kicad-developers team mailing list archive

["Brian F. G. Bidulock" <bidulock@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Lorenzo,

On Fri, 10 Sep 2010, Lorenzo Marcantonio wrote:

> On Fri, 10 Sep 2010, Alex G wrote:
> 
> >>- It supports courtyards (using assembly layers). Well, there is no
> >>  'fixed' layer, they're customizable (but I don't know if it flips them
> >>  correctly, then...)
> >>
> >I _want_ this in kicad One top courtyard, and one bottom courtyard. I'm
> >not requesting from anyone to implement this, but it is a much coveted
> >feature.
> 
> It should be relatively easy to implement, eating the ECO layers (the
> problem is that we're already using all the 32 bit for the layer bitmask
> :D). Or maybe just step over to a 64 bit mask (woohoo). Anyway the
> autoplacer and DRC checker would greatly benefit from assembly layers.

I changed the integer layer number to a LAYER_ID with conversion to and
from int and the bit mask to a LAYER_SET with overloaded bit mask
operators.  The number of copper layers is now rather arbitrary (some
64,367).

New layers added are Plating, HoleFill, KeepOut, ViaPlug, Contacts,
PeelMask, Finish, Courtyard, Component, Coating, Probe, Fixture.  A

"Courtyard" is for component courtyards.  "KeepOut" is for component,
plane, trace and via keepouts and keepins.  "Component" is for component
outlines for assembly drawings.  One of PCBNEW's deficiencies was
handling all three of these with a single silkscreen layer.  Component
top and bottom can be plotted for proper assembly drawings.

It sounds simple, but the number of places in the code where
it relied on some characteristic of the copper bitmask ordering was
shameful.  A layer can now be added by simply defining a new "Layer
Class" and teaching the plot and draw routines how to render it.

--brian

-- 
Brian F. G. Bidulock    ¦ The reasonable man adapts himself to the ¦
bidulock@xxxxxxxxxxx    ¦ world; the unreasonable one persists in  ¦
http://www.openss7.org/ ¦ trying  to adapt the  world  to himself. ¦
                        ¦ Therefore  all  progress  depends on the ¦
                        ¦ unreasonable man. -- George Bernard Shaw ¦