kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Ruth Ivimey-Cook <ruth@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I've been using the nightly build for the last couple of weeks on a 
hobby project, with generally good results. I thought it might be 
helpful for you some feedback on it. My comparisons are against 5.1.14:

I love the new cut/paste, click to move etc. Very much easier. I love 
too the Schematic's 'edit endpoint' on a wire to extend it, but couldn't 
it support general movement too, as is true for 'd' on the PCB?

I like the new part Group and part Lock options, and the dialog for lock 
override. Have I missed finding a general Unlock All, though?

The router tool to drag whole parts with their tracks (opt 'd') gets 
very easily confused with conflicts on tracks that shouldn't be there 
and for any many-pin part it's almost unusable. I didn't notice the same 
problems in v5.1. By 'shouldn't be there' I think there is a conflict is 
with THT pads where the hole itself becomes something to avoid. You can 
also conflict with existing track segments which should and can move and 
are at least 1 segment distant from the part being moved (e.g. part has 
pad A, which has a track segment on it B, which then bends at 45deg to a 
segment C. Moving the part moves A and B, but not C, which could move 
but is instead counted as a conflict. Where the part movement is in line 
with tracks, things are generally ok; problems arise when part movement 
is at an angle to track connections.

A nice enhancement would be for PCB drag to support dragging of 
contiguous groups of parts (e.g. when you use an area selection).

The 3D viewer is great as always. I'm not sure if this is a regression, 
but when the solder resist layer (green etc) is not clipped at pcb 
holes, e.g. mounting holes, and should be, so currently you can't see 
all the way through holes. Switch off display of solder resist and you 
can. You also can't see through THT part holes when components are not 
shown.

The new library format was obviously needed and makes more sense 
(internals-wise). However, integration with older libraries needs 
improvement, specifically there needs to be a way to auto import 
specific symbols to an existing new-format library (e.g. 
project-specific) from an old-format library (or if present this option 
is not obvious), and ideally a way to export an new format symbol to an 
old format (even if that is then marked as potentially broken and needs 
checking). At present it is not practical for everyone to be on the new 
format all the time. Migration old->new was good when that was appropriate.

The new project viewer tool layout is improved, but could the clickable 
area for each tool encompass the text as well as the image? Perhaps also 
the icons could be somewhat larger.

I was slightly confused, when setting up my board, that I wasn't allowed 
to specify a single sided board... there is no option for just one layer 
of copper. It so happens that my project grew and I do need 2 layers, 
but still.

My project has so far had a major revision, as I reimplemented the core 
of the circuit, and in the process reset the part numbering. Of course 
there was a fair bit of movement and redoing of pcb placement but some 
non-core parts stayed put. I was hoping/expecting the areas that hadn't 
been changed would either show up with lots of broken connections or be 
retained as-is, but no. For parts that were renumbered  but not moved on 
the pcb, the track was left with its original net, while the part's 
connections were those of the new one. (e.g. old part R1 pad1 = 3V3 and 
has track 3V3, following change now R1 pad1 is GND. After change, R1 
still refers to the same footprint so pad1 is now GND but track is still 
3V3, and yet the ratsnest showed nothing wrong). NB Rule checker dialog 
not invoked, just the ratsnest.

Hope this helps,

Ruth


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