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Re: Metric and English grids sizes.

 

Wayne Stambaugh wrote:
I just wanted to get some feedback on the current grid setting design.
Does it make sense to have both the metric and English grid sizes show
up in the grid selection list? Does anyone want to snap to a 0.127mm or
a 0.254mm grid. I propose changing the grid list to only show the
metric grid sizes when millimeters are selected and English grid sizes
when inches are selected. The user grid will always be shown in the
current units. I already have it coded up and working and wanted to
make sure that there were no objections before I made the commit.

No objections in principal from me. The proof is in the pudding. A related problem came along, once upon a time:

I placed the metric part on the board using the english grid position. It was a BGA, fine pitch, enough so to where using a grid would be helpful in centering tracks. Then later I needed to move or re-route some tracks. So I switched to metric grid (using user coords). But now the problem is not the interval between grid cells, but the actual offset of the grid cell system as a whole (because the part was placed using english grid cells).

So, one might ask for the ability to align the grid at an alignment other than (0,0), what I referred to above as an offset. Then I could have say clicked on a BGA pad, realigned the entire grid to where that pad was exactly defining one of the grid cells points. Then I can establish the cell granularity to be some multiple of that pitch.

I hope this helps clarify my problem and a potential solution. Just having metric without this grid offset may not end up being that helpful.


Or did I miss a capability that is already in Kicad?

Dick







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