kicad-developers team mailing list archive

["hvontres@..." <hvontres@...>]

--- In kicad-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, jean-pierre charras <jean-pierre.charras@...> wrote:
>
> Lorenzo a �crit :
> > I'm refactoring that legacy mess that is the plotting code (i.e. whole routines completely duplicated for HPGL and PS, Gerber treated as 'special'needing aperture selection before operation and so on...)
> >
> > The final idea is to use a common Plotter interface... not that it could be useful but at the end you could plot a schematic on a .pho file :P:P (a WAY MORE useful application is to have the drill diagram as a layer to view over the other ones..)
> >
> > I've got a question about aperture usage/allocation... why do we use a different D-code for a round aperture used for drawing than for an identical aperture for flashing? (actually it will never happen, but anyway...)
> >
> > IIRC there is nothing in the RS274X spec that differentiate them...
> >
> > Is there a reason for this distinction? Maybe someone found some idiot plotter crashing on them?
> >
> > (eyeballing the specs in the meantime)
> >   
> This is not mandatory, but this was considered as a "good practice".
> Perhaps DRC and others controls at gerber lever are easier.
> 
> I am not sure HPGL is nowadays very useful.
> I am thinking it could be removed.
> 
> -- 
> Jean-Pierre CHARRAS
> 

One potential uses for keeping hpgl output would be for controling a circuit board router, especialy home-buillt ones.