kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 5/5/2012 9:55 AM, Miguel Angel Ajo Pelayo wrote:
> Thank you too Wayne,
> 
>     It's nice to team up with you all :-)
> 
> 
>   I have a little prototype of the footprint wizards, for which I should
> finish the C++ integration part, I just finished testing the python part. 
> 
> The parameters they receive are structured in Pages, parameters inside
> the pages, that come with a default value. Every time someone
> changes a value the BuildFootprint() method will be called with the new
> parameters, and we can get the new module via "GetModule()" method.
> 
> A footprint wizard may look like:
> 
> ------ fpc_footprint_wizard.py
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> from pcbnew import FootprintWizardPlugin
> 
> class FPCFootprintWizard(pcbnew.FootprintWizard):
>     def __init__(self):
>         FootprintWizardPlugin.__init__(self)
>         self.name <http://self.name> = "FPC"
>         self.description = "FPC Footprint Wizard"
>         self.image=""
>         self.parameters = {
>              "Pads":
>                 {"pad_n":40,"pitch":0.5,"pad_width":0.25,"pad_height":1.6},
>              "Shield":
>                
> {"shield_to_pad":1,"top_to_pad":2,"pad_width":2,"pad_height":3}
>         }
>     def BuildFootprint(self):
>         self.module = None
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> # w = FPCFootprintWizard() 
> # w.Show()
> 
> for example we may install them system wide in the kicad directory, so
> they are loaded at pcbnew start... or
> at some user directory like ~/.kicad/plugins/
> 
> The parent "FootprintWizardPlugin" class takes care for registering our
> new class into the C++ part, so we can
> can list and use them later on some wx interface.

Very cool!  I can't wait to free up some time and try it out.  I see a
day when KiCad ships with all kinds of useful scripts that experienced
board designers would really appreciate.  I've got a few on my short
list that I would be willing to provide.  Thanks again for your
contributions.

Wayne

> 
> 
> 
> 2012/5/2 Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxxxx
> <mailto:stambaughw@xxxxxxxxxxx>>
> 
>     On 5/2/2012 12:32 PM, Dick Hollenbeck wrote:
> 
>         On 05/01/2012 04:35 PM, Miguel Angel Ajo Pelayo wrote:
> 
> 
> 
>             2012/5/1 Dick Hollenbeck<dick@xxxxxxxxxxx
>             <mailto:dick@xxxxxxxxxxx><__mailto:dick@xxxxxxxxxxx
>             <mailto:dick@xxxxxxxxxxx>>>
> 
>                 On 05/01/2012 10:02 AM, Miguel Angel Ajo Pelayo wrote:
>                 >  We can read and write libraries now with the latest
>             extensions to PLUGIN that Dick&
>                 >  Wayne did :)
>                 >  now it always use legacy, but they will work with all
>             formats. :-)
>                 >
>                 >  [...]
> 
> 
>                 Only 7 lines of code which show how powerful the
>             scripting support is becoming.
> 
>                 Thank you very much Miguel.  I look forward to playing
>             with it, some day when I have
>                 more
>                 time.
> 
> 
>             You're welcome Dick , I think we all are putting a lot of
>             effort to make next KiCad's
>             release something
>             awesome.
> 
>             I'm using the new library functionality to make some nice
>             little footprint wizard
>             examples, and I'm thinking about
>             how to build a simple architecture to let people "plug in"
>             new footprint wizard scripts.
> 
> 
> 
>         Miguel,
> 
>         Your enthusiasm for the project has become an important asset of
>         the project in and of
>         itself.  I personally appreciate all that you do.
> 
> 
>         With the introduction of some sensible "software interfaces" we
>         are now starting to see
>         some benefits.  The original idea for the BOARD plugin framework
>         should be credited to Tom
>         and Javier of CERN.  From that I was able to actually design
>         something workable.  As
>         simple as possible, but not simpler.
> 
>         Wayne has been faithful to that software API contract, and is in
>         the midst of writing one
>         of the most important classes ever contributed to KiCad.  We're
>         calling it PCB_IO.  This
>         class is a normal PLUGIN for our new native s-expression support
>         in mm, but has special
>         bells and whistles on it for clipboard text generation and
>         parsing.  This work is being
>         funded by CERN, so we owe them a special thanks.  (Some selling
>         took place to get this
>         funding, and I will claim some responsibility there.  Selling is
>         not foreign to me.)
> 
> 
>         On my todo list is an EAGLE plugin.  (My todo list is like a
>         personal wish list.  Wishes
>         only come true based on available time, energy and mood.)
> 
> 
>         Now imagine that you, Miguel, write a world class footprint
>         wizard, or a framework that
>         lets others do their little twist to it.  Maybe as you say, it
>         is a housing for any number
>         of footprint wizards, each with a particular specialization.
>          Then, with this design in
>         place, imagine being able to generate eagle footprints or kicad
>         footprints, without any
>         change to your code, or to the code within the wizards.  It is
>         not inconceivable that
>         eagle users will come just to use the footprint wizards.
> 
> 
>         Another benefit of this PLUGIN API design, is that we are
>         positioned to climb to a
>         superset position in both BOARD and in MODULE.  This is because
>         the API is based on those
>         objects, and as we write additional plugins, it is not
>         inconceivable that we may chose to
>         add features to our core C++ objects in order to handle them
>         some other format.  This
>         means we are positioned to assimilate and extend as needed.
> 
>         So yes, there is a hell of a lot going on here.  And there are a
>         lot of people contributing.
> 
> 
>     It is really great to see so many people stepping up and making
>     great contributions to KiCad.  Thank you all for you continued support.
> 
>     Wayne
> 
> 
> 
> 
>         Dick
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Miguel Angel Ajo Pelayo
> http://www.nbee.es
> +34 636 52 25 69
> skype: ajoajoajo