Dear Kicad developers, I am browsing the Kicad source code to get an idea how to integrate a simulation tool.
I'd like the following: 1. The plugin should be informed whenever something changes. It would be great to get a bounding box of the change. 2. The plugin should be able to draw on the canvas. I'd like to register a new layer (for example to show the triangle mesh). The user should then be able to enable/disable this layer. These two requirements are in some sense similar to the requirements of "ratsnest", so I followed "ratsnest" through the code. Concerning (1): I got the impression that it is not easy to be informed about all changes in a BOARD. Is this correct? Concerning (2): And I got the impression that there is not one way to draw to the canvas. I found two drawing methods for ratsnest, one in PCB_BASE_FRAME, the other in RATSNEST_VIEWITEM::ViewDraw. Is it necessary to implement two drawing methods for each feature? And it seems that the layers are organized in an enum (GAL_LAYER_ID), so adding a layer at runtime seems impossible without larger infrastructure changes. Is this correct? What would you propose? How can a plugin be informed about all changes to the board? And how could a plugin draw on the canvas? thanks a lot in advance, Cheers, Andreas On 11/30/2017 12:18 AM, Wayne Stambaugh wrote: > Hi Andreas, > > Per our previous conversation, if you want to write your solver in C++, > then I would prefer that you do it as part of a solver plugin rather > than a command event handler in Pcbnew. I image there would be other > uses for a solver plugin object such as a thermal mapping solver which > has been proposed in the past. The other option would be to use the > Python action object and write the entire solver in Python rather than > C++. That may make your life a bit easier. > > Cheers, > > Wayne > > On 11/29/2017 01:09 PM, Andreas Buhr wrote: >> Dear Kicad developers, >> >> I'm new to Kicad development. Maybe you could give me some starting tips? >> >> I am a 5th year PhD student at the university of Münster in Germany, >> website: >> https://www.uni-muenster.de/AMM/en/ohlberger/team/andreas_buhr.shtml >> >> I am doing mathematical research targeted at developing solvers for 3D >> Maxwell's equations in highly complex structures, such as PCBs. While >> being in an early stage, the goal is to develop a signal integrity >> solver which does a full-wave simulation of the electromagnetic fields >> and calculates S-parameters within a very short time. >> >> I would love to develop and test my algorithms within KiCad. >> >> The input which my solver needs would be an array of polygons, >> representing the copper-filled areas on each layer. >> I then want to create a 2D triangle mesh and based on that a 3D prism >> mesh for finite element analysis. >> >> What would you recommend? How to I get polygons, representing the copper >> filled areas of each layer? >> I do have some experience developing C++. >> >> thanks a lot in advance, >> best regards, >> >> Andreas >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >> Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net >> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp >> > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp >
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