gEDA-user: get-package-attribute sometimes returns "?" - ID: 3114991

[clif@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi Gang,

This is about a patch I submitted a while back because myself and others 
didn't understand the souce of the "?". Patrick found it though. They are 
from the spice A.. blocks. The value of some of the unpromoted attributes 
are "?". Apparently they are place holders to remind someone to add real 
values in the same way R? is a place holder for a refdes.

To fix it in a uniform way I think we need to standardise what we 
use as a place holder for an attribute. Sould we explicitly put "unknown" 
or "?"? Unfortunitly gschem won't let you put a null string.

The other choice is to not list attributes without useable values, but 
then you don't have the reminder of which ones to fill in. This gets used 
like a short version of the add attribute drop down menu, however you have 
to click on "show inherited attributes" to see them. Though most people 
don't do that and then wonder where the errors come from. ;-)

If neither of those choices sound good then I have an off the wall one. We 
could allow null value attributes which are always promoted so you would 
see them, and this would be a poor mans form in which you have the option 
of providing their values, or even deleting them. Get-package-attribute 
would return "unknown" for attributes which exist but have null values.

Any thoughts?

	Clif





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