auto-place puts footprints in no-go zone

[Robert Garnett]

Application: kicad
Version: 4.0.4-stable release build
wxWidgets: Version 3.0.2 (debug,wchar_t,compiler with C++ ABI 1009,GCC 5.2.0,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
Platform: Windows 8 (build 9200), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
Boost version: 1.57.0
         USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
         USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
         KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
         KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
         KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
         USE_FP_LIB_TABLE=HARD_CODED_ON
         BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON

Auto place puts component footprints in no go area.

Steps:

1. Place no-go zoes on front and back copper settings: 180, 90, 45 degrees, Hatched Outline, No Tracks = Yes, No vias = Yes, No Copper pour = Yes

2. Set positions of selected components manually and then lock their footprints. Mounting holes are contained within no-go.

3. Select the auto place bizzo on the toolbar to on.

4. Right click pcb edit screen background and select:
Global spread & place ==> Automatically place all footprints.

I have attached a zip file of the project to this report. I have also attached a couple of screen shots as some of the components aren't in the standard libraries.

This is the fifth board I have made with KiCad. It's a great system.

Best Regards

Rob

[jean-pierre charras (jp-charras)]

No-go zones have maening only for routing.
No Tracks = Yes, No vias = Yes, No Copper pour = Yes are for routing.
They are routing constraints

Footprints have no tracks, no vias, no Copper pour.
Footprint placement constraints are an other topic.

[Robert Garnett (rjg)]

Hi JP,

Now I understand.

I think that it would be good to extend the function to include auto
placement no-go zones, so that components can be kept out of no go areas
during auto-routing. I know a lot of people don't like auto-routing,
however I use it a lot. I lock components that need to be in a specific
position or close to each other in place, then run auto routing. It save
a lot of time and generally produces excellent results. I can be working
on the schematic of my next board whilst auto routing is running.

Best Regards

Rob

On 15/10/2016 9:29 PM, jean-pierre charras wrote:
> No-go zones have maening only for routing.
> No Tracks = Yes, No vias = Yes, No Copper pour = Yes are for routing.
> They are routing constraints
>
> Footprints have no tracks, no vias, no Copper pour.
> Footprint placement constraints are an other topic.
>

[Chris Pavlina (pavlina-chris)]

You actually use the autoplacement? It's *terrible*, Stevie Wonder could come up with a better component placement while blindfolded... I'm still arguing for it to be removed entirely...

[Robert Garnett (rjg)]

Hi Chris,

Yes I do. As I said I place some components manually then let the auto
placer get on with it. I know it's not brilliant but shuffling parts
around a board is not my idea of time well spent.

I think that it should remain, you don't have to use it if you don't
want to. Better to keep it until a more competent replacement is
developed. I am a controls engineer in my paid life. We have a saying
bad auto is invariably better than good manual.

Regards

Rob

On 25/10/2016 3:28 AM, Chris Pavlina wrote:
> You actually use the autoplacement? It's *terrible*, Stevie Wonder could
> come up with a better component placement while blindfolded... I'm still
> arguing for it to be removed entirely...
>

[Chris Pavlina (pavlina-chris)]

> We have a saying
> bad auto is invariably better than good manual.

Lemme get this straight: you get paid to implement automatic control, and you have a saying that any automatic control is better than none? Go figure ;)

It is my very strong opinion that lacking a feature is better than having a half-assed feature. If someone wants to contribute a *useful* autoplace, they're welcome to, but I still think the current horrible one should be torn out until then.

[Robert Garnett (rjg)]

Hi Chris,

It's a JOKE.

We will simply have to disagree on the current auto-place and enjoy the
fact that different people have different points of view. I am sure your
point of view is are right as I am only a humble power station engineer
(Loy Yang B Power Station 30% owned by the French government ; look it
up). A dirty coal burner! We are in the top five thermal stations in
the world by any measure you like. Our auto control systems are top class.

That's what's wonderful about life outside the US, South America, the
Balkins, Russia, Africa and the Middle East. We can disagree and we
won't try to murder each other over it.

In any event I love KiCad, the interface is good, I don't have to
mortgage my house to pay for it and I have lots of lively interactions
with all sorts of people connected with it. I imagine that rent seekers
at Eagle, Altium, and the mob who tried to kill the auto router all hate
it.

KiCad is busting down the walls protecting the Corporate Psychopaths who
do everything to kill competition and maintain their hegemony over the
embedded hardware domain.

All in all a bloody good thing!

I would like to contribute to it's development, but it's a bit out of my
league.

Regards

Rob

On 26/10/2016 4:42 AM, Chris Pavlina wrote:
>> We have a saying
>> bad auto is invariably better than good manual.
> Lemme get this straight: you get paid to implement automatic control,
> and you have a saying that any automatic control is better than none? Go
> figure ;)
>
> It is my very strong opinion that lacking a feature is better than
> having a half-assed feature. If someone wants to contribute a *useful*
> autoplace, they're welcome to, but I still think the current horrible
> one should be torn out until then.
>

[Chris Pavlina (pavlina-chris)]

> Hi Chris,

> It's a JOKE.

Yeah, so was mine dude, that's what the ;) means. I still don't think we should keep the autoplacer.

[Robert Garnett (rjg)]

Sorry I didn't know what the bizzo meant. I am an old bastard 61.5 and
don't do facebook, or twitter because I am getting pretty antisocial and
am thinking of becoming a hermit. So I'm not up with all of the that
sort of stuff.

What do you do? Where do you live.

I live in a funny little town called Toongabbie in Victoria, out on a
block of about 1.2 ht. 53 Hilsley Crt. You can see it on Google Earth,
but the resolution is crap because we are in the country and don't
qualify as real citizens of Australia. Aus is one of the most
urbanized countries in the world. Only 22% of the 3.5 million who live
in Victoria live outside of Melbourne and Geelong. Its much the same
for all the other states. The big cities suck in all the money. It's
like there's a big high voltage diode every thing goes in to the
cities, nothing comes back out. Just like London and New York.

Our dear leaders are currently importing net 200k people per year to
get the up to 35 million by 2030 so the rich bastards who own the
country have more people to sell things to. Housing is so expensive no
young people over 80 can afford it as the people the Importees all have
to have money, so housing demand exceeds supply. The median house price
in Sydney is now over a million bucks for a cardboard box. Melbourne
is not much behind. The danger is we are becoming like more like the US
every year and so if Donald T misses out on the Big Job he may immigrate
over here. It's a place he would feel comfortable in. Women are
underpaid by 20%, there are plenty of blacks and Moslems to kick around
and none of the rich pay any tax. Absolute Nirvana for Donald, Hell for
the rest of us.

Best regards

Rob

On 27/10/2016 3:47 AM, Chris Pavlina wrote:
>> Hi Chris,
>> It's a JOKE.
> Yeah, so was mine dude, that's what the ;) means. I still don't think we
> should keep the autoplacer.
>