Re: gEDA-user: PCB -- lacking mirror command !!

[DJ Delorie <dj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> PCB doesn't have a flip (mirror) command because for most footprints you
> invalidate them if you flip them over.

'b' moves elements to the other side (which brings the solder side
pads to the component side).  You can otherwise rotate the elements
180 degrees.  A left-right flip is, as you say, not legal.

> For an edge connector though, it's an okay thing to do.

Not if the pins on the other side are numbered independently!

> Unfortunately, this will be a serious PCB limitation for anyone working
> with the more modern and usual types of edge connectors where there are
> two sets of contacts on either side of the board.  It seems like there
> will be no other way to deal with these footprints than to make duplicates
> with reverse numbering sequence.

I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish here.  If you
mirror the parts (other than moving them to the other side), you
change the pin numbering sequence and the footprint no longer
corresponds to the physical part.

You certainly wouldn't want to mirror a CSP-14, for example.  There
would be no way of correctly soldering the chip onto the board.

Are you sure you don't just want what the 'b' key does?

> I know there could be two gschem symbols for the two footprints with 2
> different pinseq sequences ... but it would be nice if PCB could mirror a
> part,

I don't think that's ever a good idea.  The right thing to do is to
number the pins correctly in the first place, either by having a
separate footprint or by having gsch2pcb somehow renumber them (the
heavy symbol issue again).

> or a set of traces.

Cut, buffer->flip, paste.


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