kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxx>]

Cirilo,

I apologize for not responding sooner but I took some time for myself
and my family over the holidays.  I would like to see some type of clean
up of this code.  I have a few suggestions that you might want to consider.

1) Separate out the 3D model stuff from the other plot/export code.

2) Organize the export code based on whether or not individual layer
output is required.  If individual layer plotting is required then it
should remain in the plot dialog.  I think exporting should be an all or
nothing proposition.

3) Your plugin code could optionally support layers.  Take a look at the
optional PROPERTIES passed to the Load and Save functions.  This might
provide a solution.

4) You may want to have a separate plugin for 3D models.  There most
likely will be a requirement to manage 3D model libraries similar to the
footprint library code.

5) Before you spend any time coding, please submit a reasonably detailed
proposal so other  developers can comment on it.

6) Make changes in small doses.  I've found when changing legacy code
that any attempt to do a massive rewrite does nothing but create
headaches.  If you choose to do a massive rewrite, that will have to be
done in a separate branch so other devs can test your code without
severely breaking the product branch.

Thanks,

Wayne


On 12/20/2014 7:42 PM, Cirilo Bernardo wrote:
> I've been thinking about the various import/export features and looking
> into whether some
> refactoring is worthwhile to decouple the code via a scheme similar to
> the IO_MGR plugin.
> I was also thinking maybe the IO_MGR plugin itself might be used but
> eventually decided
> against that since the features really are better described as an
> Import/Export rather than
> a Load/Save.
> 
> I have made a few notes about the current state of Import and Export
> features and
> would appreciate any comments on the idea of refactoring these into a
> plugin. My
> preliminary notes are reproduced here:
> 
> Notes on the refactoring of Import / Export modules:
> ----------------------------------------------------
> 
> Items currently under Import:
>     + Specctra session
>     + DXF
> 
> Items currently under Export:
>     + Specctra DSN
>     + GenCAD
>     + VRML
>     + IDFv3
> 
> Comments on existing features:
>     + DXF: Although there is an import, production of
>       DXF files from within KiCad is via Plot. Does it make
>       sense to retain the plot function as an unrelated entity
>       or should an Import/Export API be used and the "Export"
>       simply brings up the appropriate Plot dialog?
>     + SVG: There is an Export SVG within the File menu
>       under the print features section. This is a shortcut
>       to File->Plot->(SVG Format). Should this be retained
>       or removed? Should this be labeled as an 'Export' at all,
>       in which case it can be treated in a similar fashion to DXF?
>       Is there a corresponding 'Import' function somewhere or
>       is it likely that there will ever be one?
>     + Specctra: Although the files created are different from
>       the files being read into KiCad, does it make sense to
>       put both of these operations under an Import/Export API
>       or will the operation be unclear? (After all a Specctra
>       DSN file is exported and a Session file is imported.)
>     + GenCAD: At the moment we export GenCAD; are we likely to
>       ever import GenCAD?
>     + VRML: There will never be a VRML Import since this makes
>       no sense at all; however putting it into an Import/Export
>       API (plugin) makes sense since the decoupling from the
>       pcbnew code will be cleaner.
>     + IDFv3: The current IDF framework actually makes it
>       possible to import an IDF file even though no one has yet
>       requested this feature. In an Import/Export plugin it
>       should only be necessary to extend the IDF plugin to
>       provide the Import feature.
> 
> 
> - Cirilo
> 
> 
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