Proposal to introduce so-called reference point

[pisulski]

I think it will be a goog idea introduce reference point. It is point used tu draw line with knew coordinates.
Where i will use it? for example for drawing PCB dimennsions.

Sorry for my grammar

[Stephen Eaton (seaton)]

You can set a local reference point by using the space key within pcbnew (co-oridinates are displayed in bottom right hand side of status bar) this will set a local reference point at the current cursor position.

The global reference is not reset and still displayed as normal.

Let me know if this is what you're after.

[Lorenzo Marcantonio (l-marcantonio)]

On Fri, 25 Jun 2010, Stephen Eaton wrote:

> You can set a local reference point by using the space key within pcbnew
> (co-oridinates are displayed in bottom right hand side of status bar)
> this will set a local reference point at the current cursor position.
>
> The global reference is not reset and still displayed as normal.

Also I made and using an experimental patch to move the grid origin
around (useful for modular terminal block, for example), if you need
that kind of feature.

--
Lorenzo Marcantonio
Logos Srl

[Stephen Eaton (seaton)]

this is an imported bug from sourceforge,

Lorenzo it may be worthwhile attaching the patch to this bug.

marking it as triaged

[szymon (szymon123)]

Any move in this bug? Lorenzo is your patch still valid for new version? Where can I find it?

[Lorenzo Marcantonio (l-marcantonio)]

On Wed, Jun 27, 2012 at 09:28:19AM -0000, szymon wrote:
> Any move in this bug? Lorenzo is your patch still valid for new version?
> Where can I find it?

The space bar zero is in kicad from the beginning, the grid origin can
be set since a lot of time... if you don't have the button (and the text
entry boxes) it's time to update your software...

--
Lorenzo Marcantonio
Logos Srl

[szymon (szymon123)]

Lorenzo, I do not understand your response. Yes I can set grid origin, but this does not solve my issue. But I would like to set some kind of origin for all objects, so typing 2.54 in object properties will make this element located 2.54 from this specific origin.

[szymon (szymon123)]

Accidently found another "bug" with request for such feature.

[Stephen (artist-wavenet)]

A way this could be done is to add a two pairs of fields in the Module parameters dialog box for coordinates. One of the them would be for the X,Y coordinates relative to the origin point for drill and place files, and the other relative to the origin point of the grid.

I too very much need this for providing connector coordinates to the mechanical designer. I generally provide connector coordinates relative to the lower left edge of the board. To do this now I temporarily move the entire board so its lower left edge is at the origin of the coordinate system.

To ease my providing these coordinates I design my connector modules with the X origin on the connector's center line. To ease placement to where the connector is against the chassis wall I place the module's Y origin where the inner wall of the chassis would be.

[Stephen (artist-wavenet)]

Add to my comment above a third pair of fields for X,Y coordinates that are relative to the relative origin set with with the space bar.

[szymon (szymon123)]

Stephen, I wonder why this reference point should be associated with module, as far I remember it was always talked about reference point for all components.

[Gregory Helton (gahelton)]

I would also like to join the discussion, although I see that it is an old one. A need exists to be able to set the PCB database origin. Typically, this origin is set in the lower left corner of the PCB, or at the imaginary intersection of the leftmost PCB edge and bottom-most PCB edge if there is a cutout in the bottom left corner. This way, components can be placed into an absolute location on the PCB. Using the space bar to set a relative position is a "nice" feature, but it is no substitute for being able to set the origin. Today, I place the lower left edge of the PCB at the absolute coordinate system 0,0. But when I do this, the board is outside of the drawing border, and the border cannot be moved (as far as I can tell). Another improvement would be to use a true cartesian coordinate system for position. That is, Y is positive and increases above the X axis. The way that it is oriented today, the Y axis does not conform to a cartesian plane.