kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Tomasz Wlostowski <tomasz.wlostowski@xxxxxxx>]

On 04.05.2016 16:48, Wayne Stambaugh wrote:
> How are you saving this auto generate flag and width/length parameters
> in the schematic?  If you are using component fields or text that's
> fine.  However, please keep in mind that using component fields and text
> is for passing information to third party tools that are not part of
> kicad.  If we are going to support net ties and micro wave component
> generation, we should do that as part of KiCad proper rather than treat
> it like a third party tool which you are proposing. 

Hi Wayne,

I would store the microwave dimensions as key:value pairs, just like the
current schematic fields. I think microwave components will be best
handled by python scripting. These scripts should be IMHO permanently
included in Kicad distribution, not a 3rd party tool. I chose component
fields to pass the dimensions information because with every new exotic
shape (e.g. a Wilkinson power divider instead of a simple microstrip
line), we would need to add new tokens to the SCH file format and
netlist specification.

For net ties, there's no schematic/netlist format changes, only PCB.

I'm wondering how to handle the auto_generate flag. Maybe this one
justifies a separate file format entity connected to a checkbox in the
sch library editor and a text field specifying which plugin/script to run...

> I don't want the
> component fields and text used for kicad features.  If you want to
> provide this as an interim solution, I am OK with that.  However, you
> may be creating more work for yourself when we finally get around to
> supporting net ties and micro wave component generation as part of the
> schematic editor. 

How do you see the role of the schematic editor in generation of
microwave components (in my proposal there's none)?

Cheers,
Tom