For importing boards, we could 1) Add a checkbox at the bottom of the import non-KiCad dialog that says "Show import errors"
and/or 2) Move the error reporter to a docked AUI window so that it doesn't interrupt the workflow Seth [image: KiCad Services Corporation Logo] Seth Hillbrand *Lead Developer* +1-530-302-5483 Long Beach, CA www.kipro-pcb.com [email protected] On Sat, May 4, 2024 at 7:24 AM Jon Evans <[email protected]> wrote: > Following up, I think it's important to understand the places the importer > is used for my team (and probably others who use a mix of tools) > > The importers are rarely used as a "one shot" tool to convert a design > permanently from a different CAD tool to KiCad. Instead, we use the > importers persistently. For example, we directly add non-KiCad libraries to > the table (which triggers parsing them in many different places, as Seth > mentioned). But, we also use KiCad as a viewer for non-KiCad board and > schematic files. We open these files over and over again, and having that > open process blocked by a dialog is a real interruption. > > I would expect dialogs to only appear when a serious error has happened > that is not recoverable. Information that KiCad does not support a certain > feature from an external file is not even an error, let alone a serious > one. > > -Jon > > > On Sat, May 4, 2024, 10:20 Jon Evans <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I agree that the information should be exposed somewhere. But I think >> interrupting the load process with a dialog is a nag. It gets in the way of >> using KiCad as an efficient way to view files designed in other programs. >> >> On Sat, May 4, 2024, 09:52 Jeff Young <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I don’t agree. A nag dialog would be something that told you we don’t >>> have an editing feature that Altium supports, not that we can’t express the >>> same end result as we found in the Altium file. >>> >>> There are certainly border-line cases. Complaining about not being able >>> to import a datum dimension is a bit closer to an editing feature. But if >>> it’s something like pad-stacks, then I’m going to have to make changes >>> somewhere to get the design right. So I’d rather know about those. >>> >>> > On 4 May 2024, at 14:29, Jon Evans <[email protected]> wrote: >>> > >>> >> The only place we disagree is what to do in the meantime for >>> schematics and boards. >>> > >>> > Using wxLog to pop up dialogs reporting that KiCad does not support >>> > some feature of some other EDA tool is inappropriate in my opinion. >>> > It goes against the KiCad guideline of not showing nag dialogs. I >>> > don't think boards/schematics are any different from libraries in this >>> > regard. >>> > >>> > On Sat, May 4, 2024 at 9:24 AM Jeff Young <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >> >>> >> We do report context info (at least line number and offset) in some >>> of the other importers. >>> >> >>> >> I agree that the system could be improved. >>> >> And I agree that we have to do something about the library importing. >>> >> >>> >> The only place we disagree is what to do in the meantime for >>> schematics and boards. >>> >> >>> >> Cheers, >>> >> Jeff. >>> >> >>> >>> On 4 May 2024, at 13:04, Jon Evans <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> Jeff, >>> >>> >>> >>> In both cases I disagree that the current warning system should >>> >>> appear. The warning system we have today is really not that helpful, >>> >>> and I don't want to bring it back the same way for boards or for >>> >>> libraries. >>> >>> The advanced_config option was something Seth and I discussed as a >>> >>> simple stopgap for V8 if we are looking at something better for V9. >>> >>> >>> >>> A more helpful warning system: >>> >>> - Would not use pop-up dialogs that block the UI to let people know >>> >>> that any warnings exist (instead would show up in the info bar, the >>> >>> same way our previous-format-version warning does) >>> >>> - Would have a more rich system of logging, so that people always get >>> >>> context about what part of their file had an issue >>> >>> >>> >>> I think if we want to show this info, we need a new kind of REPORTER >>> >>> that can capture context rather than just a string, and a >>> "post-import >>> >>> report" dialog launched from the infobar. >>> >>> >>> >>> The library loader can keep track of these on a per-library basis so >>> >>> that the infobar can be shown in the symbol/footprint editor after >>> >>> launch. >>> >>> >>> >>> -Jon >>> >>> >>> >>> On Sat, May 4, 2024 at 4:53 AM Jeff Young <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> >>> >>>> Presumably we can tell the difference (in the code) between a >>> schematic or layout import and a library import? >>> >>>> >>> >>>> It would seem to me like a schematic or layout import should show >>> the warnings (even without an advanced setting or the like). >>> >>>> >>> >>>> Personally I also think the library importer should show the >>> warnings the very first time. Maybe we could do that by setting a plugin >>> option (m_warningsShown or something) after reading the library? I think >>> those are saved per-row in the lib table, but I’m not 100% sure. >>> >>>> >>> >>>> Cheers, >>> >>>> Jeff. >>> >>>> >>> >>>> >>> >>>> On 4 May 2024, at 09:47, 'Stefan Weber' via KiCad Developers < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> >>> >>>> Hi, >>> >>>> >>> >>>> I recently started a discussion with @Jon Evans in my MR >>> https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/merge_requests/1935 regarding the >>> visibility of Altium importer warning & errors for not yet supported >>> schematic and layout features. >>> >>>> >>> >>>> Since commit >>> https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/commit/83be5ba63d82e237b8944ee6ee7c639215b14027 >>> the Kicad Altium Importer does no longer shows warning & errors for not yet >>> supported schematic and layout features in release builds. >>> >>>> >>> >>>> As Jon mentioned this was implemented to get rid of those annoying >>> warnings which pop-up every time you use an Altium library which contains a >>> not yet supported schematic and layout features. This I absolutely >>> understand. >>> >>>> >>> >>>> I also do not expect that importing data from other EDA tools will >>> be 100% accurate. But as the importer already knows it's limits I >>> personally would like to have the possibility to get those warnings and >>> errors back when I am importing an Altium schematic or layout. >>> >>>> >>> >>>> Jon mentioned: >>> >>>> >>> >>>> "I would be fine with adding some new way to show these optionally, >>> in a less obtrusive way." >>> >>>> >>> >>>> "We try to avoid settings wherever possible. It is best to come up >>> with a solution that can be enabled for everyone, meaning that people who >>> want the information can get it in a way that does not slow down people who >>> don't want the information. >>> >>>> One option would be to create a "post-import report" that can >>> optionally be launched from an infobar notification, for example." >>> >>>> >>> >>>> "One pretty simple option would be an advanced_config flag that >>> changes the behavior of the WXLOG_REPORTER to use logging calls that are >>> present in release builds" >>> >>>> >>> >>>> I am curious what's the opinion of others. >>> >>>> >>> >>>> Best regards, >>> >>>> Stefan >>> >>>> >>> >>>> -- >>> >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "KiCad Developers" group. >>> >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>> send an email to [email protected]. >>> >>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/a/kicad.org/d/msgid/devlist/f49a2c0b-5a6f-4ed9-a40d-20f2a385d0een%40kicad.org >>> . >>> >>>> >>> >>>> >>> >>>> -- >>> >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "KiCad Developers" group. >>> >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>> send an email to [email protected]. >>> >>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/a/kicad.org/d/msgid/devlist/2533D70F-B95B-4548-97C7-335F4F9944CF%40rokeby.ie >>> . >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "KiCad Developers" group. >>> >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>> send an email to [email protected]. >>> >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/a/kicad.org/d/msgid/devlist/CA%2BqGbCDQhM7pm0-c14hFm8qf-YqpmEq5L8NynBoxCv3V1XLkRg%40mail.gmail.com >>> . >>> >> >>> >> -- >>> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "KiCad Developers" group. >>> >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>> send an email to [email protected]. >>> >> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/a/kicad.org/d/msgid/devlist/8302318D-0FB7-4D29-877C-E802C9644FC1%40rokeby.ie >>> . >>> > >>> > -- >>> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "KiCad Developers" group. >>> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> > To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/a/kicad.org/d/msgid/devlist/CA%2BqGbCAA%2B-ufmPWw0t0mzgq1368LcHKLrm53q-6STjz%3D_TZJPA%40mail.gmail.com >>> . >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "KiCad Developers" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/a/kicad.org/d/msgid/devlist/92A29E29-8AAC-4EFF-8A2E-57ECD5C7C553%40rokeby.ie >>> . >>> >> -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "KiCad Developers" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/a/kicad.org/d/msgid/devlist/CA%2BqGbCCCYWp9SEzrvAsrQXvBD9gx1GwStoa3N7cfzSQpT8AR_w%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/a/kicad.org/d/msgid/devlist/CA%2BqGbCCCYWp9SEzrvAsrQXvBD9gx1GwStoa3N7cfzSQpT8AR_w%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "KiCad Developers" group. 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