kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Attila Kinali <attila@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hoi Tomasz,

On Mon, 31 Aug 2015 18:40:14 +0200
Tomasz Wlostowski <tomasz.wlostowski@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> @both: don't forget that some of the improvements that look simple (
> retaining nets for vias/traces, property editor or undo while drawing a
> trace) require some substantial rework of PCBnew internals (e.g.
> redesign of the net propagation algorithm or refactoring the BOARD class
> to add properites/observers).

I'm very well aware of this. I have done enough coding (including
gui stuff) to know that small changes in the UI can take days to
implement.

There are a few things that annoy me that i have not mentioned,
because i know that they would need a lot of changes in the core
system. Probably the most important one of those is a proper
schematic symbol/footprint handling. Currently, one schematic
symbol is need per part and footprint combination. And it's not
always clear for which footprint a certain schematic symbol was
done. Much better would be a decoupling of schematic symbol and numbering
of pins and instead a tighter coupling of the footpring.

My ideal parts library would have a list of common schematic symbols 
(e.g. a generic opam, like with footprings), which I could select when
entering a new part. Then i pair the sch symbol up with footprints over
a pin mapping. And for each footprint i can specify how the part number
would look like. When selecting a specific part in the schematic editor,
i would select the part, either "generic opamp" to be specified later,
an "AD8602*" for which i'd select a footprint later, or an "AD"
which is the variant in a SOIC-8 case. And automagically, it would adjust
the pin numbering in the schematic to match the footprint (ok, not the
right example here, as the MSOP and the SOIC have the same pin-out).

And at the same time i could select additonal parameters like voltage,
etc. By this, a LDO like the TPS7633 becomes a TPS736xx*, where I just
select the 3.3V variant. And later a TPS73633DBV when i select the
SOT-23 case.


			Attila Kinali

-- 
I must not become metastable. 
Metastability is the mind-killer.
Metastability is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my metastability. 
I will permit it to pass over me and through me. 
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. 
Where the metastability has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.