Hi Andreas, For (1), I will defer to others who know more about this, I seem to remember a conversation about this a while ago on the mailing list, with the conclusion being that it is indeed hard to be notified when BOARD changes, and fixing this could be a bit of work.
For (2), the PCB_BASE_FRAME methods are for the legacy canvas, so I wouldn't worry about implementing your feature there if I were you, since it will eventually be removed. The RATSNEST_VIEWITEM is what is used on the GAL (OpenGL/Cairo) canvases. Regarding the layer, you could use LAYER_GP_OVERLAY for prototyping, but you are right that (at the moment) you can't add layers at runtime. If you think that all of the simulation outputs can be drawn with a single graphics layer, I think it is perfectly reasonable for you to expand the enum with another layer definition. You could use this new layer for your triangle mesh drawing, and then use LAYER_GP_OVERLAY if you wanted to add any annotations to the graphics perhaps? (meaning: measurements, etc, as is done with the RULER_ITEM) -Jon On Tue, Dec 5, 2017 at 9:42 AM, Andreas Buhr <andr...@andreasbuhr.de> wrote: > 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 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > 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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