On Sun, 2008-12-21 at 11:45 -0500, Stuart Brorson wrote: > Hi again -- > > >> That is, the fwd anno file would represent a delta between the > >> existing .pcb file and what's changed in the .sch files. > > > > I'm looking at it a step further away - the fwd anno file includes all > > the info about the pcb *that comes from the schematic*. PCB will > > integrate this "desired" list with the board's "actual" list and > > update it accordingly. > > Hmmmmm..... But in this scenario how does JCL write a Perl program > which emits a forward anno file commanding a full board layout? In my > opinion, the idea that one could create text files commanding PCB to > lay out an entire board (using PCB's build-in $FOOTPRINT_PATH and > other config settings) is a compelling reason to implement the action > script vision for forward annotation.
I guess there would would have to be further actions if you actually know in advance where you want to have the components placed, and the geometry for laying out tracks etc.. At this point, it almost sounds like you ought to be writing the PCB file directly (or with libpcb) ;) > > I don't want the netlister to *ever* have to read the pcb file to find > > out what's already in there. I prefer to draw the line between > > "things that need to know about the schematic format" and "things that > > need to know about the pcb format". > > See my other comments about how libpcb exports an API to all kinds of > tools. linking other tools to a libpcb worries me. It would mean a need to either: a) Define and maintain stable ABI b) Rebuild tools together every time there is an update. It ought to be easier to maintain a text-format. Speaking of that.. some header to define what version of a format you're speaking might be useful in the future. -- Peter Clifton Electrical Engineering Division, Engineering Department, University of Cambridge, 9, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FA Tel: +44 (0)7729 980173 - (No signal in the lab!) _______________________________________________ geda-dev mailing list [email protected] http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-dev
