For length tuning, the nicest interface I've seen is the one in Horizon as demonstrated at the 2019 FOSDEM talk https://archive.fosdem.org/2019/schedule/event/horizon/ at about 9 minutes in - it's not a long way between this and the hacked net inspector dialog you describe.
Kliment On 23.09.20 10:48, Oleg Endo wrote: > This external spreadsheet nonsense was one reason why I converted the > net inspector dialog to be non-modal. And with filtering, grouping and > sort-by-length it can be actually a very useful and productive tool. > I've used my own "hacked" version on several designs already. :) > > Cheers, > Oleg > > On Wed, 2020-09-23 at 09:45 +0200, Nick Østergaard wrote: >> Hi >> >> Slightly related to this discussion and for inspiration: >> >> https://twitter.com/azonenberg/status/1282188633118699520 >> >> Nick >> >> On Wed, 23 Sep 2020 at 09:43, Alexander Shuklin <jasura...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> Hi Kliment, >>> I think if these things you explained will be implemented, it will make >>> high speed design very much easier. >>> And the problem is much worse if you have a lot of differential pairs. When >>> I see design and the only thing which I can do with differential pairs is >>> to tune length or redraw, I feel stressed. >>> Is it right that diffpairs are always treated as just single tracks now? If >>> I want to write a script or piece of code to change diffpair width or gap, >>> what idea should I use? >>> I think about finding all coupled lengths of some differential pair and >>> changing the gap on all of coupled lengths and don't touch it if it is >>> uncoupled... Or maybe shift a bit (by gap/2 difference for each side) >>> >>> On Tue, 22 Sep 2020 at 22:23, Kliment (Future Bits) <klim...@0xfb.com> >>> wrote: >>>> Having just routed a board with 56 diffpairs I have an idea about number 4: >>>> >>>> I think we should treat diffpairs as single traces when routing and when >>>> using the pns functionality to move them around. The trace should have >>>> the thickness of 2x dpair trace width + 1x dpair trace gap, and have a >>>> clearance of dpair clearance. It should behave as such a trace to the >>>> pns and revert back to being a diffpair when shoving/pns manipulation is >>>> done. This way dragging, rerouting, and shoving diffpairs works as >>>> expected - it maintains the diffpairness of the pair. Length adjustment >>>> works just as well on a single trace, and places where the pair splits >>>> up or has a skew tune can remain locked while the trace is being >>>> manipulated. This requires minimal change to the pns (we just feed it >>>> different data) to work, and would dramatically improve the usability of >>>> diffpairs because all the lovely stuff we can do to traces now will be >>>> available to diffpairs without breakage. We still need the diffpair >>>> routing logic for vias and for starting/ending pairs, but we have that now. >>>> >>>> On 22.09.20 21:11, Tomasz Wlostowski wrote: >>>>> My 5 quick cents: >>>>> >>>>>> 1) tool to visualize nets lengths (similar to >>>>>> https://github.com/MitjaNemec/Kicad_action_plugins#length-stats ). I >>>>>> want to make a gui where you can define what nets you want to see >>>>>> altogether. And it should show you length on each layer and summary. >>>>>> And vias as well. >>>>> >>>>> 2) Same stuff for length between 2 objects (for example via and pad >>>>>> for T-topology) similar to >>>>>> >>>>>> https://github.com/MitjaNemec/Kicad_action_plugins#pad2pad-track-distance. >>>>> New DRC will take care of that (checking length between arbitrary >>>>> endpoints as well as reporting constrained length traces/diff pairs). >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> 3) some tool to define and automatically change tracks length on >>>>>> different layers (to match target impedance) >>>>> Did you mean per-layer width/gap constraints? abs(Impedance) is not >>>>> related (at least not so simply) to trace lengths. We already have >>>>> length tuner tool, with the V6 design rule system it will be able to >>>>> pick length constraints from board design rules instead of hand-typed >>>>> values. >>>>> >>>>>> 4) Tool to work with differential pairs. >>>>> We didn't plan implementing such a tool. Beware that even if it happens, >>>>> applying more than cosmetic changes to the routing globally will likely >>>>> ruin your board so badly you'll spend rest of the day cleaning it up... >>>>> >>>>> Tom >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >>>>> Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net >>>>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >>>>> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >>>> Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net >>>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >>>> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >>> Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net >>> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >>> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >> Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net >> Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers >> More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > _______________________________________________ Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers Post to : kicad-developers@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp