kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 7/6/2016 3:20 AM, Fabrizio Tappero wrote:
> Dear All,
> few years have passed since the last main Kicad icon restyling. In my
> opinion, the current icons are serving us quite well except for very few
> which could use a little face lift. 
> 
> The few icons that make me particularly itchy are the main Kicad icons
> for which this very imposing pencil does not play very well. I know that
> some of your really want a pencil to suggest that those tools are for
> editing. The truth is that now a days icons can be a little more subtle.
> 
> I'd like to propose these new set of icons for the main KiCad toolbar.
> Please let me know what you think and please if there is anybody who
> wants to help out please, now is the moment.
> 
> Cheers
> Fabrizio
> 

Fabrizio,

The symbol library editor bitmap is too generic.  We have two library
editors, a symbol library editor and a footprint library editor.  Your
proposed symbol library editor icon is ambiguous (it just an icon for a
library metaphor).  If it had a symbol such as and op-amp superimposed
over the top of the books, that may be more clear.  I may also need some
edit metaphor (such as the pencil in the current icon) as well because
it could be confused as library viewer rather than and editor.  Although
our current icon is also ambiguous.  It looks like you are going to open
a text editor.

Your footprint library editor icon could be confusing as well.  Most PCB
layout users are familiar with the concept of component footprints.
It's what they do.  The human footprint may be more familiar to
non-technical users but I don't think that is relevant for KiCad users.
There is also no edit metaphor.  Perhaps you should use your symbol
library editor icon with a component footprint and some edit metaphor
(pencil?) superimposed over top of it for the footprint library editor icon.

Cheers,

Wayne