They don't define a KiCad string class, so the header file name was
somewhat misleading. But the fact that they didn't match definitely
made coding more difficult.
These aperture macros were previously used but only for chamfered round rect.
They are now also used for custom pads (previously drawn as regions).
They are also optimized, i.e. only one aperture macro is created for a given shape.
(previously, one aperture macro was created for each chamfered round rect pad.)
So now all pads are flashed.
They are used for chamfered round rect pads, and can be used for custom shaped pads.
No actual change currently, but the shape rotation of custom pads and chamfered rr pads
can be now used in gerber plots.
Setting a line thickness = 0 for graphic objects (circle, rect, line) is
allowed but creates issues for circles that were plotted a non filled shapes
but having a outline thickness = 0.
To avoid issues with broken Gerber readers use aperture macros with shapes
without rotation when more than one primitive is required.
In many gerber readers, rotation of a set of primitives is broken
(do not follow Gerber requirements)
plotter.h contains now only a header common to all plotters.
The code does not actually change, but it allows modifying a specific plotter
without recompiling most of kicad files.
Due to rounding issues, sometimes (especially for rotated pads) the region
(4 segments+4 arcs) was incorrectly closed (1 unit (nanometer) mismatch between
start point and end point.
Although it does not create bad shape, its breaks the round rect pad identification
in CAM tools.
start point and end point are now the same.
These pads were plotted as a segment. This is not the right way.
Pads must be flashed or plotted as regions, not painted.
They are now plotted as Gerber regions round rectangle pads.
These regions are similar to flashed pads.
Previously, the region was a usual polygon with arc approximated by segment.
Using a region with arcs is a better way because it allows CAM tools to
identify this region as a round-rect pad.
A side effect is a better shape and smaller files, however not really noticeable in fact.
Previously, for historical reasons, they were added only if
Include Netlist Attributes option was on.
But Aperture Attributes have nothing to do with Netlist Attributes, and good
Gerber files must include them.
Seth Hillbrand
Jeff Young
Wayne Stambaugh
jean-pierre charras
david-beinder
Marek Roszko
Ian McInerney
Jonathan Haas