Re: gEDA-user: personal component library frustration-HELP/suggestions please?

[John Hudak <jjhudak@xxxxxxxxx>]

   "I always add the options "skip-m4" and "use-files" because I don't
   want any of the M4 generated footprints, ever. But this may be due
   to personal prejudice."
   This brings up another issue I am having....As a neophyte to this tool
   set (but not to EDA tools in general), what is the deal with m4
   files?   I've read through a lot of stuff in this area, dating from
   2003 through now, and I still don't know if m4 files are good/bad? to
   be used/avoided?
   I am attempting to put a EDA workbench together in a reasonably
   integrated way.  Part of this is to create a (local) big symbol library
   so that it can be used and managed.  What I don't want to do is grab
   component and footprint libraries that are old, brittle, or cause
   gschem or PCB to die.
   From my perspective, all of the inconsistent information is very
   confusing.  Quite simply, where is the 'best' symbol and footprint
   library and the best way to create compatible symbols and footprints?
   (After going through 3 different methods of generating symbols, it
   seems that creating one graphically within gschem is the one least
   laden with holes...true?)
   Thanks to all who replied to my previous questions.
   J

   On Mon, Aug 15, 2011 at 4:02 PM, Kai-Martin Knaak
   <[1]kmk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

   John Hudak wrote:
   > I've created two directories in my home directory to store symbol
   files that
   > I create, and another directory to store footprints I create:
   > /home/jjh/project/component_symbols
   > /home/jjh/project/component_footprints
   >
   > How do I modify gschem to look in my home directory for symbols AS
   WELL AS
   > THE DEFAULT symbol directory?

     This is easier than not using the default lib at all. For gschem and
     gsch2pcb
     put the following lines in your user gafrc:
     /----------- $HOME/.gEDA/gafrc ------------------------
     ;(reset-component-library)   ; don't use system symbols
     ;(reset-source-library)     ; don't use system location for
     subcircuits
     ; Allow to source symbols from the current working directory
     (define current-working-directory ".")
     (component-library current-working-directory "symbols in project
     dir")
     (source-library  current-working-directory)
     ; Allow to source symbols from the local copy of geda-symbols
     (define symbols "FULL-PATH-TO-YOUR-SYMBOL-DIR")
     (component-library symbols)
     ; In case you have symbols in subdirs you can build additional paths
     on
     ; the fly. This example is for symbols/analog/diode
     (component-library (build-path symbols "analog" "diode"))
     ; This statement makes gschem automatically enter subdirs:
     (component-library-search symbols)
     \----------------------------------
     To make gsch2pcb find your footprints, add the following to your
     project
     file:
     /-------------- YOUR-PROJECT.g2p -------------------
     schematics YOUR-PROJECT.sch
     output-name YOUR-PROJECT
     elements-dir
     FULL-PATH-TO-THE-DIR-BELOW-THE_DIRS-THAT-CONTAIN-YOUR-FOOTPRINTS
     \---------------------------------------------------
     I always add the options "skip-m4" and "use-files" because I don't
     want any of the M4 generated footprints, ever. But this may be due
     to personal prejudice.
     To get your footprints in the PCB chooser edit the  library line in
     $HOME.pcb/preferences while there is no instnce of PCB running:
     library-newlib = FULL-PATH-TO-THE-DIR-ETC:./footprints:.
     Note, that unlike with gschem/gnetlist, you have to provide the Dir
     below
     the dir that actually contains the footprints.

   > If you have a suggestion on how to organise this in a better way,
   please let
   > me know, and also tell me how to implement it.

     IMHO, your set-up is perfectly fine :-)
     Hope, this helps.
     ---<)kaiamrtin(>---
     --
     Kai-Martin Knaak
     Email: [2]kmk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
     [3]http://pool.sks-keyservers.net:11371/pks/lookup?search=0x6C0B9F53
     not happy with moderation of geda-user

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References

   1. mailto:kmk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
   2. mailto:kmk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
   3. http://pool.sks-keyservers.net:11371/pks/lookup?search=0x6C0B9F53
   4. mailto:geda-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
   5. http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user


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