bit string version of property_tree. The ram resident structure of the ptree is
mostly compatible with one created using the xml_parser from
boost::property_tree, with slight differences in the way atoms are stored. The
result is you can use Format() to convert from xml to s-expression, but not the
other way around. You can write a simple s-expression beautifier in just a few
lines of code.
The main value however is the s-expression parser, i.e. Scan(), which is an
alternative to crafting a custom recursive descent parser for a particular
grammar. The tipping point depends on whether you want to read only a small
portion of a much larger document. If so, then using the ptree will likely be a
"faster to code" route. Documentation on how to navigate a ptree can be found on
the boost website and there are a number of examples in the
pcbnew/eagle_plugin.cpp file in this project. Powerful path navigation support
makes it easy to extract a subset of a ptree.
New methods in VIEW class: SetTopLayer(), EnableTopLayer() for managing the top layer display.
New method in PCB_RENDER_SETTINGS class: LoadDisplayOptions() for applying display settings like high-contrast, outline display of items, etc.
the spurious warning about stuff that couldn't be seen when changing
colours.
NOTE that the 'net name' layer is present and configurable but non used
anywhere!
Pcbnew, layer manager: add option (popup menu) to always keep copper layers not visible but the active layer, even when the active layer is changed.
Usefull for multilayer ( more than 4 layers) PCBs.
In particular the new mechanism for handling extended color palettes is in place,
included renaming the ini keys and saving the color name instead of its index; this means better forward compatibility with palette changes.
Since ini keys are changed, colors will be reset
New classes:
- VIEW - represents view that is seen by user, takes care of layer ordering & visibility and how it is displayed (which location, how much zoomed, etc.)
- VIEW_ITEM - Base class for every item that can be displayed on VIEW (the biggest change is that now it may be necessary to override ViewBBox & ViewGetLayers method for derived classes).
- EDA_DRAW_PANEL_GAL - Inherits after EDA_DRAW_PANEL, displays VIEW output, right now it is not editable (in opposite to usual EDA_DRAW_PANEL).
- GAL/OPENGL_GAL/CAIRO_GAL - Base Graphics Abstraction Layer class + two different flavours (Cairo is not fully supported yet), that offers methods to draw primitives using different libraries.
- WX_VIEW_CONTROLS - Controller for VIEW, handles user events, allows zooming, panning, etc.
- PAINTER/PCB_PAINTER - Classes that uses GAL interface to draw items (as you may have already guessed - PCB_PAINTER is a class for drawing PCB specific object, PAINTER is an abstract class). Its methods are invoked by VIEW, when an item has to be drawn. To display a new type of item - you need to implement draw(ITEM_TYPE*) method that draws it using GAL methods.
- STROKE_FONT - Implements stroke font drawing using GAL methods.
Most important changes to Kicad original code:
* EDA_ITEM now inherits from VIEW_ITEM, which is a base class for all drawable objects.
* EDA_DRAW_FRAME contains both usual EDA_DRAW_PANEL and new EDA_DRAW_PANEL_GAL, that can be switched anytime.
* There are some new layers for displaying multilayer pads, vias & pads holes (these are not shown yet on the right sidebar in pcbnew)
* Display order of layers is different than in previous versions (if you are curious - you may check m_galLayerOrder@pcbnew/basepcbframe.cpp). Preserving usual order would result in not very natural display, such as showing silkscreen texts on the bottom.
* Introduced new hotkey (Alt+F12) and new menu option (View->Switch canvas) for switching canvas during runtime.
* Some of classes (mostly derived from BOARD_ITEM) now includes ViewBBox & ViewGetLayers methods.
* Removed tools/class_painter.h, as now it is extended and included in source code.
Build changes:
* GAL-based rendering option is turned on by a new compilation CMake option KICAD_GAL.
* When compiling with CMake option KICAD_GAL=ON, GLEW and Cairo libraries are required.
* GAL-related code is compiled into a static library (common/libgal).
* Build with KICAD_GAL=OFF should not need any new libraries and should come out as a standard version of Kicad
Currently most of items in pcbnew can be displayed using OpenGL (to be done are DIMENSIONS and MARKERS).
More details about GAL can be found in: http://www.ohwr.org/attachments/1884/view-spec.pdf
Lorenzo Marcantonio
Maciej Suminski
Wayne Stambaugh
Dick Hollenbeck
jean-pierre charras
Marco Mattila