Message-ID: <5223378D.4010208@jump-ing.de>
Date: Sun, 01 Sep 2013 14:48:13 +0200
From: Markus Hitter <mah AT jump-ing DOT de>
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To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
CC: gedau AT igor2 DOT repo DOT hu
Subject: Re: [geda-user] PCB file format - compatibility suggestion
References: <alpine DOT DEB DOT 2 DOT 00 DOT 1309010843540 DOT 11551 AT igor2priv>
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Reply-To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com

Am 01.09.2013 09:00, schrieb gedau AT igor2 DOT repo DOT hu:
> I've started a local branch/fork/whatever of PCB to add a few features I
> need daily. These features required adding new element and pin/pad
> flags. Mainstream PCB does not understand these flags, and that is
> expected.

Is it possible these additional flags are interesting for everybody? Or
are they more like arbitrary notes?


> The reason is not the file format, but the way PCB operates on the file:
> it tries to load and parse everything and store in a convenient native
> represetnation in memory and render the text version from that upon save.
...
> Instead, a partial solution, a minor hack would be to upgrade the
> string<->flags converter. The flag format is a comma separated string,
> the converter could easily save any unrecognized segment as string, in a
> linked list in the flags structure. On save, the list could be appended
> to the flags string rendered the usual way. This may change the order of
> flags in a round trip but would not change the actual flag values.

Together with some means to edit these flags I'd call this not a hack,
but a valueable feature. Even if I can't imagine right now, how such
custom flags might be useful.

Anyways, patches are always welcome. Here, or better into the Launchpad
bug tracker. If you feel like you'd prefer to apply them yourselfs, it
isn't hard to convince DJ Delorie to give you write access to the repo.
Just ask.


Markus

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Dipl. Ing. (FH) Markus Hitter
http://www.jump-ing.de/