Wishlist: filled zone in modules

[Lorenzo Marcantonio]

Hello,

Is it possible to make a filled zone in a KiCad module?
I am creating logos for my boards as KiCad modules. I would like to have filled areas in silkscreen to "paint" my logo. I know that "Bitmap2Component" can do it but the result can be huge and not easily editable.

I managed to do a silkscreen filled zone in PCBNew, using the "Add filled zone" button after selecting the silkscreen layer. But it seems not to be possible in the module editor.

The KiCad file format http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~kicad-developers/kicad/doc/view/head:/doc/help/file_formats/file_formats.pdf (recently updated :-) ) does not talk about $ZONE nor $CZONE_OUTLINE / $POLYSCORNERS for $MODULE.

So I wonder if it is possible at all, if not why not, or if it might be possible in future versions. What as the technical limitations of such feature?

Thanks!

[jean-pierre charras (jp-charras)]

Sorry for the delay, but I was busy with the stable version.
Footprints already support filled polygons (Bitmap2component and microwave tools use them).
For non copper layers, filled polygons is enought.

What is missing are just tools to create/edit them (like tools in component editor Libedit) in the Module Editor.
Are you volunteer to add them in ModEdit ?

[CJlano (cjlano)]

Hello Jean-Pierre,

If I understand well, you are saying that it is already possible to create a filled zone in a KiCad module. If that's the case, could you provide a simple example of a module (.mod file) with a filled polygon in silkscreen?

As I mentioned in my question, I did not see that possibility in the KiCad file format document, but I might be wrong. Or maybe is it with the new "S-expression" version?

Thanks!

[jean-pierre charras (jp-charras)]

Yes, this is possible since bitmap2component exists: all logos for Pcbnew created by bitmap2component are footprints which have filled polygons by default on the silkscreen layer.
I forgot to add this info to the file format document.
This is not a filled zone, this is a filled polygon.
You could see for instance demos/interf_u/image.mod or create yourself a sample with bitmap2component .
Just what is missing are tools to edit these polygons (they exist in Eeschema for components).

[Lorenzo Marcantonio (l-marcantonio)]

On Wed, Mar 13, 2013 at 03:38:44PM -0000, jean-pierre charras wrote:
> I forgot to add this info to the file format document.
> This is not a filled zone, this is a filled polygon.
> You could see for instance demos/interf_u/image.mod or create yourself a sample with bitmap2component .

Nice! I believed that they were somehow raster filled (maybe it was so
in the first releases)

--
Lorenzo Marcantonio
Logos Srl

[CJlano (cjlano)]

As JP Charras suggested, I had a look at demos/interf_u/image.mod and found the "filled polygon" syntax. Moreover, I found out that the KiCad file format documentation has been updated since my question #223474

So I updated the question #223474 status to solved, and added there more info about the "Draw Polygon" syntax. This question was the source of this bug, so to me it is considered as solved.

Thanks for your quick reply and the documentation update.

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

There are now also interactive tools for editing filled polygons.