gEDA-bug: gEDA bug 2933969

[Peter Clifton <pcjc2@xxxxxxxxx>]

> 
> In 'Basic devices' category, npn-1.sym and npn-2.sym both have 'B',
> 'C' and 'E' as pin numbers in addition to use as pin names. The
> transfer via gsch2pcb and the netlist and command files does not leave
> the footprint with the correct connections. The pins are still numbers
> on the footprint, and letters in the netlist. The letters in the pin
> numbers in the .sym file should be changed to numbers. Best regards,
> J. A. Rowan (joe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

Unfortunately, mapping from a generic symbol of a transistor onto a
package in the netlist is not an easy problem.

As you have noted, the footprint for the device you are using will have
numerical identification for its pins. (Those pin numbers might even be
standardised for the particular package).

Unfortunately, not all transistor packages map the same B, C, E
connections onto the same 1, 2, 3, pins.

If we changed the .sym file to numbers - it would be incorrect in a
significant number of cases. This is why we use letters. Those are
always "correct" in the symbolic sense, and allow the user to make a
customised footprint with pin names as letters in PCB.

Alternatively, copy the appropriate generic symbol, and make a version
of it specific to the device you are using - change its pin numbers to
be numeric, and add the "footprint=..." attribute appropriate to go with
those.

I'm going to close this bug as WONTFIX, or something similar - since we
can't retrospectively change the "interface" on these symbols in any
case, as that would break existing users.

Thanks for getting in touch.

Best regards,

Peter Clifton.


PS. Please sign in to sourceforge before replying.. I know it is a
hateful website, but it really helps to ensure we can get back in touch.
I'm writing this email, and will have to go and post on the bug tracker
too. Thanks for including your email address in the bug description
though.




_______________________________________________
geda-bug mailing list
geda-bug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-bug