kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Cirilo Bernardo <cirilo_bernardo@xxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----

> From: Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: kicad-developers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: 
> Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2013 1:24 AM
> Subject: Re: [Kicad-developers] Development of IDFv3 export
> 
> On 12/4/2013 4:02 AM, Cirilo Bernardo wrote:
>>  Hi folks,
>> 
>>   I've just tested a very bare IDFv3 exporter since I didn't have 
> the patience to manually model a board with almost 300 thru-holes. The code 
> works in much the same way as the gencad and vrml exporters.  I just have to 
> clean up the code, sort out the dialog issues (I cry whenever I have to work 
> with wxformbuilder), and prepare the patches.
>> 
>>   What the code does:
>>  1. exports a rectangular board based on the board bounding box; the board 
> is reduced in size to compensate for a 0.1mm line width.  The intention is to 
> eventually create an outline from the information in the edge layer; however, 
> the information in the edge layer will require some processing to present it in 
> an IDF compliant form.
> 
> What is missing from the board file format that is required to export to
> IDFv3?  None the the other exporters required any changes to the board
> file format.  I'm not thrilled about the idea of changing the board file
> format just to satisfy exporting to another file format.
> 
> 


The change to the board format would be to support the IDF library and future solid model work. Basically a scheme is needed to specify information for multiple types of 3D information as opposed to only VRML. The current IDF code only exports a board with holes though, so no change is necessary to accommodate this; any proposed changes to the format are still a future thing and require more thought.

- Cirilo