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Version 5 Road Map

This document is the KiCad version 5 Developer's road map document. It is living document that should be maintained during the version 5 development cycle. The goal of this document is to provide an overview for developers of the goals for the project for the version 5 release of KiCad. It is broken into sections for each major component of the KiCad source code and documentation. It defines tasks that developers an use to contribute to the project and provides updated status information. Tasks should define clear objectives and avoid vague generalizations so that a new developer can complete the task. It is not a place for developers to add their own personal wish. list. It should only be updated with approval of the project manager after discussion with the lead developers.

Each entry in the road map is made up of four sections. The goal should be a brief description of the what the road map entry will accomplish. The task section should be a list of deliverable items that are specific enough hat they can be documented as completed. The dependencies sections is a list of requirements that must be completed before work can begin on any of the tasks. The status section should include a list of completed tasks or marked as complete as when the goal is met.

[TOC]

Project

This section defines the tasks for the project related goals that are not related to coding or documentation. It is a catch all for issues such as developer and user relations, dissemination of information on websites, policies, etc.

General

This section defines the tasks that affect all or most of KiCad or do not fit under as specific part of the code such as the board editor or the schematic editor.

Create Schematic Code Shared Object.

Goal:

Merge common schematic code into to a separate shared object to allow access to schematic objects by third party code and Python support.

Task:

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • No Progress.

User Interface Modernization

Goal:

Give KiCad a more modern user interface with dockable tool bars and windows. Create perspectives to allow users to arrange dockable windows as they prefer.

Task:

  • Take advantage of the advanced UI features in wxAui such as detaching and hiding.
  • Study ergonomics of various commercial/proprietary PCB applications (when in doubt about any particular UI solution, check how it has been done in a certain proprietary app that is very popular among OSHW folks and do exactly opposite).
  • Clean up menu structure. Menus must allow access to all features of the program in a clear and logical way. Currently some functions of Pcbnew are accessible only through tool bars
  • Redesign dialogs, make sure they are following same style rules.
  • Check quality of translations. Either fix or remove bad quality translations.
  • Develop a global shortcut manager that allows the user assign arbitrary shortcuts for any tool or action.

Dependencies:

Status:

  • No progress.

Regular Expression Library Search

Goal: Add regular expression and wildcard searching to component and footprint library search dialogs.

Task:

  • Add implementation to component and footprint search dialogs.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • Initial container searching code completed.
  • Searching implemented in component library search dialog.
  • Needs to be added to footprint library search dialog in CvPcb and Pcbnew.

Build Tools

This section covers build tools for both the KiCad source as well as the custom dependency builds required to build KiCad.

Create Separate Build Dependency Project

Goal:

Move the library dependencies and their patches into a separate project to developers to build and install them as required instead of requiring them at build time. Give developers the flexibility to build and/or install library dependencies as they see fit. Remove them from the KiCad source code to reduce the build footprint.

Task:

  • Create a separate project to build all external dependency libraries that are currently build from source (Boost, OpenSSL, etc).
  • Use CMake to create a package configuration file for each library so the KiCad find package can pull in header paths, library dependencies, compile flags, and link flags to build KiCad.
  • Use CMake find package to pull external dependencies.
  • Remove all build from source dependencies for KiCad source code.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • In progress.

Common Library

This section covers the source code shared between all of the KiCad applications

Unified Rendering Framework

Goal:

Provide a single framework for developing new tools. Port existing tools to the new framework and remove the legacy framework tools.

Task:

  • Port wxDC to GAL or get Cairo rendering to nearly the performance of the current wxDC rendering so that we have a single framework to develop new tools and we can continue to support systems that don't have a complete OpenGL stack.

Dependencies

Status

  • In progress

Linux Printing Improvements

Goal:

Bring printing on Linux up to par with printing on Windows.

Task:

  • Resolve Linux printing issues.

Dependencies

Status

  • No progress.

Object Properties and Introspection

Goal:

Provide an object introspection system using properties.

Task:

  • Select existing or develop property system.
  • Add definable properties to base objects.
  • Create introspection framework for manipulating object properties.
  • Serialization of properties to and from files and/or other I/O structures.
  • Create tool to edit property namespace/object name/name/type/value table.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • No progress.

Dynamic Library Plugin

Goal:

Create a base library plugin for handling external file I/O. This will allow plugins to be provided that are external to the project such as providing solid model file support (STEP, IGES, etc.) using OpenCascade without making it a project dependency.

Task:

  • Create a plugin to handle dynamically registered plugins for loading and saving file formats.
  • This object should be flexible enough to be extended for handling all file plugin types including schematic, board, footprint library, component library, etc.
  • See blueprint on Launchpad for more information.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • No progress.

KiCad: Application Launcher

This section applies to the source code for the KiCad application launcher.

Eeschema: Schematic Editor

This section applies to the source code for the Eeschema schematic editor.

Coherent SCHEMATIC Object

Goal:

Clean up the code related to the schematic object(s) into a coherent object for managing and manipulating the schematic.

Task:

  • Move most if not all of the code from SCH_SCREEN to the new SCHEMATIC object.
  • Add any missing functionality to the SCHEMATIC object.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • In progress.

Hierarchical Sheet Design

Goal:

Create a more robust sheet instance design rather than recreating them on the fly every time sheet information is required.

Task:

  • Choose a data structure to contain the sheet hierarchy.
  • Create helper class to manipulate the hierarchy data structure.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • In progress.

Schematic and Component Library Plugin

Goal: Create a plugin manager for loading and saving schematics and component libraries similar to the board plugin manager.

Task:

  • Design plugin manager for schematics and component libraries.
  • Port the current schematic and component library file formats to use the plugin.

Dependencies:

Status:

  • No progress.

Graphics Abstraction Layer Conversion

Goal:

Take advantage of advanced graphics rendering in Eeschema.

Task:

  • Port graphics rendering to GAL.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • No progress.

Port Editing Tools

Goal:

Use standard tool framework across all applications.

Task:

  • Rewrite editing tools using the new tool framework.

Dependencies:

Status:

  • Initial Discussion..

S-Expression File Format

Goal:

Make schematic file format more readable, add new features, and take advantage of the s-expression capability used in Pcbnew.

Task:

  • Finalize feature set and file format.
  • Discuss the possibility of dropping the unit-less proposal temporarily to get the s-expression file format and SWEET library format implemented without completely rewriting Eeschema.
  • Add new s-expression file format to plugin.

Dependencies:

Status:

  • File format document nearly complete.

Implement Sweet Component Libraries

Goal:

Make component library design more robust and feature rich. Use s-expressions to make component library files more readable.

Task:

  • Use sweet component file format for component libraries.

Dependencies:

Status:

  • Initial SWEET library written.

Component Library Editor Usability Improvements

Goal:

Make editing components with multiple units and/or alternate graphical representations easier.

Task:

  • Determine usability improvements in the library editor for components with multiple units and/or alternate graphical representations.
  • Implement said usability improvements.

Dependencies:

  • None.

Status:

  • No progress.

Component and Netlist Attributes

Goal: Provide a method of passing information to other tools via the net list.

Task:

  • Add virtual components and attributes to netlist to define properties that can be used by other tools besides the board editor.

Dependencies:

Status:

  • No progress.

Net Highlighting

Goal: Highlight wires, buses, and junctions when corresponding net in Pcbnew is selected.

Task:

  • Add communications link to handle net selection from Pcbnew.
  • Implement highlight algorithm for net objects.
  • Highlight objects connected to net selected in Pcbnew.

Dependencies:

Status:

  • No progress.

Move Common Schematic Code into a Shared Object

Goal: Refactor all schematic object code so that it can be built into a shared object for use by the schematic editor, Python module, and linked into third party programs.

Task

  • Split schematic object code from schematic and component editor code.
  • Generate shared object from schematic object code.
  • Update build configuration to build schematic and component editors against new schematic shared object.

Dependencies:

  • None

Progress:

  • No progress.

ERC Improvements

Goal: Improve the coverage and useability of the electrical rules checker (ERC).

Task:

  • Add warning when multiple labels are defined for a single net. The user should be able to disable this warning.
  • Save electrical rules settings to project file between sessions.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • No progress.

CvPcb: Footprint Association Tool

This section covers the source code of the footprint assignment tool CvPcb.

Improved Footprint Search Tool

Goal: Provide advanced search features such as wild card and regular expression searches using the type as you go feature of the current search dialog.

Task:

  • Add code for wild card and regular expression pattern matching to search container objects.
  • Add search dialog to CvPcb to search container of footprint names.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • Pattern matching added to search container objects.

Add Progress Dialog on Start Up

Goal: Provide user feedback when loading footprint libraries are loading after start up.

Task:

  • Create a progress dialog to show the percentage of libraries loaded.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • No Progress

Pcbnew: Circuit Board Editor

This section covers the source code of the board editing application Pcbnew.

Tool Framework

Goal:

Unify all board editing tools under a single framework.

Task:

  • Complete porting of all board editing tools to new tool framework so they are available in the OpenGL and Cairo canvases.
  • Remove all duplicate legacy editing tools.

Dependencies:

  • In progress.

Status:

  • Initial porting work in progress.

Linked Objects

Goal:

Provide a way to allow external objects such as footprints to be externally linked in the board file so that changes in the footprint are automatically updated. This will allow a one to many object relationship which can pave the way for reusable board modules.

Task:

  • Add externally and internally linked objects to the file format to allow for footprints and/or other board objects to be shared (one to many relationship) instead of only supporting embedded objects (one to one relationship) that can only be edited in place.

Dependencies:

  • None.

Status:

  • No progress.

Modeling

Goal: Provide improved solid modeling support for KiCad including the file formats available in OpenCascade.

Task:

  • Improve low level code design.
  • Design plugin architecture to handle loading and saving 3D models.
  • Back port existing 3D formats (IDF and S3D) to plugin
  • Add STEP 3D modeling capability.
  • Add IGES 3D modeling capability.

Dependencies:

Status:

Push and Shove Router Improvements

Goal: Add features such as microwave tools to the P&S router.

Task:

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • No Progress.

Pin and Part Swapping

Goal:

Allow Pcbnew to perform pin and/or part swapping during layout so the user does not have to do it in Eeschema and re-import the net list.

Task:

  • Provide forward and back annotation between the schematic and board editors.
  • Define netlist file format changes required to handle pin/part swapping.
  • Update netlist file formatter and parser to handle file format changes.
  • Develop a netlist comparison engine that will produce a netlist diff that can be passed between the schematic and board editors.
  • Create pin/part swap dialog to manipulate swappable pins and parts.
  • Add support to handle net label back annotation changes.

Dependencies:

Status:

  • No progress.

Intelligent Selection Tool

Goal:

Make the selection tool easier for the user to determine which object(s) are being selected.

Task:

  • Determine and define the actual desired behavior.
  • Improve ambiguous selections when multiple items are under the cursor or in the selection bounding box.

Dependencies:

  • Tool framework.
  • Unified geometry library.

Status:

  • Initial design committed to product branch.

Clipboard Support

Goal:

Provide clipboard cut and paste for footprint management in the footprint editor.

Task:

  • Clipboard cut and paste to and from clipboard of footprints in footprint editor.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • No progress.

Design Rule Check (DRC) Improvements.

Goal:

Create additional DRC tests for improved error checking.

Task:

  • Replace geometry code with unified geometry library.
  • Remove floating point code from clearance calculations to prevent rounding errors.
  • Add checks for component, silk screen, and mask clearances.
  • Add checks for vias in zones for proper connections without having to add traces.
  • Add checks for keep out zones.
  • Remove DRC related limitations such as no arc or text on copper layers.
  • Add option for saving and loading DRC options.

Dependencies:

Progress:

  • Planning

Segment End Point Snapping.

Goal:

It is not uncommon for board edge segment end points to inadvertently not be closed causing issues for the 3D viewer and exporting to different file formats due the board outline not being a fully enclosed polygon. This feature would add segment end snapping support to allow the board outline to be fully enclosed. This feature would only need to be supported by the GAL rendering.

Tasks

  • Mark board edge segment ends with a drag indicator to make it visible to the user that the segment end does not have an endpoint with any other board edge segment.
  • Allow the user to snap the unconnected segment end to the nearest segment end point.
  • Automatically connect unconnected segments with and additional segment when opening the 3D viewer or exporting the board to another format. Warn the user that an addition segment has be added and should be verified.

Dependencies:

  • None

Progress:

  • Initial discussion.

Keepout Zones.

Goal:

Add support for keepout zones on boards and footprints.

Task:

  • Add keepout support to zone classes.
  • Add keepout zone support to board editor.
  • Add keepout zone support to library editor.

Dependencies:

Progress:

  • Planning

Net Highlighting

Goal: Highlight rats nest links and/or traces when corresponding net in Eeschema is selected.

Task:

  • Add communications link to handle net selection from Eeschema.
  • Implement highlight algorithm for objects connected to the selected net.
  • Highlight objects connected to net selected in Eeschema

Dependencies:

  • None.

Status:

  • No progress.

Complex Pad Shapes ""

Goal: Add capability to create complex pad shapes from existing primitives such as arcs, segments, and circles or polygons.

Task:

  • Add new complex pad type.
  • Add code to load and save complex pad type.
  • Add code to convert complex pad type to polygon for DRC testing.
  • Add code to DRC to support complex pad types.
  • Add code to footprint editor to create complex pad types.

Dependencies:

Progress:

  • In progress.

GerbView: Gerber File Viewer

This section covers the source code for the GerbView gerber file viewer.

Graphics Abstraction Layer

Goal:

Graphics rendering unification.

Task:

  • Port graphics rendering layer to GAL.

Dependencies:

  • None.

Status

  • No progress.

Documentation

This section defines the tasks for both the user and developer documentation.

Grammar Check

Goal:

Improve user documentation readability and make life easier to for translators.

Task:

  • Review and revise all of the English documentation so that it is update with the current functionality of the code.
  • Translate the update documentation into other languages.

Dependencies:

  • None

Status:

  • No progress.

Maintenance

Task:

  • Keep screen shots current with the source changes.

Dependencies:

  • None.

Status:

  • No progress.

Convert Developer Documentation to Markup/down Format

Goal:

Improve developers documentation to make life easier for new developers to get involved with the project.

Task:

  • Convert platform build instructions from plain text to new format to be merged with the developer documentation.
  • Convert how to contribute to KiCad instructions from plain text to the new format to merged with the developer documentation.

Dependencies:

  • None.

Status:

  • In progress. Most of the developer documentation has been convert to Doxygen markdown and the output is rebuilt automatically when a commit is made to the KiCad repo.