Re: gEDA-user: Functional blocks and PCB format changes

[karl@xxxxxxxxxxx (Karl Hammar)]

Phil Frost:
...
> XML and YAML are equally capable of being made unreadable. Either can be
> made more readable by defining a reasonable schema and selecting a
> clueful output library.
> 
> Neither sed nor awk can process XML or YAML the right way in all cases
> without reimplementing a libyaml or libxml in sed or awk.

Ack, one can make an file format unreadable, and one can make it 
reasonably readable. But that is only one side of the problem.

I am also conserned with how easy it is to write it (e.g. footprint 
files).

Currently I'm trying to learn to make footprint files (since I need them).
And it seems that I almost always end up making a script making the 
needed files. For me, it means that the file format is not expressive 
enough.

***

I would like the file format to be "programmable", at least at the
footprint level.

1, A first step could be to allow variables in the files, e.g. to be able 
   to write:

  pad_dims = "1.1mm 0.5mm 1.300mm"
  Pad [ -1.700mm -0.300mm   -1.700mm 0.300mm  $pad_dims  "1" "1" "square"]
  Pad [  1.700mm -0.300mm    1.700mm 0.300mm  $pad_dims  "1" "1" "square"]

or

  x = 1.7mm
  y = 0.3mm
  pad_dims = "1.1mm 0.5mm 1.300mm"
  Pad [ -$x -$y   -$x $y  $pad_dims  "1" "1" "square"]
  Pad [  $x -$y    $x $y  $pad_dims  "1" "1" "square"]

or

  pw = 1.1mm # pad width
  ph = 1.7mm # pad height
  pd = 2.3mm # pad distance
  x = $pd/2 + $pw/2
  y = $ph/2
...

2, Next step could be to allow "subroutines" in the native format, eg.:

  two_pads(pad_width, pad_heigth, pad_separation, component_width) {
    ...
  }

  1206_reflow_soldered = two_pads( 0.9mm, 1.7mm, 2.0mm, 1.6mm )
  1206_wave_soldered   = two_pads( 1.1mm, 1.7mm, 2.3mm, 1.6mm )

  clearance = 0.5mm
  soler_mask_clearance = 0.3mm
  1206_my_version      = ...

or (if you don't like positional parameters):

  1206_wave = two_pads( pw=1.1mm, ph=1.7mm, pd=2.3mm, cw=1.6mm )

instead of file "1206_wave.fp":
 # Vishay D../CRCW.... e3
 # http://www1.elfa.se/data1/wwwroot/assets/datasheets/flD-CRCW-e3_data_en.pdf

 Element ["" "" "" ""  0 0 -0.7mm -0.8mm 0 100 ""]
 (
   Pad [ -1.700mm -0.300mm   -1.700mm 0.300mm   1.1mm 0.5mm 1.300mm "1" "1" "square"]
   Pad [  1.700mm -0.300mm    1.700mm 0.300mm   1.1mm 0.5mm 1.300mm "2" "2" "square"]

   ElementLine [ -2.510mm  1.110mm    2.510mm  1.110mm   0.32mm ]
   ElementLine [  2.510mm  1.110mm    2.510mm -1.110mm   0.32mm ]
   ElementLine [  2.510mm -1.110mm   -2.510mm -1.110mm   0.32mm ]
   ElementLine [ -2.510mm -1.110mm   -2.510mm  1.110mm   0.32mm ]
 )

file "1206_reflow.fp":
 etc....

3, another possibility would be to use postscript or some other
   language as the "file format".

 /mm 72 25.4 div def
 mm mm scale
 0.1 setlinewidth

 /pw 1.1 def
 /ph 1.7 def
 /pd 2.3 def
 /x pd 2 div pw 2 div add def
 /y ph 2 div def
...

***

Would patches for something like this be accepted?

Regards,
/Karl Hammar

---------
Aspö Data
Lilla Aspö 148
S-742 94 Östhammar
Sweden
+46 173 140 57




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