kicad-developers team mailing list archive

["dioiioib" <dioiioib@...>]

--- In kicad-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Lorenzo" <lomarcan@...> wrote:
>
> --- In kicad-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "dioiioib" <dioiioib@> wrote:
> 
> > > The working layer should be on top of all other layers on the display, so you can see what you are doing.
> > 
> > I agree, even if this means flipping the board so you can see the underside correctly.
> 
> Please no... one of the sacred tenants in pcb layout is that the board isALWAYS seen from above. If you start to flip a 40cm board (been there :D) at high magnification you lose your way pretty fast.
> 
> And I don't know how you would handle internal layer that way (flip only for the bottom half?)
> 
> High contrast mode is way more useful. A REALLY good idea would be selective drawing mode for layers (i.e. the current one solid, the other ones sketched); hope to see that in the layer visibility patch/toolbar.
>

I work in Maya a fair bit as well and this idea seems like a more natural way to manipulate a board. It is kin to how you would actually hold a proto-board, or perf-board. I don't have any trouble looking at my board in 3D View in PCBNEW, and I would surely hope you do not as well. As for handling internal layers its like flipping a piece of paper. How hard is that? If youflip a book you flip all page layers in the book at the same time. The reason I bring this up as a request is for IC pin outs. I personally find it irritating and annoying that if the part is on the underside of the board and I am connecting traces I have to remember the pin out is reversed. Why isthis even something people tolerate? Even a split view of your board from the top and the bottom could be a great way to tackle this issue, of designing the board. But your argument of the PCB is always viewed from the top just doesn't make sense if you need to populate both sides of a board densely. The "top" can just as easily be the bottom of the board. 

I do agree with your selective draw mode it does seem to have its uses as well.