gEDA-user: must be >= 20110221 (...)

[Kai-Martin Knaak <knaak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi. 
The current handling of file format mismatches is a pain in daily use. 
If PCB thinks, the file format of the file given on the command line 
is too old, it silently opens a new, empty layout. (Yes, there is a message 
in the log window. But you have to actively open the window to get a glimpse
on it. If I open a layout and get presented an empty canvas, my panic level
raises by an order of magnitude... 

Suggestions: 

1) Only bump the required format version if older versions of PCB are known 
to choke on the new format. 

2) Pop up a big, fat error message in the GUI, rather than just drop a 
note in the log window.

3) Do not automatically open a new layout. 

4) Ask the user what to do:
   a) open the PCB anyway
   b) present a help message that gives details on the change of format
   c) quit

5) Make the parser more forgiving. E.g. issue warnings when it hits 
syntax, it does not understand but don't completely quit working. 
Yes, I know, this is a pain to implement. But it will cushion the 
strain on users when pcb format will be bumped seriously.

---<)kaimartin(>----
-- 
Kai-Martin Knaak                                  tel: +49-511-762-2895
UniversitÃt Hannover, Inst. fÃr Quantenoptik      fax: +49-511-762-2211	
Welfengarten 1, 30167 Hannover           http://www.iqo.uni-hannover.de
GPG key:    http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?search=Knaak+kmk&op=get



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