Pcbnew: Enhancement in connections calculations:

Until now, 2 tracks were seen as connected only if one end of the first track is *exactly* on one end of the other track.
Now the 2 ends are seen as connected when they are "near" i.e. the distance between the 2 ends is < track width/2

pcbnew/connect.cpp

@@ -282,6 +282,15 @@ void CONNECTIONS::BuildTracksCandidatesList( TRACK * aBegin, TRACK * aEnd)
     sort( m_candidates.begin(), m_candidates.end(), sortConnectedPointByXthenYCoordinates );
 }
 
+/* Populates .m_connected with tracks/vias connected to aTrack
+ * param aTrack = track or via to use as reference
+ * For calculation time reason, an exhaustive search cannot be made
+ * and a proximity search is made:
+ * Only tracks with one end near one end of aTrack are collected.
+ * near means dist <= aTrack width / 2
+ * because with this constraint we can make a fast search in track list
+ * m_candidates is expected to be populated by the track candidates ends list
+ */
 int CONNECTIONS::SearchConnectedTracks( const TRACK * aTrack )
 {
     int count = 0;
@@ -290,9 +299,15 @@ int CONNECTIONS::SearchConnectedTracks( const TRACK * aTrack )
     int layerMask = aTrack->ReturnMaskLayer();
 
     // Search for connections to starting point:
+#define USE_EXTENDED_SEARCH
+#ifdef USE_EXTENDED_SEARCH
+    int dist_max = aTrack->GetWidth() / 2;
+    static std::vector<CONNECTED_POINT*> tracks_candidates;
+#endif
     wxPoint position = aTrack->m_Start;
     for( int kk = 0; kk < 2; kk++ )
     {
+#ifndef USE_EXTENDED_SEARCH
         int idx = searchEntryPointInCandidatesList( position );
         if ( idx >= 0 )
         {
@@ -317,6 +332,30 @@ int CONNECTIONS::SearchConnectedTracks( const TRACK * aTrack )
                     m_connected.push_back( m_candidates[ii].GetTrack() );
             }
         }
+#else
+        tracks_candidates.clear();
+        CollectItemsNearTo( tracks_candidates, position, dist_max );
+        for ( unsigned ii = 0; ii < tracks_candidates.size(); ii ++ )
+        {
+            TRACK * ctrack = tracks_candidates[ii]->GetTrack();
+
+            if( ( ctrack->ReturnMaskLayer() & layerMask ) == 0 )
+                continue;
+
+            if( ctrack == aTrack )
+                continue;
+
+            // We have a good candidate: calculate the actual distance
+            // beteween ends, which should be <= dist max.
+            wxPoint delta = tracks_candidates[ii]->GetPoint() - position;
+            int dist = (int) hypot( (double) delta.x, (double) delta.y );
+
+            if( dist > dist_max )
+                continue;
+
+            m_connected.push_back( ctrack );
+        }
+#endif
 
         // Search for connections to ending point:
         if( aTrack->Type() == PCB_VIA_T )

pcbnew/connect.h

@@ -147,14 +147,15 @@ public:
 
     /**
      * Function BuildPadsCandidatesList
-     * Fills m_Candidates with all pads connecting points (pads position)
+     * Populates m_candidates with all pads connecting points (pads position)
-     * m_sortedPads must be built
+     * m_sortedPads is expected to be populated by the pad candidates list
      */
     void BuildPadsCandidatesList();
 
     /**
      * function SearchConnectedTracks
-     * Fills m_Connected with tracks/vias connected to aTrack
+     * Populates .m_connected with tracks/vias connected to aTrack
+     * m_candidates is expected to be populated by the track candidates ends list
      * @param aTrack = track or via to use as reference
      */
     int SearchConnectedTracks( const TRACK * aTrack );

pcbnew/drag.h

@@ -165,10 +165,19 @@ void DrawSegmentWhileMovingFootprint( EDA_DRAW_PANEL* panel, wxDC* DC );
  */
 void EraseDragList();
 
-/*
+/**
- * function used to collect track segments in drag track segment
+ * function Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag.
+ * used to collect track segments in drag track segment
+ * Build the list of tracks connected to the ref point by calling
+ * AddSegmentToDragList for each selected track
+ * Net codes must be up to date, because only tracks having the right net code are tested.
+ * @param aRefPos = reference point of connection
+ * @param aLayerMask = layers mask to collect tracks
+ * @param aNetCode = the net code to consider
+ * @param aMaxDist = max distance from aRefPos to a track end candidate to collect the track
  */
-void Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( BOARD* aPcb, wxPoint& point, int LayerMask, int net_code );
+void Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( BOARD* aPcb, wxPoint& aRefPos, int aLayerMask,
+                                  int aNetCode, int aMaxDist );
 
 /* Add aTrack to the drag list
  * flag = STARTPOINT (if the point to drag is the start point of Track)

pcbnew/dragsegm.cpp

@@ -345,29 +345,55 @@ void AddSegmentToDragList(  int flag, TRACK* aTrack )
 /* Build the list of tracks connected to the ref point
  * Net codes must be up to date, because only tracks having the right net code are tested.
  * aRefPos = reference point of connection
+ * aLayerMask = layers mask to collect tracks
+ * aNetCode = the net code to consider
+ * aMaxDist = max distance from aRefPos to a track end candidate to collect the track
  */
-void Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( BOARD* aPcb, wxPoint& aRefPos, int LayerMask, int net_code )
+void Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( BOARD* aPcb, wxPoint& aRefPos, int aLayerMask,
+                                  int aNetCode, int aMaxDist )
 {
-    TRACK* track = aPcb->m_Track->GetStartNetCode( net_code );
+    TRACK* track = aPcb->m_Track->GetStartNetCode( aNetCode );
 
     for( ; track; track = track->Next() )
     {
-        if( track->GetNet() != net_code )   // not the same netcodenet code: all candidates tested
+        if( track->GetNet() != aNetCode )   // not the same netcodenet code: all candidates tested
             break;
 
-        if( ( LayerMask & track->ReturnMaskLayer() ) == 0 )
+        if( ( aLayerMask & track->ReturnMaskLayer() ) == 0 )
             continue;                       // Cannot be connected, not on the same layer
 
         if( track->IsDragging() )
             continue;                       // already put in list
 
         int flag = 0;
+        int maxdist = std::max( aMaxDist, track->GetWidth() / 2 );
 
-        if( (track->m_Start == aRefPos) && ((track->GetFlags() & STARTPOINT) == 0) )
+        if( (track->GetFlags() & STARTPOINT) == 0 )
-            flag |= STARTPOINT;
+        {
+            wxPoint delta = track->m_Start - aRefPos;
+            if( std::abs( delta.x ) <= maxdist && std::abs( delta.y ) <= maxdist )
+            {
+                int dist = (int) hypot( (double) delta.x, (double) delta.y );
+                if( dist <= maxdist )
+                {
+                    flag |= STARTPOINT;
+                    if( track->Type() == PCB_VIA_T )
+                        flag |= ENDPOINT;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        if( (track->GetFlags() & ENDPOINT) == 0 )
+        {
+            wxPoint delta = track->m_End - aRefPos;
+            if( std::abs( delta.x ) <= maxdist && std::abs( delta.y ) <= maxdist )
+            {
+                int dist = (int) hypot( (double) delta.x, (double) delta.y );
+                if( dist <= maxdist )
+                    flag |= ENDPOINT;
+            }
+        }
 
-        if( track->m_End == aRefPos && ((track->GetFlags() & ENDPOINT) == 0)  )
-            flag |= ENDPOINT;
 
         // Note: vias will be flagged with both STARTPOINT and ENDPOINT
         // and must not be entered twice.
@@ -379,7 +405,7 @@ void Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( BOARD* aPcb, wxPoint& aRefPos, int LayerMask,
             // collect also tracks connected by this via.
             if( track->Type() == PCB_VIA_T )
                 Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( aPcb, aRefPos, track->ReturnMaskLayer(),
-                                             net_code );
+                                             aNetCode, track->GetWidth() / 2 );
         }
     }
 }

pcbnew/move_or_drag_track.cpp

@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::StartMoveOneNodeOrSegment( TRACK* aTrack, wxDC* aDC, int aC
         {
             Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( GetBoard(), aTrack->m_Start,
                                          aTrack->ReturnMaskLayer(),
-                                         aTrack->GetNet() );
+                                         aTrack->GetNet(), aTrack->GetWidth() / 2 );
         }
 
         PosInit = aTrack->m_Start;
@@ -652,17 +652,17 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::StartMoveOneNodeOrSegment( TRACK* aTrack, wxDC* aDC, int aC
         case ID_POPUP_PCB_DRAG_TRACK_SEGMENT:   // drag a segment
             pos = aTrack->m_Start;
             Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( GetBoard(), pos, aTrack->ReturnMaskLayer(),
-                                         aTrack->GetNet() );
+                                         aTrack->GetNet(), aTrack->GetWidth() / 2 );
             pos = aTrack->m_End;
             aTrack->SetFlags( IS_DRAGGED | ENDPOINT | STARTPOINT );
             Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( GetBoard(), pos, aTrack->ReturnMaskLayer(),
-                                         aTrack->GetNet() );
+                                         aTrack->GetNet(), aTrack->GetWidth() / 2 );
             break;
 
         case ID_POPUP_PCB_MOVE_TRACK_NODE:  // Drag via or move node
             pos = (diag & STARTPOINT) ? aTrack->m_Start : aTrack->m_End;
             Collect_TrackSegmentsToDrag( GetBoard(), pos, aTrack->ReturnMaskLayer(),
-                                         aTrack->GetNet() );
+                                         aTrack->GetNet(), aTrack->GetWidth() / 2 );
             PosInit = pos;
             break;
         }