Re: gEDA-user: next PCB release - 1.99za vs 4.0

[DJ Delorie <dj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I suspect that in the main GUI you'd get a simplified set of options,
like "add layers" or "remove layers" to switch from, say, 2-layer PCBs
to 4-layer PCBs, etc.  Outer special layers like silk and mask just
exist, but you can enable/disable them.

So most users just see one "copper" drawing layer per physical copper
layer, plus the usual top/bottom silk/mask/paste, plus an outline.

But if you're in "footprint mode" you get top/inner/outer instead,
plus the usual t/b s/m/p.  Footprints are a special case of
sub-assembly that never use specific layers, always layer classes, so
they can map to your boards.

Power users can change the association for a layer, so for example,
one could create a footprint with copper on ALL layers, for a heatsink
or physical strength.  Or a both-sides silkscreen layer.  Or two
copper drawing layers per physical copper layer. I've used this
before, to keep ground/power/signal colored differently.  Gold finger
plating might take advantage of this too, or multiple conductor types
(metal plate over copper, conductive ink).  Or two silkscreen layers
for different ink colors.

I don't know what people are going to be using it for, so it made
sense to just let them do whatever they please, if they know what
they're doing.  Like I've said before, I want to make things easy for
most users, and possible for the rest.

As for the color scheme, I suspect it will be plaid.


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