Re: gEDA-user: xgsch2pcb config dialog

[Peter Clifton <pcjc2@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 2009-11-17 at 07:07 +0000, Peter TB Brett wrote:

> > > * What is the format of the "extra gnetlist arguments"? Should the
> > > options be preceded with "--"?

> They shouldn't.  (Actually, that field's a misfeature, IMHO.)

The option, or the fact that it gains a field in the xgsch2pcb config
dialog?

The option was my doing.. I had a hacked version of gnetlist which
needed to be passed extra arguments to make it work on a particular
design. (Not totally unreasonable - the spice backend requires extra
arguments, for example - not that it is relevant to gsch2pcb).

I was using gsch2pcb to manage the flow, so I had to teach gsch2pcb to
pass the extra arguments. Since they were non standard, I couldn't very
well teach gsch2pcb about _that specific option_ and push it upstream.

I get fed up carrying lots of site-specific patches, so a generic "extra
gnetlist arguments" option seemed a reasonable thing to have - even if
it does come with a big fat caveat emptor about knowing what you're
doing with it.

Support of that option continued into xgsch2pcb - perhaps that was
unnecessary.. but it is there now. Note that it is hidden behind an
"advanced options" pullout, along with other options that no mortal user
will probably ever need to touch ;). (Ok - so that is probably a
compromise of the "KISS" design principles, but I'm not totally of the
stereotyped "GNOME persuasion" of removing all options!).


[CHANGE SUBJECT]

As Peter said, I gladly accept (good) patches. If people want to add a
"--help" or "--version" argument, please go right ahead. xgsch2pcb was
never really meant to be run from the command line, so it was never a
priority for its original developers.

I don't like to retort "patches welcome" every time someone suggests a
new feature, as that is both rude and unproductive - but there is only
so much time I have available to work on features.

"""
You might have a read of this:
http://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/standards.html
Section 4.7, "Standards for Command Line Interfaces 
<http://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/standards.html#Command_002dLine-Interfaces>" 
defines what command line arguments should be implemented for all 
Gnu/GPL programs.  These include -h/--help, -v/--version.
"""
     ^___ These are GNU coding guidelines, and neither gEDA, nor
xgsch2pcb are GNU projects. They are released under the GPL license, but
that does not mean we are under any obligation to follow any particular
coding practise.

Yes, I'm probably being unreasonably grumpy as I'm very tired (I edited
my original reply to retain some level of politeness). I've already
agreed that this feature is a "nice to have", but that is as far as it
goes. I don't have any plans to spend time implementing it any time
soon, I thought I'd made that clear before.

Pointing out the guidelines would be useful if someone had stepped
forward to do the work, or as a general future reference. I find
directing it at me rather demanding, given that I do this work for free
in my spare time. (Actually it rather pissed me off - even if that was
not how it was intended.)


I'm quite prepared to accept that the comment may not have been meant in
anything other than a helpful manner, so I'd appreciate that we don't
make any more fuss over it. (Reply if you want, but understand that I
didn't mean to start a great long thread over it)


Best regards,

-- 
Peter Clifton <pcjc2@xxxxxxxxx>



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