docs/wiki/pcb-roadmap.html

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  15 <h1 class="sectionedit1614"><a name="pcb_roadmap" id="pcb_roadmap">PCB Roadmap</a></h1>
  16 <div class="level1">
  17
  18 <p>
  19
  20 This is a guide to the future direction of the PCB layout editor.
  21
  22 </p>
  23 <ul>
  24 <li class="level1"><div class="li"> <a href="geda-design_flow_and_hierarchy_roadmap.html" class="wikilink1" title="geda-design_flow_and_hierarchy_roadmap.html"> gEDA roadmap</a> has some PCB items.</div>
  25 </li>
  26 <li class="level1"><div class="li"> <a href="geda-todos.html" class="wikilink1" title="geda-todos.html"> gEDA To-Dos</a> also has some PCB items.</div>
  27 </li>
  28 <li class="level1"><div class="li"> <a href="pcb-projects.html" class="wikilink1" title="pcb-projects.html"> PCB Projects</a> lists some wish-list items.</div>
  29 </li>
  30 </ul>
  31
  32 </div>
  33 <!-- EDIT1614 SECTION "PCB Roadmap" [1-302] -->
  34 <h2 class="sectionedit1615"><a name="general_guidelines_for_releases" id="general_guidelines_for_releases">General Guidelines for Releases</a></h2>
  35 <div class="level2">
  36
  37 <p>
  38
  39 In general, there are three types of changes that go into PCB - bug
  40 fixes, new features, and incompatible changes.  A <em>bug fix</em> is when
  41 PCB doesn&#039;t do what it&#039;s supposed to do - this includes documentation
  42 bugs as well as code problems.  A <em>new feature</em> is something that
  43 adds functionality to PCB but doesn&#039;t change any existing
  44 functionality.  An <em>incompatible change</em> is anything that causes
  45 (intentional) compatibility issues with older versions of PCB, and
  46 usually means a large design change.  Note that a new feature that
  47 adds a backwards-incompatible change to the file format <em>when it&#039;s
  48 used</em> is not in this category.
  49 </p>
  50
  51 <p>
  52 The current plans are as follows:
  53
  54 </p>
  55 <ul>
  56 <li class="level1"><div class="li"> Bug fix releases every two months or so until we clear the backlog.</div>
  57 </li>
  58 </ul>
  59 <ul>
  60 <li class="level1"><div class="li"> Start on a PCB 4.0 release that folds in some large design changes we&#039;ve been talking about for years.</div>
  61 </li>
  62 </ul>
  63
  64 <p>
  65
  66 At the moment, bugfix releases will be of the form <code>pcb-YYYYMMDD</code>.
  67 Once 4.0 is released, the major.minor.bugfix numbers will correspond
  68 to the three categories listed above: bugfixes cause a *.*.N release,
  69 new features cause a *.N release, major changes cause a N.0 release.
  70 The <code>YYYYMMDD</code> release numbers will then be used for regular
  71 non-release snapshots.
  72 </p>
  73
  74 <p>
  75 The remainder of this page will list the various changes that are
  76 planned (or at least hoped for) for upcoming and future releases.
  77 </p>
  78
  79 <p>
  80 Bugs, patches, and feature requests should be added to the
  81 <a href="https://bugs.launchpad.net/pcb" class="urlextern" title="https://bugs.launchpad.net/pcb"  rel="nofollow">Launchpad
  82 trackers</a>.  The default status <strong>undecided</strong>.  Requests with that
  83 priority will be considered “unreviewed”.
  84
  85 </p>
  86
  87 </div>
  88 <!-- EDIT1615 SECTION "General Guidelines for Releases" [303-1908] -->
  89 <h2 class="sectionedit1616"><a name="next_bug_release" id="next_bug_release">Next Bug Release</a></h2>
  90 <div class="level2">
  91
  92 <p>
  93
  94 This is a list of fixes that <em>must</em> be fixed before the next bug
  95 release, in addition to any “next bug release” artifacts in the bug tracker.
  96 </p>
  97
  98 </div>
  99 <!-- EDIT1616 SECTION "Next Bug Release" [1909-2083] -->
 100 <h2 class="sectionedit1617"><a name="future_bug_releases" id="future_bug_releases">Future Bug Releases</a></h2>
 101 <div class="level2">
 102
 103 <p>
 104
 105 This is a list of fixes that should be fixed eventually.
 106 </p>
 107
 108 </div>
 109 <!-- EDIT1617 SECTION "Future Bug Releases" [2084-2175] -->
 110 <h2 class="sectionedit1618"><a name="next_feature_release" id="next_feature_release">Next Feature Release</a></h2>
 111 <div class="level2">
 112
 113 <p>
 114
 115 This is a list of new features that will be added before the next
 116 feature release (or, perhaps the next bug release, if time permits).
 117 </p>
 118
 119 <p>
 120 Make the code C++ compatible.
 121 </p>
 122
 123 <p>
 124 Allow via annulii to overlap each other.
 125 </p>
 126
 127 <p>
 128 More route styles.
 129 </p>
 130
 131 <p>
 132 Nanometer resolution - this is the “metric units” change we&#039;ve talked
 133 about many times.
 134 </p>
 135
 136 <p>
 137 Real layer types.  Silks, keepouts, mask docs at least.  Maybe
 138 anti-draw or paste.
 139 </p>
 140
 141 </div>
 142 <!-- EDIT1618 SECTION "Next Feature Release" [2176-2611] -->
 143 <h2 class="sectionedit1619"><a name="future_feature_releases" id="future_feature_releases">Future Feature Releases</a></h2>
 144 <div class="level2">
 145
 146 <p>
 147
 148 Other features that should be added eventually.
 149 </p>
 150
 151 </div>
 152 <!-- EDIT1619 SECTION "Future Feature Releases" [2612-2697] -->
 153 <h2 class="sectionedit1620"><a name="next_incompatible_release" id="next_incompatible_release">Next Incompatible Release</a></h2>
 154 <div class="level2">
 155
 156 <p>
 157
 158 This is a list of major changes that we think are desirable to include
 159 in PCB, and wish to put effort into.
 160 </p>
 161
 162 </div>
 163 <!-- EDIT1620 SECTION "Next Incompatible Release" [2698-2845] -->
 164 <h2 class="sectionedit1621"><a name="future_incompatible_releases" id="future_incompatible_releases">Future Incompatible Releases</a></h2>
 165 <div class="level2">
 166
 167 <p>
 168
 169 This is a list of other major changes that we think are desirable to
 170 include in PCB, but so far have not committed any effort to.
 171 </p>
 172
 173 </div>
 174 <!-- EDIT1621 SECTION "Future Incompatible Releases" [2846-3018] -->
 175 <h2 class="sectionedit1622"><a name="wish_list" id="wish_list">Wish List</a></h2>
 176 <div class="level2">
 177
 178 <p>
 179
 180 This section lists possible projects for future releases, which either
 181 haven&#039;t been agreed on, or haven&#039;t been scheduled.  If you&#039;d like to
 182 work on one of these, go ahead <img src="images/smileys/icon_smile.gif" align="middle" alt=":-)" />
 183 </p>
 184
 185 <p>
 186
 187 Other <acronym title="Graphical User Interface">GUI</acronym> cleanups.  Gtk upgraded to “best practices”.  Importer config.
 188 </p>
 189
 190 <p>
 191 “New layout” templates and wizards. (instead of defaulting to 4&times;4 8-layer)
 192 </p>
 193
 194 <p>
 195 import/wizard plugins (as well as exports)
 196 </p>
 197
 198 <p>
 199 DRC cleanups/rewrite
 200 </p>
 201
 202 <p>
 203 CAM engine?  (i.e. ability to say “draw outline on top soldermask” via script/config)
 204 </p>
 205
 206 <p>
 207 Ability to hook into layer exporters (i.e. thindraw as a HID)
 208 </p>
 209
 210 <p>
 211 New file format we&#039;ve been discussing.
 212 </p>
 213
 214 <p>
 215 Variable-angle arcs. 90 degrees is extremely limiting.
 216 </p>
 217
 218 <p>
 219 Filled circles, sans kludge.  Currently, to get a filled circle you
 220 create a zero-length trace of the right width.
 221 </p>
 222
 223 <p>
 224 Having all shapes that are supported for traces supported for
 225 footprint copper (arcs, polygons, circles, etcetera).
 226 </p>
 227
 228 <p>
 229 Unification of shortcuts in gschem and PCB, or at least an easy option
 230 for PCB to mimic gschem&#039;s shortcuts.
 231 </p>
 232
 233 <p>
 234 Better support for free-rotated components: assert that pads at funky
 235 angles are rendered correctly, fix autorouter for components at weird
 236 angles (the latest git version has a tendency to either ignore the route
 237 command or to segfault, depending on the specifics), add rotation to the
 238 ctrl-R report, etcetera.
 239 </p>
 240
 241 <p>
 242 Ability to copy a footprint&#039;s name from the library dialogue (so it
 243 can be pasted into gschem&#039;s attribute list).
 244 </p>
 245
 246 <p>
 247 Ability to edit netlist in-situ (possibly by drawing on the rat lines
 248 layer) - e.g, when you want to add a heatsink soldered to ground, it
 249 will always show up as shorted until the netlist is edited to
 250 incorporate it.
 251 </p>
 252
 253 <p>
 254 Last but not least, blind and buried vias. It&#039;s big, reasonably
 255 important, and has been on people&#039;s wish lists for years.
 256 </p>
 257
 258 <p>
 259 Trace impedance calculator, with automatic adjustment capability (fill
 260 in thickness, stray capacitance and desired impedance, and the width is
 261 adjusted to satisfy the conditions).
 262 </p>
 263
 264 <p>
 265 Integrated footprint lookup and fetch from gedasymbols.org.
 266 </p>
 267
 268 <p>
 269 Heirarchical pcb model - subcells, footprints-as-pcb, etc.
 270 </p>
 271
 272 <p>
 273 A shape I&#039;ve often wanted on a pad is circle with the sides cut off.
 274 This is slightly different than an oval.  Something like Inkscape&#039;s
 275 boolean operations would be excellent.
 276 </p>
 277
 278 <p>
 279 How about text at not-90 degree angles?  Or support for rotated square
 280 pads (I know, the file format doesn&#039;t support those two.)
 281 </p>
 282
 283 <p>
 284 Editing on the grid has got to go!  Counting grid points is the worst
 285 possible way to enter positional information into a computer.
 286 </p>
 287
 288 <p>
 289 Make every field in object reports editable.
 290 </p>
 291
 292 <p>
 293 Allow direct entry of offsets and absolute positions when editing.
 294 </p>
 295
 296 <p>
 297 Add “offset” and “trim” feature à la 2D CAD programs.
 298 </p>
 299
 300 <p>
 301 Add “point to tangent” and “tangent to tangent” line drawing feature
 302 à la 2D CAD programs.
 303 </p>
 304
 305 <p>
 306 Also, trim polygons against “outline” layer.  Fix polygons in general.
 307 </p>
 308
 309 <p>
 310 square/rectangular holes (e.g. mounting tabs)
 311 </p>
 312
 313 <p>
 314 Automatic least version required file saving.  Set the file format
 315 version based on features used, not the version of PCB This will
 316 become valuable as we add features like blind vias, custom pad stacks
 317 etc….
 318
 319 </p>
 320
 321 </div>
 322 <!-- EDIT1622 SECTION "Wish List" [3019-] --></body>
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