letters and numbers when zoom in.

[brandongill8]

When zooming in the components letters and numbers scramble or start to go away. So when you zoom way in you can't read what they are, they are just lines. The more you zoom the more it gets worse. I just updated to 11.10 if that has anything to do with it.

[Dick Hollenbeck (dickelbeck)]

Need:
* version of KiCad
* operating system

Basically, if you are not using the latest version, that will be the first thing we tell you to try. It turns out we can only fix the latest version.

[brandongill8 (gillblazer)]

Hello,

version: kicad 0.0.20110616-1
OS: Ubuntu 11.10

I'm a noob to Ubuntu and Kicad and not sure if I am all up to date.

Thanks for the help!

Brandon

On Sat, Oct 22, 2011 at 8:56 AM, Dick Hollenbeck
<email address hidden>wrote:

> Need:
> * version of KiCad
> * operating system
>
> Basically, if you are not using the latest version, that will be the
> first thing we tell you to try. It turns out we can only fix the latest
> version.
>
>
> ** Changed in: kicad
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/879762
>
> Title:
> letters and numbers when zoom in.
>
> Status in KiCad:
> Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> When zooming in the components letters and numbers scramble or start
> to go away. So when you zoom way in you can't read what they are, they
> are just lines. The more you zoom the more it gets worse. I just
> updated to 11.10 if that has anything to do with it.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/kicad/+bug/879762/+subscriptions
>

--
BWG

[Dick Hollenbeck (dickelbeck)]

On 10/22/2011 11:14 AM, brandongill8 wrote:
> Hello,
>
> version: kicad 0.0.20110616-1
> OS: Ubuntu 11.10
>
> I'm a noob to Ubuntu and Kicad and not sure if I am all up to date.
>
> Thanks for the help!
>
> Brandon

As a fortunate user of Ubuntu, you now have the benefit of using Adam Wolf's PPA to get
updates whenever you want, as frequently as daily if desired. I would setup your apt repo
by adding Adam's Wolf's PPA to it.

  https://code.launchpad.net/~adamwolf/+archive/kicad-testing-daily

Then

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install <whateverAdamsPackage(s) are>

Normally after that first time, then change the second line to

$ sudo apt-get upgrade

for future days.

This will give you the very latest. Note that sometimes the XORing logic may not work on
everything, so doing a minor resizing operation can help cause EESCHEMA to redraw the
screen. Just a workaround, not a genuine fix.

Dick

[László Meskó (lml-pnt)]

I think I've the same problem with Ubuntu 11.10 64 bit. I'd like to add that not only letters and numbers become unreadable, but there are also problems with the drawings: junction points and the pins (the circles at the end) are also lost in the lower 3/4 of the Eeschema's screen. If you scroll down, then redraw, then scroll up, then everything is visible until the next zoom/redraw. There is also similar redraw problem with PCBnew in the lower 1/3 of the screen.

I've upgraded Adam Wolf's last version for Oneiric (2011-10-25) but the problem still exists.

I've also found on the Internet ( http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-users/message/10635 ) stating this is an XOrg problem, however I cannot confirm this (I've know almost nothing about XOrg or KiCad internals).

[Antonio Maldonado (a.m.)]

Same problem here, all up to date:

Ubuntu: 11.10
Kicad: 20110616

[Norbert Koszó (norbi-notebook)]

Same problem here. Ubuntu 11.10 64 bit (up to date). I have tried building kicad 2011-07-08-stable, but it has the same problem.

[Dick Hollenbeck (dickelbeck)]

If you are using the PPA, then this suggests that you are using wxWidgets 2.8.?

If using wxWidgets 2.8, which is known to pretty solid and work everywhere else, I wonder if the problem is not with an X windows driver on the newer Ubuntu OS?

a) Can you please report your graphics cards and which X driver you are using?

b) Is it the Unity desktop?

c) Can you find any postings about this version of Ubuntu at the wxWidgets mailing list?
(It does not sound like a KiCad bug, but rather one starting below wxWidgets.)

[KOSZÓ Norbert (perpernorbi)]

I'm using wxWidgets 2.8.11.0-0ubuntu10.
a) Graphics card is Intel Graphics 4500MHD, driver is /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/intel_drv.so . (I have attached my Xorg.0.log)
b) Yes, it's the unity desktop.
c) I have not found any postings about ubuntu 11.10 at wxwidgets forums/mailing lists.

[Dick Hollenbeck (dickelbeck)]

Thanks Norbert.

I tried Adam's PPA on 11.10

in a KVM VM using this technique:

http://blog.liw.fi/posts/kvm-for-ubuntu-iso-testing/

Then did an update, then an install of the PPA. The KVM VM did not exhibit the problem
you are describing.

I used 32 bit 11.10 Ubuntu in the VM.

Maybe look for a newer or older graphics driver, or go back to Ubuntu Lucid, or put that
in a VM.

You are on the bleeding edge, and might need to back off until the world catches up with
you. Or you can pay somebody to fix your problem.

Those seem like your options to me.

Dick

[Brad "Zuph" Luyster (bradluyster)]

I can confirm that this bug occurs on computers running 11.10, using KiCad from the Ubuntu repositories, KiCad from Adam Wolfe's PPA, or building from source myself. This only occurs on computers running Intel graphics, as far as I can tell. Another PC running AMD graphics does not experience this bug, all other things equal.

I have tried using xserver-xorg-video-intel drivers from the repositories, as well as from the xorg-edgers PPA, and the effect is the same.

[brandongill8 (gillblazer)]

I am still having the problem on my laptop running 11.10 with all current updates for KiCad. The laptop is a Intel. I have KiCad on my Desktop, running Windows Vista (I know, its the Devil) but KiCad works great on it.

[Marc de Hoop (marcdehoop)]

I did also have the problem on my laptop with Ubuntu 11.10, using KDE with no desktop effects and a secondary monitor. The laptop has an Intel GMA 950. I downgraded my xserver-xorg-video-intel to 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu7 from Ubuntu 11.04 and installed libxcb-aux0 from 11.04 as well because xserver-xorg-video-intel depends on it. Then I locked the version of xserver-xorg-video-intel in the muon package manager.
It's not a recommended way of fixing problems but it worked for me.

[Dick Hollenbeck (dickelbeck)]

On 11/24/2011 02:28 PM, Marc de Hoop wrote:
> I did also have the problem on my laptop with Ubuntu 11.10, using KDE with no desktop effects and a secondary monitor. The laptop has an Intel GMA 950. I downgraded my xserver-xorg-video-intel to 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu7 from Ubuntu 11.04 and installed libxcb-aux0 from 11.04 as well because xserver-xorg-video-intel depends on it. Then I locked the version of xserver-xorg-video-intel in the muon package manager.

> It's not a recommended way of fixing problems but it worked for me.

What is the recommended way?

Does this not start looking like a bug in the newer Intel driver(s)?

[Marc de Hoop (marcdehoop)]

The recommended way would be fixing the Intel driver. But I diff'ed the two versions and the diff file was 24035 lines long...

[Vesa Solonen (vesa-solonen)]

Using the current driver (xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.17.0+git20111222.34cfa15e-0ubuntu0sarvatt~oneiric) from Xorg-edgers PPA solves the problem. I'm using the PPA as a whole though.

[Fabio Varesano (fabio-varesano)]

I'd say this is a general video driver problem, rather then Ubuntu specific, as I'm affected too even if I'm on Archlinux.

[Vesa Solonen (vesa-solonen)]

KiCad is somewhat special in exercising video drivers and graphics framework because of great number of primitives redrawn on every zoom or drawing operation. Intel shared memory GPUs work quite fast in this kind of immediate mode drawing compared to discrete GPUs which need a bus transaction for every operation. The problem is similar to disk I/O in PIO mode compared to DMA. DMA is fast and smart, but needs quite a lot of support code to work. KiCad drawing is currently in the PIO mode, but the DMA version is in the works:

https://code.launchpad.net/~kicad-testing-committers/kicad/kicad-gal

[Marc de Hoop (marcdehoop)]

I can also report that upgrading to the Xorg-edgers version of xserver-xorg-video-intel from 22nd of december solves the problem for me.
In my opinion we can conclude that the bug is not in KiCad but in xserver-xorg-video-intel and that it is fixed now.

[Nick Prater (wln-nick-xrv)]

Using the xorg-edgers PPA fixes this for me also.

I'm using Ubuntu 11.10 and KiCad EESchema Build (2011-05-25)-stable (the version installed from Ubuntu Software Centre).

I used the xorg-edgers PPA from:
http://www.ubuntuupdates.org/ppa/xorg-edgers?dist=oneiric

I ran the following commands to install:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

[Paul Manners (paulmanners)]

I am also experiencing the same spongledness with numbers and letters in KiCad.

I switched to the edgers PPA but it didn't sort the problem out.

I'm running 64bit version of 11.10 on my laptop.

I have a:

VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller

and

ATI Technologies Inc NI Seymour [AMD Radeon HD 6470M]

As I wasn't able to install the proprietry driver https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/fglrx-installer/+bug/891107 I am running on just the Intel, using what appears to the i915 driver.

Any ideas on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated?

[László Meskó (lml-pnt)]

Using the xorg-edgers PPA fixes (following Nick Prater's install instructions, 2012-01-12) solved the problem. My video card is:
VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 18)

[Istvan Fazekas (f-istvan)]

ASUS K53SV nvidia optimus video: Nick Prater's instructions did the job to me too, but only when I finally also did:

sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-intel

Bit of a surprise that installation went all the way long, because I have always used the nvidia-optimus with only the intel driver, (or so did I think) - no bumblebee, or ironhide, and absolutely no idea why it helped. But help it did. Please, anybody, do not bother to explain it, I am lazy enough just to enjoy it. :)

Now I just go on exploring the latest kicad. So far it looks impressive.
Thanks for all the work.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for KiCad because there has been no activity for 60 days.]