Add symbol from library browser in eeschema

[Kalle Hyvönen]

If I'm making a schematic in eeschema, and I go to library browser, it is not possible to add a component to the schematic. Which seems a bit backwards since Place -> component -> library browser opens an identical library browser, the only difference is that this time it has the "Insert component in schematic" -button.

I have version:

Application: Eeschema
Version: (2012-01-17 BZR 3368)-testing
Build: wxWidgets 2.8.11 (no debug,Unicode,compiler with C++ ABI 1002,GCC 4.6.1,wx containers,compatible with 2.6)
Platform: Linux 3.0.0-14-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Options: USE_PNG_BITMAPS=ON
         KICAD_GOST=OFF
         USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
         USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
         USE_BOOST_POLYGON_LIBRARY

[Wayne Stambaugh (stambaughw)]

This is the normal behavior for the library browser. The add component to schematic button is disabled when you launch the library browser from the tool bar. It is only enabled when you browse from the add component dialog. It would be trivial to change this behavior but it would require some input from the other users and developers to determine if this is the desire behavior. A consensus from the user's and developer's groups is required to change this behavior. It is also possible to make this behavior optional using a configuration setting.

[Kalle Hyvönen (scorper)]

I think it serves no purpose to hide functionality from the user. The main reason for "browsing the library" in my opinion is to add components. At least giving the possibility to do that would not affect anyone who does not want to add components from the library browser. It's just very confusing to have a window that essentially serves no purpose other than to look at components to which you cannot do anything.

[Wayne Stambaugh (stambaughw)]

While I agree with you in principal, this behavior has been in place since I joined the project in 2007. You are the first person that I am aware of to comment on it so I'm reluctant to change it without input from other users. I will see if there is a consensus on the developers list and I'll see if someone can get some feedback on the user's mailing list. If there is a consensus that this change is the preferred behavior than I will go ahead and make the change.

[pwl (peri-n)]

It would be great to change this behavior, or make it an option, as with new stable release place component dialog changed and it is not possible to use old browser to place component.

[elmech (elmech11)]

Is there any way to enable this buton to make possible placing components wit the browser? The new dialog tends to mix components from libraries with history and becouse of its tree-like type of display you never know which library you are currntly browsing.

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

I think Chris Pavlina's new place component browser fixes these concerns.

[Seth Hillbrand (sethh)]

@jeyjey I don't think so. At least on Linux, place component allows for adding the symbol but the browser still doesn't let you do anything except look at the symbols.

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

@Seth, while it doesn't directly fix it, the main reason for going to the Library Browser in the first place is because the place component feature (before Chris' changes) didn't let you browse. Once we have Chris' integrated place/browse, I expect most of the desire for letting the Browser do a place will go away.

Sorry I wasn't clearer on what I meant.

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

It would be easy enough to drop a new component at the center of the view, but a bit more problematic (from a user-model point-of-view) to activate the Place Component tool and attach the new component to the mouse.

With the legacy canvas we've got no highlighting so a newly dropped-in component could easily be missed. However, that won't be an issue when we move to a GAL canvas.