kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[mr <mrmakar@xxxxx>]

Hello everybody

This is my first e-mail on KiCad mailing list.
I started using KiCad more than 3 years ago and first I made some 
improvements to the original code (based on kicad-2010-04-06-SVN2508).
Lately I found some time to move my changes to Bazaar based code (4098).

I would like to propose to introduce to pcbnew additional units: mils.

Why?
Because dimensions are small so operating on inches when you need 
thousandths of inch is harder.
It's like measuring length of earthworm in miles or km.
I think that typing unnecessary zeroes and commas is waste of time.
Why just don't type 10 (mils) instead of 0,01 (inch) or 8 instead of 0,008.

Below are screen shots of my work - added 'mils' to left toolbar (new 
icon), general settings, context menu, etc.
Units are switched in following order: inches -> millimeters -> mils -> 
inches ...

For now  I added mils only to the pcbnew, but I plan to add it to modedit.
GridSelectBox is wider (120%) and shows two units simultanously (as it 
is in context menu Grid). This allow quickly switch grid for example 
between mils and mm without changing units.

If you thing that adding mils to toolbar, dialogs, etc. to KiCad is good 
idea let me know, I'll prepare patch.

Mariusz

Attachment: Design Rules Editor - inch.png
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Attachment: Design Rules Editor - mils.png
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Attachment: Design Rules Editor - mm.png
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Attachment: General Settings.png
Description: PNG image

Attachment: Grid Properties.png
Description: PNG image

Attachment: pcbnew - GridSelectBox - inch.png
Description: PNG image

Attachment: pcbnew - GridSelectBox - mils.png
Description: PNG image

Attachment: pcbnew - GridSelectBox - mm.png
Description: PNG image

Attachment: pcbnew - inch.png
Description: PNG image

Attachment: pcbnew - mils.png
Description: PNG image

Attachment: pcbnew - mm.png
Description: PNG image

Attachment: pcbnew - Pad Properties.png
Description: PNG image

Attachment: pcbnew - Texts and Drawings.png
Description: PNG image