Make rename symbol and copy & paste symbol more discoverable in libedit

[Andy Peters]

I'm on the 24 Dec 2017 nightly on macOS.

First: Kicad's symbol library editor has never had a "rename symbol" command.

In 4.0.x, one could work around that by doing "load component from current library" followed by "create new component from current component," which asks the user for a symbol name, and then deleting the original component.

In the nightly, the "create new component" command does not exist.

There are new symbol duplicate, cut, copy and paste commands. The problem is that the duplicate and paste commands do not let the user give the symbol a name. The new name is simply prevname_0 (or _1, _2, whatever).

Also: those duplicate/cut/copy/paste commands are all right-click context menu commands in the library editor. Shouldn't they be accessible from the main Edit menu? Perhaps with standard ctrl-X, ctrl-C, ctrl-V keyboard shortcuts?

To add rename functionality: many applications use the notion of selecting a thing in a menu, and when it's highlighted, that thing can be edited. This can be one way to rename the symbol, as you would select and highlight the symbol name in the list and just type in the new, and done.

Application: kicad
Version: (2017-12-24 revision 5708665)-master, release build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.2
    libcurl/7.54.0 LibreSSL/2.0.20 zlib/1.2.11 nghttp2/1.24.0
Platform: Mac OS X (Darwin 17.3.0 x86_64), 64 bit, Little endian, wxMac
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.2 (UTF-8,STL containers,compatible with 2.8)
    Boost: 1.61.0
    Curl: 7.43.0
    Compiler: Clang 7.3.0 with C++ ABI 1002

Build settings:
    USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=ON
    USE_WX_OVERLAY=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
    BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
    KICAD_SPICE=ON

[Oivind Toien (otoien)]

You might want to take a look at the discussion in bug report #1737964 too.

The following is based on observations from the windows nightlty (2017-12-27 revision fab6fc69e; I reverted slightly due to a windows specific bug that is now fixed in the next nightly, so I will update again tonight). There has been a number of improvements just the last week so updating to the latest one is recommended on the mac.

>In the nightly, the "create new component" command does not exist.

It does, but components are now called symbols (For that to be consistent you might need the latest nightly). Use the Op-amp like icon in the toolbar with some yellow to create a new symbol (also in the symbol menu).

>To add rename functionality: many applications use the notion of selecting a thing in a menu, and when >it's highlighted, that thing can be edited. This can be one way to rename the symbol, as you would select >and highlight the symbol name in the list and just type in the new, and done.

You can simply rename a symbol by double-clicking on the name in the main panel and change it in the dialog that appears. That action does not create a copy of the symbol as before, so it is a true renaming procedure.

[Andy Peters (devel-latke)]

Apologies: Instead of "Create new component," I meant, "create new component from the current component." (I knew about the change from "component" to "symbol," though I guess that change was not in the 12/24/2017 nightly.)

"You can simply rename a symbol by double-clicking on the name in the main panel and change it in the dialog that appears. That action does not create a copy of the symbol as before, so it is a true renaming procedure."

By "main panel" you mean the symbol has to be selected in the chooser and visible in the edit window. I had no idea that this was possible. "If the user can't find it, the feature does not exist ..."

I just tested this on an older (pre-symbol-table) Kicad and one can change the text of the symbol name there, too, but it makes a copy. And the documentation says, "Modifing value fields effectively creates a new component using the current component as the starting point. In the nightly, one cannot edit the Value field at all.

[Oivind Toien (otoien)]

"In the nightly, one cannot edit the Value field at all."
Not in the Field Properties dialog (and this also applies to 4.07), but as noted by double clicking the symbol name in the edit window next to the actual graphic drawing or pressing 'e' with mouse above it (when symbol is selected for editing). The change to "symbol" was more recent. The dialog that comes up is still called "Component Name" - should be "Symbol Name" (Version: (2018-01-02 revision 44d4559f8)). Also as noted it does not create a copy any longer by design.

I agree that it would be very useful if one were prompted for name change on paste, and I think I would prefer that it then removed the names of possible aliases instead of renaming them, as the names of aliases usually become invalid anyway.

The documentation (checked the master not the stable) is still lagging behind regarding use of designation "symbol" instead of "component" and how the library editor works, but that is expected in this transition.

[Nicholas Savenlid (nicholas-z)]

I can just add that even if it is possible somehow I, just cannot understand how

cant rename one symbol nor can i copy/move it to another lib

used to be able to open another lib than the lib the symbol came from, and keeping the symbol "live" in cache and save it.

cannot do so any more.

Had to use kicad-librarian third party to survive temporarily.

Application: kicad
Version: (2018-01-02 revision 44d4559f8)-makepkg, release build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.3
    libcurl/7.54.1 OpenSSL/1.0.2l zlib/1.2.11 libssh2/1.8.0 nghttp2/1.23.1 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.3 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
    Boost: 1.60.0
    Curl: 7.54.1
    Compiler: GCC 7.1.0 with C++ ABI 1011

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

[Steve Wood (steve+ubuntu)]

My work-around - easy enough that I'd be inclined to call it an OK procedure instead of a work-around:
In Symbol Library Editor with View - Search Tree active, right click on a Symbol and select Duplicate Symbol. You should see a new symbol in bold appear with "_x*" appended to the name of the original Symbol. Double-click the newly created Symbol. Now mouse over the Component Name, hit 'E' and change the Component Name as desired. Save the Symbol. Done. Note that you cannot edit the Component Name through the "T" menu (Component Name will be greyed-out there).

Application: kicad
Version: 5.0.0-fee4fd1~65~ubuntu16.04.1, release build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.2
    libcurl/7.47.0 OpenSSL/1.0.2g zlib/1.2.8 libidn/1.32 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Linux 4.15.0-24-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.2 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 2.24
    Boost: 1.58.0
    OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.8.0
    Curl: 7.47.0
    Compiler: GCC 5.4.0 with C++ ABI 1009

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

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

Implemented Save Symbol As..., which can be used for renaming, moving, or both.

[KiCad Janitor (kicad-janitor)]

Fixed in revision 822ebf69556214ab2a7cb2404922f95caef65c0e
https://git.launchpad.net/kicad/patch/?id=822ebf69556214ab2a7cb2404922f95caef65c0e