On Tuesday 28 February 2006 13:32, Stuart Brorson wrote: > > Hi, > > > > Gschem has a well-defined, well-documented, easy to parse file format. > > So has PCB. > > > > Would it be possible to share the same file format for both programs? > > In the practical world, since both programs were developed separately > at different times by different teams, it just didn't happen that way. > > As for changing it now: Nobody wants to re-invent the wheel. > > As for the theoretical possibility of sharing a file format: The two > programs have different goals, and handle different types of objects. > I suppose that there is some overlap in the way the objects are > handled (e.g. symbols are like footprints, rotation is needed, etc.) > so that some things could be similar, but I would also imagine that > there are enough peculiarities to each program's domain of operation > that the two file formats could not be identical. >
Thanks Stuart, for a very quick answer. In fact I saw your answer in the list before my own mail ! I do understand your view, and agree on most parts , although I think the "overlap" is fairly big. I say this because a play with a program that has the ambition to handle schematics and PCB simultaneously, using the same user interface. That's the dream I'm following. I really do not suggest a rapid change, but when things are changed, I would suggest we strive for uniformity at least on 'parsing philosophy'. (I do not know myself what that word really means :-). > BTW: You can get the file format docs here: > > gschem: > http://geda.seul.org/docs/current/fileformats/index.html > > PCB: > http://www.brorson.com/gEDA/land_patterns_20050129.sxw > http://www.brorson.com/gEDA/land_patterns_20050129.pdf > > Stuart Thanks, -- Sven Wilhelmsson <http://home.swipnet.se/swi>
