Having Python more accessible to core KiCAD functionality would be a very good improvement IMHO.
Another example - python DRC scripts. Instead of hard-coding DRC checks, have a folder of DRC scripts that user can select / deselect. Or add extra scripts if they want them. On Fri, Jun 2, 2017 at 5:46 PM, Fabrizio Tappero <[email protected] > wrote: > Hi Simon, > welcome to the group! > > Reading your interesting email I decided to write to you. I am interested > as well in the python functionality for the purpose of implementing killing > functionalities. via-fence generator is certainly an interesting thing. > > I spend long hours doing schematics at work and I love the idea of > implementing python stuff that could make my life easier. Specifically I > spend a long time in library component generation and I would love to do > something about it. This could be done by creating new python (or non > python) tools to import component info or to created tools to facilitate > the contribution to the quality (and size) of the kicad lib. Not really > sure what is best. > > Python scripts could be attached to F1, F2 and F3 general-purpose buttons. > So that others can easily use these scripts. This people would probably > make kicad better. This would be classified as "kicad user harvesting via > python scripting for library component creation " ;-) a topic I always > wanted to talk about on this mailing list. > > Regarding your scripting database idea. Kicad comes with some script for > BOM generation and I guess lead developers would certainly consider adding > more scripts into the main kicad repo. > > Cheers > Fabrizio > > > > > On Thu, Jun 1, 2017 at 8:01 PM, Simon Küppers <Simon.Kueppers@ruhr-uni- > bochum.de> wrote: > >> Hi everyone, >> Thanks Wayne for approving me to the developers mailing list. >> I am very new to KiCAD (only heard of it some time ago) and just stumbled >> upon a >> Youtube Video of 2017 FOSDEM (I believe?) where Wayne presented the >> current state of KiCAD. >> As a result I had to see for myself and I am quite impressed of the >> development of KiCAD in the >> last years! Very impressive. >> >> I am a Researcher working in the areas of IC Design, (RF-) PCB Design and >> I am also a quite >> realiable programmer (thats what I think anyway :-)). I am used to EAGLE >> CAD (from the oldern days) >> and Altium Designer (ugh..). For IC Design we use Cadence Virtuoso. >> >> Now, what really kicks me off with KiCAD is the (still very early) Python >> support. In my opinion, it is definitely >> the right choice to pull some non-major functionality from the main KiCAD >> core and implement it into Python. >> Why? Simply because that way it is much easier for people to modify, >> tweak, extend and bugfix the KiCAD software, >> without having to study the KiCAD core. I want to be the living proof for >> this fact ;-) >> >> I already have some ideas for pcbnew plugins. E.g. a Via-Fence Generator >> (select a line-segment in pcbnew, start >> generator and enjoy the vias to the left and right of the line). There is >> similar functionality in Altium, but it >> is very rudimentory and cannot be adjusted or tweaked very much. Also it >> is sometimes quite buggy resulting in non-ideal via >> placement and due to this we usually place those vias (with GCPW >> transmission lines for example) by hand... >> I think this would be a nice example of what non-proficient users could >> add to KiCAD without ever touching anything belonging >> to the KiCAD C++ core application (where the latter would not fit into my >> available spare time due to its complexity, sorry!) >> >> Anyway, what I wanted to ask before even starting with the development is >> the following. I know the current status of the >> Python interface in pcbnew is very limited and "only" an interface >> generated by SWIG. So I guess there will be some >> heavy adjustments in the API in the future (which is fine with me). >> >> Is it planned in the future to make plugins part of the KiCAD >> distribution (i.e. ship them within the distro packages?)? >> (Or do KiCAD users have to find a way for organizing a repository of >> KiCAD plugins?) >> If yes, is the correct place to discuss their development (and request >> features) in this mailing list? Or should the forums >> be used instead/at first? >> >> I guess that is it for now. A big thanks to all the developers and >> especially the CERN folks. I put in a donation a few days ago :-) >> >> Best Regards >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >> Post to : [email protected] >> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : [email protected] > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > >
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