auto-create footprint archive in project (so it can be shared)
Bug #1098563 reported by
madworm
This bug affects 2 people
Affects | Status | Importance | Assigned to | Milestone | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
KiCad |
Fix Released
|
Unknown
|
Bug Description
Distribution of design files would benefit from a footprint cache, just like the symbol cache.
If you want to publish design files so other people can use and modify them easily, you have to modify your local project, create the footprint archive manually and manually add that to the list of libraries. All of this is done automatically for the schematic editor, so why not for the pcb editor too?
Changed in kicad: | |
importance: | Undecided → Wishlist |
Changed in kicad: | |
importance: | Wishlist → Unknown |
status: | Expired → Fix Released |
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On Fri, Jan 11, 2013 at 01:34:11PM -0000, madworm wrote:
> Public bug reported:
>
> Distribution of design files would benefit from a footprint cache, just
> like the symbol cache.
>
> If you want to publish design files so other people can use and modify
> them easily, you have to modify your local project, create the footprint
> archive manually and manually add that to the list of libraries. All of
> this is done automatically for the schematic editor, so why not for the
> pcb editor too?
pcbnew and eeschema have two completely different approach to the 'part'
handling:
- eeschema symbols are instanced; there is *one* master symbol (from the
library) and every part use that; you need the library because symbols
are only referenced in schematics
- pcbnew instead *copies* the modules; the library is used *only* during
initial placement (or when updating/replacing the part) but after that
the module is fully contained in the board. Changing the library, in
fact, doesn't touch the already placed module (they need to be updated
manually).
There is a reason for this: sometimes you need to slightly alter only
one instance of a module; the typical case is reducing slightly pads
to squeeze one (more) trace between them...
The consequence are that: 1) you actually don't need the library files
to exchange board files and 2) a library 'cache' would contain all the
instance of each module since they could be all potentially customized.
This is actually what the 'archive footprint' command does.
Maybe you're better asking some kind of librarian for modules...
--
Lorenzo Marcantonio
Logos Srl