Experience:
When using the "Edit Symbol Library Reference" tool it updates the reference just fine, but doesn't update the value. For some things that's ok, but its a real pain when you update a power symbol. I tested this with both power symbols and normal symbols. Editing the symbols individually work as intended even when editing to the same (say going from GNDS -> GND, updating all of them doesn't work but once changed updating from GND->GND modifies the value.
Expected: Value is updated to the new symbol value or give option to override value or update when the value for power symbols only (since you can't edit the value).
Application: kicad
Version: 5.0.0+dfsg1-2, release build
Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.0.4
libcurl/7.61.0 OpenSSL/1.1.0f zlib/1.2.8 libpsl/0.17.0 (+libidn2/0.16) libssh2/1.7.0 nghttp2/1.18.1 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Linux 4.9.0-8-amd64 x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Build Info:
wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 2.24
Boost: 1.62.0
OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.9.1
Curl: 7.61.0
Compiler: GCC 8.2.0 with C++ ABI 1013
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=OFF
I am not so sure this would be so clear cut. How would you for example handle generic symbols like a resistor where the value is different than the value once placed? This would definetly need some thought.
As this will take at least till v6 i would also hope that the mentioned usecase of power symbols is obsolete by then (The new file format hopefully has a better way to implement power symbols.)