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Re: First impressions on fp-table

 

On Sep 24, 2013 5:14 PM, "Wayne Stambaugh" <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> On 9/24/2013 5:15 PM, Dick Hollenbeck wrote:
> > On 09/24/2013 03:14 PM, Wayne Stambaugh wrote:
> >> On 9/24/2013 3:34 PM, Lorenzo Marcantonio wrote:
> >>> Premise: I don't get why this was done, since I find the existing
> >>> library-order search perfectly adequate, however it's an interesting
> >>> idea and obviously must have its merits (simply I can't see them, I
need
> >>> better glasses or a different workflow :P). Also I use the 'board as
> >>> a library' approach suggested in the manual i.e. I never use the
library
> >>> related operations in the module editor. Create footprint archive does
> >>> the library creation step for everything (for now it supports only the
> >>> legacy mod files, will that change with the new file-for-module
> >>> libraries?)
> >>>
> >>> First of all: very good the environment variable replacement idea; a
lot
> >>> of symlinks trickery was required to make it work for different users.
> >>>
> >>> Tried to play with the library path dialog and it's good. I presume
that
> >>> the 'path' column changes significance depending on the plugin (a .mod
> >>> file for legacy, a directory for the new format and so on); that plus
> >>> the path substitution makes impossible a 'browse' button for the
> >>> path...however I think that nearly immediately users will ask for it!
> >>> In fact I have many libs and I generated the fp file with a shell one
> >>> liner:P
> >>
> >> The ability to use any footprint library that is supported by a plugin
> >> without having to convert them to one of Pcbnew's formats is important
> >> for some users and certainly is more convenient.
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Has the description column some significance or it's only a remark?
> >>
> >> It's just a remark that gets saved in the footprint library table
entry.
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Possibly useful enhancement: while playing I added an inexistant
pathname... the
> >>> next cvpcb run it said:
> >>>
> >>> Some files are invalid!
> >>> IO_ERROR: Footprint library path does not exist <<< here the missing
file would be useful
> >>> from /home/lomarcan/cvswork/kicad-bzr/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp :
Load() : line 214
> >>
> >> I'll take a look at it.  I did fix a few bugs in r4345 so I may have
> >> already fixed it.
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Another thing trapped by my wx debug build:
> >>>
> >>> ASSERT INFO:
> >>> ./src/generic/listctrl.cpp(3063): assert "col >= 0 && col <
GetColumnCount()" failed in SetColumnWidth(): invalid column index
> >>>
> >>> BACKTRACE:
> >>> [1] wxOnAssert(char const*, int, char const*, char const*, wchar_t
const*)
> >>> [2] wxGenericListCtrl::SetColumnWidth(int, int)
> >>> [3] FOOTPRINTS_LISTBOX::SetFootprints(FOOTPRINT_LIST&, wxString
const&, COMPONENT*, int)
> >>> [4] CVPCB_MAINFRAME::BuildFOOTPRINTS_LISTBOX()
> >>> [5] CVPCB_MAINFRAME::ReadNetListAndLinkFiles()
> >>>
> >>> It does so often (every time it repopulates the right column), and I
see
> >>> no sign of column resizing... I have seen the bug comment in the code
> >>> and it trips even on wx 2.9 with gtk-2.0. That's just for information.
> >>
> >> This one should be fixed in r4345.
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Then I tried to 'update' a couple of components: it was C0805 (old
> >>> package), then become smd:C0805. Everything fine till now, saved the
cmp
> >>> file without problems. Maybe one day the cmp file will go away and
only
> >>> the netlist will survive :D (the problem is when a part is deleted and
> >>> a new one get its refdes... from the cmp file it takes the *old*
> >>> package, which is bad)
> >>
> >> At some point, I plan on doing away with the cmp file.  I have to write
> >> the code so Pcbnew can save the new s-expr netlist file.  Once that's
> >> done, cmp files will go away as will the legacy netlist files.
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Backannotation in eeschema, it works as expected. However there is
> >>> a catch: the 'qualified' names are usually way too long to be shown in
> >>> the drawing. Maybe an option to display only the 'short' name would be
> >>> useful (only display, the attribute must remain intact).
> >>
> >> You might want to have a talk with library folks about the length of
the
> >> file and footprint names.  Is it really necessary to have a library
> >> named Allegro_ACS754_ACS755_ACS756_HallCurrentSensor_RevA with a
> >> footprint named Allegro_HallSensor_Package-CB-PFF_24Oct2012?  I would
> >> think allegro_hall_current_sense and package_cb_pff would be plenty
> >> readable without wrapping on a 1920X1200 monitor.  You can always
change
> >> the library nicknames to something shorter.
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Back to pcbnew... tried to refresh the netlist. As expected it noticed
> >>> a mismatch (names from cmp, keep modules), however it says:
> >>>
> >>> Warning: component `C8` has footprint <C0805> and should be  <C0805>
> >>>
> >>> I'd expected to read "should be <smd:C0805>", or am I wrong? during
> >>> actual replacement the message is correct, anyway:
> >>
> >> You are correct.  I missed that.  I'll add it to the list.  At least it
> >> replaces with the correct footprints.
> >>
> >>>
> >>> Replacing component "C8:/4BA0B4A0" footprint "C0805" with "smd:C0805".
> >>>
> >>> (is that timestamp really useful? maybe when selecting using
timestamps
> >>> and not references... but then it would be useful in the previous
> >>> message too)
> >>>
> >>> Editing the replaced component shows the qualified name in the
> >>> 'footprint name in library'... I think this need a little caution,
> >>> however; this is because of how libraries are made.
> >>>
> >>> - In a project board that value represents from which library the
> >>>   component came from and the module name.
> >>>
> >>> - In a master board for library creation that is the module name but,
in
> >>>   fact, the library has not significance (since we are going to write
in
> >>>   a specific, maybe new, library). In fact during the archival process
> >>>   the library nick is simply stripped (I'd have done the same).  Still
> >>>   I don't get *why* it takes so long:P
> >>>
> >>> Maybe would be probably better to split the field in the module
> >>> properties? It needs some more thinking.
> >>
> >> I still have some testing to do with the footprint editor.  I'll see if
> >> I can make it more user friendly in this regard.
> >>
> >>>
> >>> All in all it seems to work... I'm using it and if something else pops
> >>> up I'll let you know. Having the multiple library backend and variable
> >>> substitution is surely an improvement from the previous
implementation.
> >>>
> >>> One last thing: I think we should stop polluting the home directory.
> >>> With non-dot files, even! By the way, why are lock files there instead
> >>> of aside the original files like before? it is an accepted practice
> >>> (like the .*.swp files for vi) and doesn't pollute the home. Frankly
> >>> I find all these _home_lomarcan*lock files quite ugly. Now there is
the
> >>> fp-lib-table which is a permanent file too... why not allocate a
.kicad
> >>> or a .config/kicad directory and put all that cruft there (with the
> >>> individual .eeschema, .pcbnew files and so on, too)?  (Application
Data
> >>> would be the equivalent for Windows systems)
> >>>
> >>
> >> I agree.  This is already on my list as well.  At some point, I plan on
> >> moving all the KiCad config files into the .kicad folder in the user's
> >> home folder on Linux.  Unfortunately, there is no easy way to do this
> >> for Windows users.  Converting the KiCad configuration settings in the
> >> registry to config files is not trivial.  I may make Windows user's
> >> reconfigure KiCad rather than try to convert the registry entries when
I
> >> get around to this.
> >
> > Where does the project specific table get saved to when I have to
establish a project, but
> > rather have simply started pcbnew from the command line without a
filename?
> >
> > Otherwise I assume it is saved in the same dir as the *.kicad_pcb?
> >
> >
> > Dick
> >
> >
> That is how it's supposed to work unless there is some issue that I
> missed.  The few projects that I tested it on seemed to work fine.  Let
> me know if it's getting saved somewhere else and I will fix it.

You did not answer my first question, I don't know where it gets saved if
no project.  But it is.

I like what I see, but wanted to examine the project table.  Can not find
it for case when no project.


>
> Wayne
>
>
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