RFE: Cleanup tracks and vias dry-run option

[Berk Akinci]

Request for enhancement.

Cleanup tracks and vias function would be much more appealing if it selected objects as opposed to just going ahead and deleting them. That way, I could inspect everything before deleting.

Rationale: I found myself wanting to use Edit->Cleanup tracks and vias but going through lots of motions just to verify what it did. The board is complicated enough that the automation is very helpful, but also unexpected results would be devastating.

Application: kicad
Version: 4.0.2-stable release build
wxWidgets: Version 3.0.2 (debug,UTF-8,compiler with C++ ABI 1002,GCC 4.2.1,STL containers,compatible with 2.8)
Platform: Mac OS X (Darwin 15.4.0 x86_64), 64 bit, Little endian, wxMac
Boost version: 1.57.0
         USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
         USE_WX_OVERLAY=ON
         KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
         KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
         KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
         USE_FP_LIB_TABLE=HARD_CODED_ON
         BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

Better yet have it work like Update PCB from Schematic where it automatically does the dry-run and then asks if you want to apply it.

[KiCad Janitor (kicad-janitor)]

Fixed in revision 87f303319cb252fc647da192695deffdd8a0157d
https://git.launchpad.net/kicad/patch/?id=87f303319cb252fc647da192695deffdd8a0157d

[Frank Severinsen (shack)]

@Jeff

First, Thank you for this feature! I went over to launchpad to add a feature request for exactly this, but you already made it, awesome!

I do however have a small issue. The dialog is stuck in the center in the screen, and I can't move around like I can with eg DRC dialog. If I try hard to move it, it will unmaximize and move the entire pcbnew window. This makes the feature super hard to use, since the dialog blocks whatever is selected

Please let me know if I should make a seperate bug report for this.

kindest regards
Frank Severinsen

Application: Pcbnew
Version: 5.99.0-unknown-a1fe8cf~100~ubuntu19.04.1, release build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.4
    libcurl/7.64.0 OpenSSL/1.1.1b zlib/1.2.11 libidn2/2.0.5 libpsl/0.20.2 (+libidn2/2.0.5) libssh/0.8.6/openssl/zlib nghttp2/1.36.0 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Linux 5.0.0-29-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 3.24
    Boost: 1.67.0
    OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.9.1
    Curl: 7.64.0
    Compiler: GCC 8.3.0 with C++ ABI 1013

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

[Frank Severinsen (shack)]

Also an option to only apply/update the selected fix would be great!

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

@Devs, is this standard behaviour for modal dialogs on GTK (not being able to move them -- see comment #3).

If not, can anyone reproduce the behaviour Frank describes?

[Ian McInerney (imcinerney)]

I believe that modal windows should be movable on GTK. I just tested it on my machine, and I am able to move the window perfectly fine without it affecting pcbnew.

On a somewhat unrelated note, wouldn't this option make more sense in the route menu than in the edit menu? That was where I initially looked for it since it deals with traces and vias.

Application: Pcbnew
Version: (5.99.0-151-g8be9aeac9-dirty), debug build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.4
    libcurl/7.65.3 OpenSSL/1.1.1c-fips zlib/1.2.11 brotli/1.0.7 libidn2/2.2.0 libpsl/0.20.2 (+libidn2/2.0.5) libssh/0.9.0/openssl/zlib nghttp2/1.38.0
Platform: Linux 5.1.18-300.fc30.x86_64 x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 3.24
    Boost: 1.69.0
    OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.9.1
    Curl: 7.65.3
    Compiler: Clang 8.0.0 with C++ ABI 1002

Build settings:
    KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_PYTHON3=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON_PHOENIX=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
    BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCC=OFF
    KICAD_SPICE=ON
    KICAD_STDLIB_DEBUG=OFF
    KICAD_STDLIB_LIGHT_DEBUG=OFF
    KICAD_SANITIZE=OFF

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

It also sort of goes with Global Delete. While I agree that the Route menu is probably a stronger connection, it was never clear enough for me to pull the trigger on moving it.

[Ian McInerney (imcinerney)]

While I see what you mean with its relation to the delete tools, it seems more of a routing tool than a delete tool to me (since it is a cleanup tool that also can merge items rather than simply remove them).

@devs, anyone have other thoughts on this?

[Frank Severinsen (shack)]

In case it helps in any way

Unmovable windows:
- Board Setup
- Any import/export window
- Generate drill files (if called from Plot menu, it's stuck on Plot window, not main window)
- Page settings
- Print
- "Edit Text and Graphics Properties"
- Swap Layers
- Global Deletions
- Cleanup tracks and vias
- Interactive Router Settings
- List Nets
- Board Statistics
- Configure Paths
- Manage Footprints
- Add 3D Libraries Downloader
- Settings
- Hotkey List
- About

Movable windows:
- Plot menu
- "Set Track and Via Properties"
- "Change footprints"
- Choose footprints
- DRC Menu

Please let me know if I can be helpful

[Seth Hillbrand (sethh)]

@Frank- Which window manager are you using? These are all movable for me on xfce

[Frank Severinsen (shack)]

Unity Which I guess is now Gnome

[Seth Hillbrand (sethh)]

Got it. It's a preference in gnome. Use the gnome-tweak-tool and disable "Attached Modal Dialogs"

[Frank Severinsen (shack)]

Yup that did the trick!
Thanks Seth
Was starting to believe it was just another magical window issue on my laptop