Pin numbering error when creating pad array

[Petr Polasek]

When creating circular pad array from one initial pad with number 1, the generated pads do not get properly numbered when using the option "Initial Number: Use first free number". All of them then get number 2 instead of being numbered 2-4. When using the other option, the numbers get generated properly.

Application: kicad
Version: 6.0.0-rc1-unknown-968ea98~66~ubuntu18.04.1, release build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.4
    libcurl/7.61.0 OpenSSL/1.1.1 zlib/1.2.11 libidn2/2.0.5 libpsl/0.20.2 (+libidn2/2.0.4) nghttp2/1.32.1 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Linux 4.18.0-12-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 2.24
    Boost: 1.65.1
    OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.9.1
    Curl: 7.58.0
    Compiler: GCC 7.3.0 with C++ ABI 1011

Build settings:
    USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
    USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_PYTHON3=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON_PHOENIX=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
    BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCC=OFF
    KICAD_SPICE=ON

[John Beard (john-j-beard)]

@Seth Is the "first free number" thing even useful? How often do people do that rather than writing in their own numbers? I feel like perhaps just removing this option makes more sense. Otherwise it's not clear:

* First available number: if you have pads "1, 4, 6" already, is the first available number 2 or 7?
* If 2: do you skip all existing numbers (so the new items here are "2, 3, 5, 7".

Finding the "highest" existing pad number is quite a pain, especially if you have pads that don't fit an alphabet.

[Seth Hillbrand (sethh)]

@John-

I honestly have no idea whether this is used. I personally do not use it. But that might be mostly because it doesn't work logically.

I see the first available number option as creating 2, 3, 5, 7 as you note.

Mostly, I think that in v6 we create a preview function with this dialog and many usability issues go away.

[John Beard (john-j-beard)]

@Seth, hmm, I can see a way to do it that way. Should it also skip existing ref-des'es when arraying MODULEs on a BOARD (Not just D_PADs on a MODULE)?

[John Beard (john-j-beard)]

@Seth, I can make it skip numbers, but actually, it still has an issue with co-ordinate systems.

Imagine you have a pad "B2" already. What happens to the following array?

A1 A2 A3
B1 !B2! B3
C1 C2 C3

I think this option might just not be worth the effort?

[Seth Hillbrand (sethh)]

@John- When arraying in the board editor, we do not allow numbering. Essentially, this option is only useful for non-modules.

Responding to #4, I would say that we can't protect people from everything. In that array, the !B2! would be B3 as the secondary number axis gets skipped when there is a duplicate. If the user wanted an aligned array with that numbering, then they either need to remove the existing pad or change the pad numbering option.

[John Beard (john-j-beard)]

@Seth - in the board editor, it does increment the module refdes. Currently it could make a duplicate, if the refdes exists. Is that still OK?

I'll make it only skip numbers for 1-D array numbering: say pad 4 exists and "use first available" is set:

1 2
3 5
6 7

For 2-D it will not: say A4 exists:

A1 A2
A3 A4

Does that sound OK?

[John Beard (john-j-beard)]

sorry, I misread that - I already have it working that way...

[Seth Hillbrand (sethh)]

Makes sense. I guess I didn't realize that module refdes were incremented. Let's address that separately from the pad numbering unless you think it makes more sense to combine some aspect of that code.

[KiCad Janitor (kicad-janitor)]

Fixed in revision 453a91f661d716853a5b382b7c7bc19a3b55acb6
https://git.launchpad.net/kicad/patch/?id=453a91f661d716853a5b382b7c7bc19a3b55acb6