kicad-developers team mailing list archive

["Lorenzo" <lomarcan@...>]

--- In kicad-devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Dick Hollenbeck <dick@...> wrote:

> 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.  

I had the same problem defining some non-symmetric package (an infrared gascell, BTW), which had two cluster of pins. The difference is that a moduleorigin can be relocated at anytime, the board origin cannot.

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

I think that for now it can't be done.

Quick idea: what about grid points calculated around the auxiliary axis? the main origin (the global coordinates) is almost insignificant anyway (it means paper space!). As a side effect that would align the grid relative to the board (in the usual case of the aux origin on a border corner).

For your BGA you could just move the origin to your module center (it's quick, there a dedicated toolbar button right for that... and now it's usuallyused about ONCE per board:D that's a waste) so that the whole grid would be aligned to your pins.

IIRC the now the only use of the aux axis is for plotting/drilling... it could be exploited for more useful things (just remember to put it at home before exporting for fabrication).

Extra-bonus function for brownie points: snap the origin on a mire when clicked on it (for local fiducials or frequently needed origins :D)