kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Dick Hollenbeck <dick@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 08/02/2013 12:10 PM, Tomasz Wlostowski wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> Thanks to Orson, Camille, Vesa and others we now have the cool and 
> lightning-fast GAL-driven graphics view in pcbnew. Now it's time to make 
> it do some real work, that means editing operations.
> 
> Since the GAL does not allow XOR rendering, some significant refactoring 
> of the editing tools' code will have to happen at some point. I took it 
> as an opportunity to propose a tiny library/framework/abstraction (pick 
> your favorite name) for the editing tools. Its main goals are:
> - separate tool = separate class, contrary to the current state where 
> all tools reside in PCB_EDIT_FRAME event handlers. This would allow for
> writing new tools without touching the frame code (which is quite 
> complex) and abstract tools into plugins.
> - no "asynchronous" drawing. If a tool wants to draw something, it adds 
> it to a VIEW, and the VIEW makes sure it's displayed in correct order 
> and without damaging other parts of screen.
> - eliminate static/global tool states.
> - independence from the GUI toolkit and its quirks on different systems. 
> Tools get the events in world space that are already adjusted to what's 
> going on with the view (panning, scrolling, zoom, etc.)
> - tools accessible from scripts
> 
> I wrote a slightly longer technical description and uploaded it to the 
> CERN project Wiki: http://www.ohwr.org/projects/cern-kicad/wiki/Kicad-tool.
> 
> There is a demo available (kicad-gal-orson branch), that shows a simple 
> selection tool (Go to Edit->Selection tool with the GAL view enabled). 
> It's not yet useful for any practical purposes and very unstable - It's 
> purpose is it just to show the overall idea and prepare ground for 
> technical discussion.
> 
> Thanks in advance for your feedback,
> Tom

Tom,

You deserve better than this buddy.  Anyone give you feedback yet?

I will try to this weekend.  Please don't take the silence as anyone thinking your work is
not exceedingly important.


Thanks,


Dick