kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Tobias Gogolin <usertogo@...>]

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Excuse my ignorance, now I somehow magically found that the right click
functionality is present, at least for Line and Circle thicknesses and
Reference designators and text items except pin names and numbers...

I'll repost my suggestions on the parametric feature addition (for example
parametric repeats for components such as number of parallel power
transistors with individual gate resistors, that maintain a memory of this
repeat feature and permit future adjustments) in a separate thread soon!

Thanks

On Mon, Apr 6, 2009 at 11:39 PM, Tobias Gogolin <usertogo@...> wrote:

> Hello Kicad developers!
> Congratulations on a very sucessful project!
>
> I'm starting cold into KiCad after not having done much EDA in years, so =
I
> have some observations:
> I saw some of the issues mentioned in this thread, so I allow myself to
> comment.
> For example I find it difficult to find out how to :
>
> 1. change line thicknesses
> 2. move pin names and numbers
> 3. place other text items provided for the part
>
> So here my suggestion, in order to make KiCad more intuitive it needs to
> adhere to modern user interface standards, no?
>
> That means being able to select items that then are being highlighted
> differently for the time they are selected!
>
> Or even better dynamic highligting, (in which just for having the mouse
> pointer above a selectable item it shows its selectability by some form o=
f
> highlight) makes modern software so much easier to use!
>
> I see a consistent interface where a right click asks the associated
> selected object which methods can be applied to it is already partially
> implemented! It just seems to be a problem to select every type of issue!
>
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D A little Bac=
kground =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>
> In my day job I'm a designer using Solidworks, just to explain my
> perespective on things...
>
> For those that dont do mechanical design, Solidworks is a Parametric
> Modeler, that means sketches and features are utilizing parameters that a=
re
> open to change, and then everything that depends on these parameters trie=
s
> to change too!
>
> I hope KiCad may some day be the first Parametric EDA, where schematics a=
nd
> PCB's can be parametrically scaled, and circuit duplications and powerlev=
els
> etc could be parameterized even depending formulas...
>
> But thats just a dream for a long term vision!
>
> Hope I'm not stepping on any toes and also hoping I can help somehow!
>
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 1:31 PM, Frank Bennett <bennett78@...=
>wrote:
>
>> --- In kicad-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Milan Hor=E1k <konference@...> wrote=
:
>> >
>> > Hallo,
>> >
>> > let's look on the specs, no offense:
>> >
>> I'm reposting my comments of a year ago (with an update at the end)
>>
>> Well, maybe I'm a dreamer as well but it would be nice to have
>> a web site/service, funded & checked for accuracy by the parts
>> suppliers, where you pick a part by manufacturing Part#, with
>> pdf data sheet, place the symbol on the schematic, with a footprint
>> reference for layout and get BOM info for pricing, by distributor
>> part # so parts can be procurred while the board is being laid out.
>>
>> Ema-eda, Cadence, OrCad have started:
>> http://www.ema-eda.com/products/other/emacadlibrary.aspx
>> to keep you committed as a member of their tool set club.
>>
>> Nasa has a database of parts but no symbols or footprints:
>> http://nepp.nasa.gov/npsl/
>> that Intusoft claims to cross reference using XML:
>> http://www.intusoft.com/nlhtm/nl70.htm#xmldatabaseforpcbfootprint
>>
>> Frank Frank, Accelerated Designs has a reasonably priced tool:
>>
>> http://www.accelerated-designs.com/(S(rdiy2e55jhfjh445nadheknd))/Standar=
ds.aspx<http://www.accelerated-designs.com/%28S%28rdiy2e55jhfjh445nadheknd%=
29%29/Standards.aspx>
>> with a neutral database, a library manager with revision control,
>> edit symbols/footprints then export to the PCB design package
>> of choice. This would be real handy for Consultants that have to
>> re-design boards across different EDA platforms, adding new parts,
>> referencing/designing/importing symbols, footprints as their primary
>> design function. Not sure if Frank Frank would share his database
>> design, but he mentions the IPC-7351 standard.
>>
>> Update: There are footprints for National parts using Frank Frank's
>> Data Base, however they are in a binary format.
>>
>> I mention this primarily as references for ideas. The world got
>> into this mess from the history that schematic and PCB layout
>> packages originated from separate proprietary (binary) sources.
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Tobias Gogolin
> Tel. Movistar (646) 124 32 82
> Tel. Telcel (646) 160 58 99
> skype: moontogo
> messenger: usertogo@...
>
> You develop Sustainable Ranch Technology at
> http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/SURA-TECH
> an Open Source Electric Motor/Alternator at
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Performance_Axial_Flux
> and an Open Source Motor Controller at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GoBo=
x
>


--=20
Tobias Gogolin
Tel. Movistar (646) 124 32 82
Tel. Telcel (646) 160 58 99
skype: moontogo
messenger: usertogo@...

You develop Sustainable Ranch Technology at
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/SURA-TECH
an Open Source Electric Motor/Alternator at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Performance_Axial_Flux
and an Open Source Motor Controller at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GoBox
 --000e0cd2921e94e5640467086972 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Excuse my ignorance, now I somehow magically found that the right click fun=
ctionality is present, at least for Line and Circle thicknesses and Referen=
ce designators and text items except pin names and numbers...<br><br>I&#39;=
ll repost my suggestions on the parametric feature addition (for example pa=
rametric repeats for components such as number of parallel power transistor=
s with individual gate resistors, that maintain a memory of this repeat fea=
ture and permit future adjustments) in a separate thread soon!<br>
<br>Thanks<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, Apr 6, 2009 at 11:39 P=
M, Tobias Gogolin <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:usertogo@...=
m">usertogo@...</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_q=
uote" style=3D"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0=
pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Hello Kicad developers!<br>Congratulations on a very sucessful project!<br>=
<br>I&#39;m starting cold into KiCad after not having done much EDA in year=
s, so I have some observations:<br>I saw some of the issues mentioned in th=
is thread, so I allow myself to comment.<br>

For example I find it difficult to find out how to :<br><ol><li>change line=
thicknesses
</li><li>move pin names and numbers
</li><li>place other text items provided for the part
</li></ol>
<p>So here my suggestion, in order to make KiCad more intuitive it needs to=
adhere to modern user interface standards, no?</p><p>That means being able=
to select items that then are being highlighted
differently for the time they are selected! <br></p><p>Or even better dynam=
ic
highligting, (in which just for having the mouse pointer above a selectable=
item
it shows its selectability by some form of highlight) makes modern software=
so much easier to use! <br></p><p>I see a consistent interface
where a right click asks the associated selected object which methods
can be applied to it is already partially implemented! It just seems to be =
a problem to select every type of issue!</p><p>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D A little Background =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D<br></p><p>In my day job I&#39;m a designer using Solidworks, just=
to explain my perespective on things...</p>

<p>For those that dont do mechanical design, Solidworks is a Parametric Mod=
eler, that means sketches and features are utilizing parameters that are op=
en to change, and then everything that depends on these parameters tries to=
change too!<br>

</p><p>I hope KiCad may some day be the first Parametric EDA, where schemat=
ics and PCB&#39;s can be parametrically scaled, and circuit duplications an=
d powerlevels etc could be parameterized even depending formulas...</p>

<p>But thats just a dream for a long term vision!</p><p>Hope I&#39;m not st=
epping on any toes and also hoping I can help somehow!</p><div><div></div><=
div class=3D"h5"><p><br></p><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Fri, Feb 27, =
2009 at 1:31 PM, Frank Bennett <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:benn=
ett78@..." target=3D"_blank">bennett78@...</a>&gt;<=
/span> wrote:<br>

<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, =
204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div>--- In <a hr=
ef=3D"mailto:kicad-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"; target=3D"_blank">kicad-devel@yah=
oogroups.com</a>, Milan Hor=E1k &lt;konference@...&gt; wrote:<br>


&gt;<br>
&gt; Hallo,<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; let&#39;s look on the specs, no offense:<br>
&gt;<br>
</div>I&#39;m reposting my comments of a year ago (with an update at the en=
d)<br>
<br>
Well, maybe I&#39;m a dreamer as well but it would be nice to have<br>
a web site/service, funded &amp; checked for accuracy by the parts<br>
suppliers, where you pick a part by manufacturing Part#, with<br>
pdf data sheet, place the symbol on the schematic, with a footprint<br>
reference for layout and get BOM info for pricing, by distributor<br>
part # so parts can be procurred while the board is being laid out.<br>
<br>
Ema-eda, Cadence, OrCad have started:<br>
<a href=3D"http://www.ema-eda.com/products/other/emacadlibrary.aspx"; target=
=3D"_blank">http://www.ema-eda.com/products/other/emacadlibrary.aspx</a><br=
>
to keep you committed as a member of their tool set club.<br>
<br>
Nasa has a database of parts but no symbols or footprints:<br>
<a href=3D"http://nepp.nasa.gov/npsl/"; target=3D"_blank">http://nepp.nasa.g=
ov/npsl/</a><br>
that Intusoft claims to cross reference using XML:<br>
<a href=3D"http://www.intusoft.com/nlhtm/nl70.htm#xmldatabaseforpcbfootprin=
t" target=3D"_blank">http://www.intusoft.com/nlhtm/nl70.htm#xmldatabaseforp=
cbfootprint</a><br>
<br>
Frank Frank, Accelerated Designs has a reasonably priced tool:<br>
<a href=3D"http://www.accelerated-designs.com/%28S%28rdiy2e55jhfjh445nadhek=
nd%29%29/Standards.aspx" target=3D"_blank">http://www.accelerated-designs.c=
om/(S(rdiy2e55jhfjh445nadheknd))/Standards.aspx</a><br>
with a neutral database, a library manager with revision control,<br>
edit symbols/footprints then export to the PCB design package<br>
of choice. This would be real handy for Consultants that have to<br>
re-design boards across different EDA platforms, adding new parts,<br>
referencing/designing/importing symbols, footprints as their primary<br>
design function. Not sure if Frank Frank would share his database<br>
design, but he mentions the IPC-7351 standard.<br>
<br>
Update: There are footprints for National parts using Frank Frank&#39;s<br>
Data Base, however they are in a binary format.<br>
<br>
I mention this primarily as references for ideas. The world got<br>
into this mess from the history that schematic and PCB layout<br>
packages originated from separate proprietary (binary) sources.<br>
<div><div></div><div><br>
<br>
<br>
------------------------------------<br>
<br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br></div></div>-- <br=
>Tobias Gogolin<br>Tel. Movistar (646) 124 32 82<br>Tel. Telcel (646) 160 5=
8 99<br>skype: moontogo<br>messenger: <a href=3D"mailto:usertogo@...=
m" target=3D"_blank">usertogo@...</a><br>

<br>You develop Sustainable Ranch Technology at <a href=3D"http://tech.grou=
ps.yahoo.com/group/SURA-TECH" target=3D"_blank">http://tech.groups.yahoo.co=
m/group/SURA-TECH</a><br>an Open Source Electric Motor/Alternator at <a hre=
f=3D"http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Performance_Axial_Flux"; target=3D"_blank=
">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Performance_Axial_Flux</a><br>

and an Open Source Motor Controller at <a href=3D"http://groups.yahoo.com/g=
roup/GoBox" target=3D"_blank">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GoBox</a> <br>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br>Tobias Gogolin<br>Tel. =
Movistar (646) 124 32 82<br>Tel. Telcel (646) 160 58 99<br>skype: moontogo<=
br>messenger: <a href=3D"mailto:usertogo@...";>usertogo@...<=
/a><br>
<br>You develop Sustainable Ranch Technology at <a href=3D"http://tech.grou=
ps.yahoo.com/group/SURA-TECH">http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/SURA-TECH<=
/a><br>an Open Source Electric Motor/Alternator at <a href=3D"http://groups=
.yahoo.com/group/Performance_Axial_Flux">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Perf=
ormance_Axial_Flux</a><br>
and an Open Source Motor Controller at <a href=3D"http://groups.yahoo.com/g=
roup/GoBox">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GoBox</a> <br>
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