kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Miguel Angel Ajo Pelayo <miguelangel@xxxxxxx>]

I saw it, he he :-)

My conclusions until now:

      1) there is already some work in the direction of enhancing the
visualization.
      2) Most users prefer the transparency of layers in visualization.

Thanks for your feedback :-)

2012/2/21 Brian Sidebotham <brian.sidebotham@xxxxxxxxx>

> On 21 February 2012 11:01, Brian Sidebotham <brian.sidebotham@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> > On 21 February 2012 07:25, Miguel Angel Ajo Pelayo <miguelangel@xxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>     I've been playing around with the code, and learning a little bit
> how
> >> does kicad draw everything.
> >>
> >> I'm also quite new to KiCad, and I'm getting used to work with the
> tool. It
> >> was surprising for me
> >> that the layers are painted using GR_OR operation.
> >>
> >> Is it implemented this way because you find it more clear to work this
> way?
> >> or is it implemented
> >> this way to simplify (/speedup) the drawing process?
> >>
> >> For me, it would seem nicer (may be it's just what I'm used to):
> >>
> >>   Drawing without OR/XOR/etc, just drawing, in order:
> >>
> >>    1) tracks bottom-up for all the layers (excluding: current one, and
> >> current overlay one)
> >>    2) tracks of the current layer
> >>    3) the current overlay (current overlay = nearest one to the current
> >> layer)
> >>    4) vias, pads, etc.
> >>
> >> It must be a little bit more time consuming, since (in plain
> implementation)
> >> we may need to
> >> iterate all over the lists at least 3 times (1,2,3). Better
> implementation
> >> could be done
> >> with a little more of memory usage.
> >>
> >>
> >>     If it's something that the project finds interesting, I could be
> doing
> >> it. Even if there is a 50%/50% and
> >> the code could be done in such way that doesn't become harder
> to maintain,
> >> also both modes could be kept.
> >>
> >>
> >>     Cheers,
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >> Miguel Angel Ajo Pelayo
> >> http://www.nbee.es
> >> +34 636 52 25 69
> >> skype: ajoajoajo
> >
> > Hi Miguel,
> >
> > The drawing code is as it is in order to efficient whilst allowing the
> > layers to be visible through each other. For example, where a Front
> > track crosses over a Back track we would see the OR'd result of the
> > two layer colours where they cross. This is a very handy feature - I
> > have only ever known PCB layout packages to use this method of
> > compositing the view. Nowadays though transparency is generally used
> > instead.
> >
> > See Torsten's work on a Graphics Abstracion Layer for KiCad:
> > https://code.launchpad.net/~kicad-testing-committers/kicad/kicad-gal
> >
> > Best Regards,
> >
> > Brian.
>
> Looking at the commit's on that branch, it looks like I should have
> said "See Torsten and Dick's work on a Graphics Abstraction Layer for
> KiCad:"
>
> Apologies Dick.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Brian.
>



-- 

Miguel Angel Ajo Pelayo
http://www.nbee.es
+34 636 52 25 69
skype: ajoajoajo