kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Dick Hollenbeck <dick@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 04/09/2013 01:01 PM, Dick Hollenbeck wrote:
> On 04/09/2013 03:28 AM, Lorenzo Marcantonio wrote:
>> Found this in loadMODULE_TEXT:
>>
>>     if( layer < FIRST_LAYER )
>>         layer = FIRST_LAYER;
>>     else if( layer > LAST_NON_COPPER_LAYER )
>>         layer = LAST_NON_COPPER_LAYER;
>>     else if( layer == LAYER_N_BACK )
>>         layer = SILKSCREEN_N_BACK;
>>     else if( layer == LAYER_N_FRONT )
>>         layer = SILKSCREEN_N_FRONT;
>>
>> (didn't check if it's the same for the new format)
>>
>> Is there a reason for not allowing text on front and back copper?


Jean-Pierre, Wayne, et. al.

If I can broaden this topic somewhat, this type of on the fly board
change (during loading) falls into a general category of "doctoring a
board during loading".   Let's call it "board doctoring".

Generally it makes me nervous, even though it may have its place.

I suggest that we raise the threshold under which we would do board
doctoring to a higher level of criteria.

For low value fixes it is best simply to ask the user to hand edit his
board file.


Board doctoring makes it harder to:

a) use hand edited boards to gainfully do an end run around a weak
user interface and achieve a more full featured board manufacturing.

b) track down editing bugs, because they can be masked behind board
doctoring.

Board doctoring is a practice we should frown upon, and only use
reluctantly.