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Re: gEDA-user: PCB - how to update elements/components on a PCB


I've wondered about this since I started using PCB. I see it as one of the biggest problems with the way PCB works. It should be truly hierarchical and reference footprint info (with the proper scaling, rotation, mirroring, attributes applied) rather than completely embedding the footprint definition in the layout file. Extending this concept would provide for libraries of standard pin/pad geometries. I've been burned many times by the inclusion of stale footprint data.

I've contemplated writing a script that could find and replace footprints in the file but haven't had the time yet, but would much prefer that PCB dealt with the issue directly. The gschem approach is much better in that you can reference a part, limbed it like PCB, or "smash" it into the file as primitives. I'd love to see PCB do the same thing.

Joe T


David Rowe wrote:

Hi,

I have a PCB design that uses 5 SOT-23 elements.  The original SOT-23
element is stored as a text file bf_SOT23:

[david@solomon hardware-0.2]$ more pkg/newlib/bf_SOT23

Element["" "bf_SOT23" "" "" 206000 121000 0 0 0 100 ""]
(
       Pad[-3500 3500 -3500 5500 3900 3000 6900 "1" "1" "square,edge2"]
       Pad[3500 3500 3500 5500 3900 3000 6900 "2" "2" "square,edge2"]
       Pad[0 -5500 0 -3000 3900 3000 6900 "3" "3" "square"]
       ElementLine [-6500 -8500 -6500 8248 1000]
       ElementLine [6500 -8500 -6500 -8500 1000]
       ElementLine [6500 8500 6500 -8248 1000]
       ElementLine [-6500 8500 6500 8500 1000]

       )

Now if I change this element, is there any way to make PCB automatically
update the 5 components I have placed on the PCB using this element?  I
would like to preserve the component designator, value, orientation etc.

Currently I am manually loading up the element using "File-load element
to paste buffer" then manually replacing the 5 components and entering
the designator/value.

Thanks,

David