kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 9/23/2010 4:12 AM, Martijn Kuipers wrote:
> 
> On Sep 23, 2010, at 1:09 AM, Wayne Stambaugh wrote:
>> symbol - The graphical and/or electrical representation of a component.
>> Think everything between DRAW/ENDDRAW in the current file format.
>>
>> field - The default and user defined text values that describe a
>> component such as value, reference designator, footprint, etc.
>>
>> component - The combination of default and user defined fields and a
>> symbol that get imported into a schematic.
>>
>> library - One or more components along with some meta-data to describe
>> the library.
>>
> 
> 
> When drawing a schematic everything is easy when using components, especially using user-defined libraries. Does this mean that Kicad will ship with a large set of (component-) libraries? Or, will every user need to start creating his own, from symbols (is there a symbol-library foreseen?)? 

I doubt Kicad will ever ship with a large set of manufacturer specific
component libraries.  I think the main goal is to provide a quality set of
generic libraries and hope that as users create more complete component
libraries that they make them freely available for others use and/or modify.
Once these libraries mature, they could be added to the list of libraries
included with Kicad.  As for symbol only libraries, I'm not sure we will need
them if we provide copy/paste into the component library editor.

> 
> Will the component-library also have a reference to (default) footprint(s)? Related to this, if a component is available with different footprints are they different components, or the same component with a reference to multiple footprints? If the latter is true, then one could easily choose another footprint in newPCB, for instance.

I don't see any reason why the footprint field could not used to define wild
cards for pattern matching or multiple footprints when creating generic
components such as 7400 or RESISTOR similar to what we have already.  You could
just as easily create manufacture specific component using the full part number
as the value field which would be tied to a specific footprint.

> 
> /Martijn
> P.S. What is the preferred option regarding the mailing-list. Do I reply to the author and CC the list or just reply to the list (if someone is not subscribed to should then ask to be CC-ed) ? 

Generally speaking you should reply to the list.  I only email someone directly
regarding a matter that does not require input from all the Kicad developers.

Wayne

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