kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Dick Hollenbeck <dick@...>]

Alain,

I should not need to say that I disagree. The board format is not even 
meeting our own needs, let alone those of others.

I would go so far as to say that it is actually unkind to ask 
programmers to read our files and understand them, such as Gnucap, etc.

Let's go back and follow this thread to the end please:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-devel/message/1378


Any new format would be better than what we have now, otherwise it would 
not be contemplated. The choice to use a file vs. an IPC mechanism is 
not mutually exclusive. Somebody could do either, or both. However,

> My suggestion is to use D-BUS. The file formats in Kicad are likely to
> evolve and that will break code that relies on a stable format. A
> series of well designed D-BUS functions are likely to be more stable 
> and immune from file format changes.


And I'll add that interactivity in some contexts could enrich the user experience. Making a change in one program and then having that chainge INSTANTLY available in the other can be superior to reloading a file.


Regards,

Dick



> Hi Dick,
>
> I think that I did not explain myself at all well... Let me quote 
> another of your messages:
>
> >My suggestion is to use D-BUS. The file formats in Kicad are likely to
> >evolve and that will break code that relies on a stable format. A
> >series of well designed D-BUS functions are likely to be more stable 
> >and immune from file format changes.
>
> My point is exacly that: I prefer a file to store the board (or other) 
> then to have a cominucation between 2 running programs. A file can be 
> stored, transmitted, interpreted or converted by some other program, or 
> whatever.
>
> Why not an intermediate approach: a simple set of functions that create 
> an ASCII file and read them? Maybe this can be closer to ideal?
>
> In anyway, I ppreciate your work and I don't have time to contribute, so 
> your word is last... I just want dt discuss that point a bit
>
> :)
> Alain
>
>
>
> Dick Hollenbeck escreveu:
>
> > Alain M. wrote:
> >
> > > Dick Hollenbeck escreveu:
> > >
> > >
> > > > D-BUS solves a lot of problems that we have, AND allows others to 
> > > > interface with Kicad in a well documented, and very rich way.
> > > Peronaly, I don't like that approach. I like well documented *FILES* 
> > > that can be easely created, modified and used.
> > Is it a requirement that as soon as D-BUS is implemented, all 
> > documentation on file formats be destroyed? I was not aware of that.
> >
> >
> >
> > > Could you please tell me (us?) what has to be done withou an 
> > > intermediate file?
> > Don't understand the question.
> >
> > Dick
> >
> >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Alain
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
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