Re: gEDA-user: PCB & Gschem

[DJ Delorie <dj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I Guess i got to say footprint= but still havent worked out what for
> diodes resistors capacitors

"it depends".  *You* have to decide which physical component you're
going to use, and pick (or make) a footprint that matches it.  There's
a couple of footprings in 2_pin_thru-hole_packages, more in ~generic,
more in ~geda, more in ~ressitor, etc.

I usually keep a spare copy of pcb running so I can put footprints on
a blank board and see what they look like, assuming I haven't created
them myself for a specific part.

> also wouldnt it make sense for Gschem to have a drop down list of
> footprints and you just select the one you want .

They don't make monitors that big ;-)

And you're asking about an old question - light vs heavy symbols.  The
purpose of gschem is NOT to design your pcb; its to design the
circuit.  Something like gattrib or a database app would assign
footprints to symbols based on available stock, corporate preferences,
custom footprints, etc.

Currently, we're adopting the "light symbol" policy, which means that
the designer has to add the information, but allows for a smaller
library of symbols.

That's why programs like gattrib exist - to help with the migration
between the symbolic (gschem) and the physical (pcb).