kicad/TODO.txt

KiCad TODO List
===============

WXMAC Platform
--------------
* Fix hotkey list to match CMD key
* Fix AddHotkeyName to let wxWidgets handle Ctrl to CMD key
* Fix toolbar button tooltips.

Common
------
* Grep for @TODO or TODO for sourcecode tasks
* Use Doxygen compatible comments on member functions (.h files)
* Add tooltip text to all non-obvious controls in every dialog window.
  Use wxFormBuilder.
* Component and module search displays in which library the
  module or component lives.
* List auto up and down scrolling.
* Push file open semantics down to one of the base frame classes ( likely candidate is
  WinEDA_BasicFrame ) so that file open behavior is consistent across all applications.

* Look over Brian's python BOM generation scripts, which are now in
  scripts/python/ky and sort them out.
  Code came from Brian in this posting's attachment, which is ky2.zip:
  https://lists.launchpad.net/kicad-developers/msg06763.html
  but is now in scripts/python/ky temporarily.


FP LIB TABLE
------------

Dialog:
- - - -

a) check for duplicate nicknames in a single table, complain, give the user a nice indication of the duplicate(s)

b) in the uri column give a small button popup a window(dialog?) which lets user choose a file or directory local to his system by pointing at it.

c) Active library table load and save functions.  There are two tables active at any time, but
they look like one table.  Identify a place to keep the access mechanism (pointer).  Modify
the project specific portion of this RAM table when the board changes.


Other:
- - - -

a) develop a syntax for nickname:footprint combo, i.e. bring to life class FPID
 with development and testing of parsing and formatting.


b) modify cvpcb to handle the nickname:footprint, i.e. textual form of FPID.
This means having a wider textfield for the FPID than was allocated for the footprint name alone.
Needed is the ability to pick a footprint from any active library.


c) modify the netlist format to handle nickname:footprint, save and load.
The nickname needs to be optional.  I would say allowed in the grammar in the
footprint position are:

    footprint | (fp_id FPID)

or just

    FPID   # if it can be parsed when nickname is missing.


d) write functions to lookup a footprint from
 i) FPID
 ii) footprint alone since most old netlists don't have nicknames in them.

e) Replace MODULE::m_LibRef which is a wxString with FPID.  FPID supports
   the footprint name only which is backwards compatible with the current
   design.

f) On the first time an empty global footprint table is encountered, add
   standard KiCad and user libraries not located in the project directory
   or any of it's sub-directories to the global footprint library table.

g) When a project is opened and the project footprint library table is
   empty, add any user library that is located in the project path or any
   of it's sub-directories to the project footprint library table.

h) When populating the footprint library tables, use the library  file name
   without the extension as the FPID nickname.  When duplicate names exist,
   append an incremental integer to the nickname so that the second logic
   libraries FPID nickname becomes logic1.  Assign FPID library nicknames
   to each MODULE based on the legacy library search order when loading an
   existing board that does not have fully defined MODULE FPIDs.

i) Add check for KISYSMOD environment variable, on Pcbnew and CvPcb start up
   and set it to the known directory of the default KiCad footprint libraries.
   The code should look something like:

{
    const char* envar;

    envar = getenv( "KISYSMOD" );

    if( !envar )
    {
        envvar = knownDirOfSysMods;

        setenv( "KISYSMOD", envar );
    }
}


These i) and ii) merge into one if footprint alone is a valid FPID.
Incorporate any environment variable in the the uri expansion using:
const wxString FP_LIB_TABLE::ExpandSubtitutions( const wxString aString )





Eeschema
--------
* Drag and drop between two Eeschema windows.

Wayne:
E3)  Hook up perform last library search hot key to replace search libraries for
     component support removed from find dialog.
E4)  Change add component dialog search text control to combobox and add component
     search history save and restore capability.  Also add session save and restore
     to component history list control.  Add advanced search capability similar to
     new find dialog.
E6)  Start initial work for changing component library file format to use Dick's
     dsnlexer.  See note C2 above.  Come up with a workable library file format to
     handle the wishes of the library implementation group.  Add initial clipboard
     support to the library editor.



PCBNew
------

*)  Make the zone hit testing be done in screen coordinates, not internal units.
    See the @todos in class_zone.cpp.  A fixed distance in internal units becomes
    a variable distance based on zoom factor, leading to inconsistent results at
    various zoom factors.  I believe that a fixed distance in pixels might make
    for a friendlier UI.

*)  Check that the new load visibility BOARD settings is properly setting the toolbar
    buttons like show grid or ratsnest.  Add PCB_EDIT_FRAME::SetVisibleElements() so
    toolbar crap is not known to a BOARD.

*)  Finish removing global access requirements from PLUGINs, so that:
    *)  a BOARD is a fully self contained document description.
    *)  plugin developers do not have to access globals, since a plugin could
        very well be a dynamically loaded DLL/DSO in the future.
        One final problem remains is the BASE_SCREEN's grid origin.  An easy
        solution is to move just that one field into the BOARD.

*)  Add ::Footprint*() functions to EAGLE_PLUGIN, so that Eagle footprint libraries
    can be used in situ.

*)  Add a library table for Pcbnew like that in the sweet library and get rid of the
    damn search path strategy.  This will enable concurrent usage of various types
    of PLUGIN::Footprint*() functions.  At least LEGACY and KICAD are both needed
    concurrently.

*)  Add a hot key to toggle the 45 degree constraint on and off so that it can be
    changed when drawing a trace.