Re: gEDA-user: PCB & Gschem

[DJ Delorie <dj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> You could implement that PCB could be asked on commandline to load the
> three things simultaneously.

We were thinking about extending the HID concept to include import and
"wizard" modules, which would let us implement stuff like that a lot
faster than before.  But, let's not discuss it until we get HID back
into the main sources, because I don't want to be distracted from
completing that.  Bring it up again after that.

Quake's level editor had something gschem could use - it could define
menu options that did a save/exec/load combo, so you could filter your
current design through an external program, and have the results
brought back into the editor, without losing track of where you were.
If the gschem folks could add such a thing, that would allow others
(Marc, Karel) to write the filters they need.

> Another thing to prevent mistake is to have a builtin list of common
> processes. Like 0.35mm copper, 0.3mm gap, 0.2mm silkscreen. That's used
> very often. If you enter one of those numbers wrong you can throw the
> board away often.

We already have that.  It's called DRC, and it already supports
loading vendor rule files.

> > Making PCBs is *hard*.
> 
> If gEDA and PCB implemented safety and productivity measures, it could
> become very easy.

I wasn't talking about the process, I was talking about the design
work itself.  I think you'll find that some amount of complexity in
the tools is required in order to provide the functionality you end up
needing.  We can't make the tools *too* easy or you end up not being
able to do anything with it.