files will go away as will the legacy netlist files. >> >>> >>> Backannotation in eeschema, it works as expected. However there is >>> a catch: the 'qualified' names are usually way too long to be shown in >>> the drawing. Maybe an option to display only the 'short' name would be >>> useful (only display, the attribute must remain intact). >> >> You might want to have a talk with library folks about the length of the >> file and footprint names. Is it really necessary to have a library >> named Allegro_ACS754_ACS755_ACS756_HallCurrentSensor_RevA with a >> footprint named Allegro_HallSensor_Package-CB-PFF_24Oct2012? I would >> think allegro_hall_current_sense and package_cb_pff would be plenty >> readable without wrapping on a 1920X1200 monitor. You can always change >> the library nicknames to something shorter. >> >>> >>> Back to pcbnew... tried to refresh the netlist. As expected it noticed >>> a mismatch (names from cmp, keep modules), however it says: >>> >>> Warning: component `C8` has footprint <C0805> and should be <C0805> >>> >>> I'd expected to read "should be <smd:C0805>", or am I wrong? during >>> actual replacement the message is correct, anyway: >> >> You are correct. I missed that. I'll add it to the list. At least it >> replaces with the correct footprints. >> >>> >>> Replacing component "C8:/4BA0B4A0" footprint "C0805" with "smd:C0805". >>> >>> (is that timestamp really useful? maybe when selecting using timestamps >>> and not references... but then it would be useful in the previous >>> message too) >>> >>> Editing the replaced component shows the qualified name in the >>> 'footprint name in library'... I think this need a little caution, >>> however; this is because of how libraries are made. >>> >>> - In a project board that value represents from which library the >>> component came from and the module name. >>> >>> - In a master board for library creation that is the module name but, in >>> fact, the library has not significance (since we are going to write in >>> a specific, maybe new, library). In fact during the archival process >>> the library nick is simply stripped (I'd have done the same). Still >>> I don't get *why* it takes so long:P >>> >>> Maybe would be probably better to split the field in the module >>> properties? It needs some more thinking. >> >> I still have some testing to do with the footprint editor. I'll see if >> I can make it more user friendly in this regard. >> >>> >>> All in all it seems to work... I'm using it and if something else pops >>> up I'll let you know. Having the multiple library backend and variable >>> substitution is surely an improvement from the previous implementation. >>> >>> One last thing: I think we should stop polluting the home directory. >>> With non-dot files, even! By the way, why are lock files there instead >>> of aside the original files like before? it is an accepted practice >>> (like the .*.swp files for vi) and doesn't pollute the home. Frankly >>> I find all these _home_lomarcan*lock files quite ugly. Now there is the >>> fp-lib-table which is a permanent file too... why not allocate a .kicad >>> or a .config/kicad directory and put all that cruft there (with the >>> individual .eeschema, .pcbnew files and so on, too)? (Application Data >>> would be the equivalent for Windows systems) >>> >> >> I agree. This is already on my list as well. At some point, I plan on >> moving all the KiCad config files into the .kicad folder in the user's >> home folder on Linux. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to do this >> for Windows users. Converting the KiCad configuration settings in the >> registry to config files is not trivial. I may make Windows user's >> reconfigure KiCad rather than try to convert the registry entries when I >> get around to this. > > Where does the project specific table get saved to when I have to establish a > project, but > rather have simply started pcbnew from the command line without a filename? > > Otherwise I assume it is saved in the same dir as the *.kicad_pcb? > > > Dick > > That is how it's supposed to work unless there is some issue that I missed. The few projects that I tested it on seemed to work fine. Let me know if it's getting saved somewhere else and I will fix it.
Wayne _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers Post to : [email protected] Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
