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Re: PLUGIN::Footprint*() from python

 

On 11/10/2012 11:13 PM, Dick Hollenbeck wrote:


*Observations:*

a) Layernames should be in English always (in a footprint, not a board).



Once we go down this path, we can never change the English default layer names without
maintaining support for the current spelling of the ones you see now.

I knew this had the potential to be an issue when I designed the new file format. I am not opposed to going back to a hexadecimal bit mask for layer definition. Now would be the time to do it before we make the new file format the default. We would be trading human readability and potentially unlimited layers (I'm not sure that is important) for a smaller file size, faster layer parsing, and easier maintenance. There are sound arguments for both designs. Internally Pcbnew layers are still bit masks so the number of layers are limited to the integer size. Any move to a layer stack would require major changes. It does seem that a hexadecimal bit mask is more appropriate given our current design. We can always move from a 32 bit to a 64 bit layer mask when users start requesting more copper layers.

Wayne





b) The old footprint was deci-mils, the new one is mm.


c) The next thing I notice is the ugyly timestamps on the fp_lines.

Wayne or JP, do we need those time stamps on mere lines?



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