Inconsistent Pcbnew -> EESchema cross-probe highlighting

[Art]

This has been bugging me for a long time. When you highlight a footprint in PCBNew the cursor in EESchema should theoretically jump to the corresponding symbol in the schematics. However, quite often this doesn't happen. I use dual monitor setup, so I can have schematics and the board visible at the same time. If I'm working with the EESchema (EESchema window is active) and I move the cursor to the other monitor and click on a footprint, the footprint become highlighted but the cursor in the EEschema doesn't move to the corresponding symbol. You need to click on the same footprint again for the cursor in EESchema to move.

Another issue I see there is kind of intermittent. Sometimes the cursor moves not really on the center of the symbol. If I click on some other footprint and then on the same one, the second time around it will move to the center. However it is hard to reproduce consistently

And last but not least, if you highlight a footprint and the corresponding symbol is right at the edge of the EESchema window, the view is not going to pan and it is really hard to see when did the cursor actually jump. There needs to be some kind of offset from the edge of the window, so when the symbol falls in that offset then the screen gets re-centered on the symbol.

Application: kicad
Version: (5.0.0-rc2-dev-414-gc1ae2fd0a), release build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.3
    libcurl/7.54.1 OpenSSL/1.0.2l zlib/1.2.11 libssh2/1.8.0 nghttp2/1.23.1 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Windows 8 (build 9200), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.3 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
    Boost: 1.60.0
    Curl: 7.54.1
    Compiler: GCC 7.1.0 with C++ ABI 1011

Build settings:
    USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
    USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
    BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
    KICAD_SPICE=ON

[Novak Tamas (novak-7)]

Confirmed the minor bug that the click causing focus change from eeschema to pcbnew only highlight the footprint but doesn't point to schematic symbol.

The issue of symbols not panned to center of screen while there are not out-of-screen is your opinion. I prefer not moving the screen e.g. when full schematic is fitted to screen. Use "Change cursor shape" for a full crosshair (left buttonbar is eeschema) to notice better.

I think you may file a wish for option checkbox like "Always pan other window to have mating symbol/footprint in the center"

[Nick Østergaard (nickoe)]

Related is https://lists.launchpad.net/kicad-developers/msg32926.html

[Jon Evans (craftyjon)]

I'm having trouble reproducing any of these issues on master as of today, although I am on Linux and can't test on Windows at the moment. Is anyone able to confirm that these problems still happen? Maybe it's a Windows-only issue?

[Wayne Stambaugh (stambaughw)]

I cannot reproduce this on windows 10 pro with version (5.0.1-33-g76adf7dbe) so it may me the fact that the reporter is using 5.0.0-rc2 or there is a specific pattern that causes the issue. I tested the cross probing in both directions using a schematic with a simple hierarchy.

[Jon Evans (craftyjon)]

Still haven't seen this; please re-open issue with reproduction steps if anyone finds them.

[Art (diametrix)]

I hope this will help you to see the problem. Especially the second video, where I just keep alternating highlighting two footprints and you can see that sometimes the cursor in EEschema goes right to the center of the symbol and sometimes off to the side.

Again this is a dual monitor setup and I have multiple hierarchical sheets in EEschema (not sure if it matters

[Wayne Stambaugh (stambaughw)]

After watching Art's video, it looks like it only happens on the US style resistors. It also appears that the centering of the US style resistor is consistent. How does the schematic editor determine how to center the symbol? It seems to me that the problem lies there albeit a fairly minor problem.

[Art (diametrix)]

Seems to be resolved now

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

Thanks for circling back, @Art!