kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Dick Hollenbeck <dick@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 08/06/2013 07:33 AM, Dick Hollenbeck wrote:
> 
> On Aug 6, 2013 4:05 AM, "Lorenzo Marcantonio" <l.marcantonio@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> <mailto:l.marcantonio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
>>
>> On Tue, Aug 06, 2013 at 10:27:08AM +0200, jp charras wrote:
>> > However, a more restrictive filtering could be done, and something
>> > like a "text positioning tool" could be just make by using a
>> > restrictive filtering ( for instance do not include tracks in
>> > search) when a silkscreen layer is the active layer.
>>
>> What about a filter by type like in other (mechanical) cads? a toolbar of
>> toggle button to enable/disable of modules/text/pins/track and so on.
> 
> First, I prefer the way it works now over the way it worked before my restoration.  Second
> I am glad to have conversation about it rather than simply having my code, code I wrote,
> get changed without consultation.
> 
> For deciphering which module is in play while the text is turned off, I currently use two
> facillities, the status bar, and more importantly cross probing on a two monitor setup. 
> The module can be selected from the schematic just fine while module text is not
> visible.   Text should be the last thing moved and until the module is situated is not
> neccessary to be visible.
> 
> Lastly, I feel a subsetting mechanism other than visibility, or layer, which we have now,
> must be done using a python or other type of expression, not just some noisy dialog with a
> million checkboxes.
> 
> As I said, I do not need a module selection tool.  I can turn off text and I have that
> now.  I spent the last several days positionin smt components, the use cases are fresh in my
> mind.  Pcbnew worked damn well after my fix.

The obvious should also be noted, and that is that if you first take the time to move the
text out from under your small SMT component (say a small R or C), then you don't have
this selection clarification menu popup, nor do you have the need to have a module
selection tool.  Simply click on the part body and not the module text, *even while the
text is visible*.  That is your module selection tool, it looks like you when looking in
the mirror.  In my footprint libraries, I don't put the text under my footprints to save
this initial step.