gEDA-user: PCB, possible to incorporate FreeRotateBuffer() in Buffer menu?

[Svenn Are Bjerkem <svenn.bjerkem@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,
I am in the progress of making a DIP-64 carrier pcb for a QFP64 MCU
which also will carry voltage regulator, crystal and some glue logic.
My first attempt used a straight QFP64 package aligned 90 degrees.
When doing the routing I found that I my task would be a lot easier if
I could rotate the QFP64 by 45 degrees. But I could not find a menu
option for doing so.

I started this email having no clue about how to rotate a footprint by
45 degrees in pcb, and then I thought "don't be a noob, search the
mailinglist first". A first search for "rotate footprint" did not help
me out as quick as I wanted, so I went to my local pcb git repository
and updated the source to have the newest possible version and rebuilt
it. Checked the documentation and searched for "rotate" in the pdf.
Then the FreeRotateBuffer() command came to my eyes. Another search in
the mailing list for FreeRotateBuffer() gave me all the information I
wanted, and it has actually been around for a while.

Ok, I could have stopped there, canceled my email and continued with
my board, but then I felt the need to ask why this FreeRotateBuffer()
isn't more visible in the user interface? In the Buffer menu, there
are separate items for rotating 90 degrees clockwise and
counterclockwise, but no item for free rotating of the buffer. From
what I have read about FreeRotateBuffer() any errors are accumulated
so it may not be a good idea to modify the rotate tool to step
anything else but 90 degrees.

From the documentation it is not clear that FreeRotateBuffer() is the
way to go. It is just documented, but a new user, not familiar with
pcb's command language may have a hard time getting there, and from
the mailing list point of view it is a FAQ. At least in my opinion.

I am just trying to argue why an extra Buffer menu item should be
added, but there may be reasons for not doing so that I don't know.
Just trying to make pcb a little more user friendly.

-- 
Svenn


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