Keep stirring the pot, Roger. I think you are really on to something. [:)]
My modest attempt to suggest we define the fields was intended as a low-impact approach, but I think your approach is great if the developers could consider it. I do agree that it is hard to make one set of fields fit all, and the description field becomes the catchall for things that do not fit elsewhere. Regarding "Footprint" vs. "Packaging": The reason those are basically repeated is because when you export the netlist it takes the data from the "Footprint" field, but the "Footprint" field can not be dumped to a BOM. I commented on this previously and agree that it is redundant. Regarding the post mentioning tool chains: 1. We also use SwitcherCAD III for circuit analysis. There is an active forum for it as well. That is one program that I would love to see go open source (it needs improvements in the schematic capture side) but I doubt Linear will give it up. (BTW, it can read standard SPICE netlists, so if you are generating SPICE netlists, I highly recommend feeding them into SwitcherCAD. It is a very good graphical SPICE analysis program.) I would love to see if someone has had luck exporting a netlist from KiCAD and got a simulation working in SwitcherCAD. I would think if you placed the necessary SPICE parameters in some of the component fields and had a utility program to format the netlist correctly you could get it to work. Maybe I should try that in my (0%) spare time. 2. We are currently using KiCAD for schematic capture. 3. We are debating using KiCAD for board layout vs. outsourcing. 4. We are doing a 3D model of our controller using SolidWorks. A couple of us are interested in evaluating the free version of Alibre. Regards, apluscw
