Re: gEDA-user: pcb question : same structure several times on board

[Bernhard Kraemer <Bernhard.Kramer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tuesday 10 May 2005 03:58, Dan McMahill wrote:
> On Mon, May 09, 2005 at 04:48:23PM +0200, Carlos Nieves ?nega wrote:
> > El lun, 09-05-2005 a las 13:40 +0200, Leva escribi?:
> > > On Mon, 09 May 2005 13:21:50 +0200
> > >
> > > Bernhard Kraemer <Bernhard.Kramer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > Hello,
> > > >
> > > > I am creating a pcb board on which I have four times the same
> > > > structure (four voltage stabilisators together with their resistors
> > > > and capacitors). It would be very fine if I could copy one structure
> > > > in a way that all the three other structures, together with their
> > > > wiring, will look equal and straight. If a tool like this exists, I'd
> > > > like to use it for another circuit where a couple of ever-the-same
> > > > filters appear. Does a tool like this exist ?
> > >
> > > Bonjour,
> > >
> > > Well.... copy to the buffer, and then past buffer to board. This will
> > > mess up the refdes'.
> > >
> > > I was trying to create such things, but if you make very crowded
> > > boards, your power supply will always be different too.
> >
> > Or not... it depends on the design. However, you can copy the layout
> > without the traces or nets you don't want to be copied, and then paste
> > the structure of those nets.
> >
> > I guess this is not yet implemented, but how about using a hierarchical
> > blocks for that?. I mean:
> > 	- Draw the basic structure in a single schematic.
> > 	- Draw a new schematic with as many instances of the structure  as you
> > need (each as a block).
> > 	- Now go to pcb, and do the layout of one structure.
> > 	- Copy it to a buffer.
> > 	- A new operation "Paste instance from buffer" is defined, which takes
> > the structure from the buffer, finds another instance of the block
> > (based on schematic blocks and subcircuits), and changes the refdes' to
> > the new one. It can also ask the user which one should be used.
> >
> > Something like this is implemented in high-level programs, and it's very
> > useful. The problem is that there should be a tight integration between
> > gschem and pcb, or at least pcb should know the block hierarchy of a
> > component/block within the whole design....
>
> This is something I'd really like to see in both gschem/gnetlist and in
> pcb.
>
> In gschem, I think all the needed stuff is there.
>
> gnetlist really could use some better hierarchy support.  As near as I can
> tell, gnetlist really only supports putting out a flattened netlist.  I'd
> love to see it learn to preserve hierarchy in the output.
>
> For pcb, here's a big reason I'd like to see hierarchy support.  Suppose
> you have a something like a combline filter.  The layout is now truely
> a critical part of the circuit.  It would be nice to lay that out as a
> subcircuit and be able to move the filter as a block around.
>
> -Dan

Yeah, or something like a new "copy buffer" function: You cut a structure into 
the buffer, perhaps choosing "with wires" or "without wires", and when you 
paste the buffer, the program asks which component of the copied buffer it 
should replace by which other component. 

Bernhard