Re: gEDA-user: Solving the light/heavy symbol problem

[Vanessa Ezekowitz <vanessaezekowitz@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 20 May 2011 22:37:58 -0400
DJ Delorie <dj@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> 
> > > Ok, then how do we generate the thousands, if not millions, of symbols
> > > we'll need?  
> > 
> > I've been thinking about that, and to be blunt, I have no frickin'
> > clue. ;-)
> > 
> > Maybe some clever scripting against a set of "generic" parts
> > (similar to what I did with those footprints I just submitted).
> 
> Yup, I also figured you'd need some sort of database-driven scripting
> to generate them all.  [...] Then we replace the database with a CGI at
> digikey... ;-)

At first, I laughed, but then I began to wonder about that 

> Of course, we just reversed this for the M4 footprint library.  Mostly
> because M4 is a bad choice these days, though, not because scripting
> itself is bad.
> 
> > The only fair way to handle this is to use gschem to conduct a sort
> > of extended poll
> 
> I wouldn't want information about user's schematics leaked, the
> privacy issues are too dangerous.

I suppose that's true.  

>  However, we could collect stats
> about things downloaded from, say, gedasymbols.  Perhaps we could have
> a small number of "starter" libraries on gedasymbols, and the geda
> installer prompts you to pick one to download.  We track how many
> downloads of each, and use that to decide which to include in the
> distribution.

That's a good idea, as long as the symbols are easy to install - probably a good idea to add an option to download and install them, sorta like Firefox's add-ons manager.

> > How about adding these options to the library browser:
> > 
> > -----
> > Show symbols where footprints are...
> > [...]
> 
> Well, this looks like either (1) multiple available libraries, pick
> one, or (2) what I proposed for the component database model.

It would probably require a database, yeah.  Still, I was thinking of it in terms of filtering the view against the entire library, and the user could have all checkboxes ticked if they want to see everything all at once (i.e. like now). 

> It sounds like we're agreeing that geda needs a way to manage
> libraries, at least, rather than having "a" library.
> 
> > > We *do* have the option of changing our symbol-footprint library
> > > into a symbol-metadata-footprint scheme.  Maybe gnetlist is feeling
> > > left out, and wants its own library and GUI :-)
> > 
> > Careful, you'll incur John Doty's wrath. ;-)
> 
> I've always thought of gattrib as "gnetlist's GUI" but they're not
> *that* related.

True, but in this case I was thinking of his argument that adding GUI options to something automatically breaks it. :-)

-- 
"There are some things in life worth obsessing over. ÂMost
things aren't, and when you learn that, life improves."
http://digitalaudioconcepts.com
Vanessa Ezekowitz <vanessaezekowitz@xxxxxxxxx>


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