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# return a list of modules in a library. Takes a library name:
mods = pcbnew.FootprintsInLib('MountingHole')
# Returns information about a footprint.
# The ':' delimiter between the library and modules is important.
pcbnew.FootprintInfo('MountingHole:MountingHole_3.2mm_M3')
# output:
{ 'uniquepadcount': 0, 'padcount': 0, 'name': 'MountingHole_3.2mm_M3',
'lib': 'MountingHole', 'doc': 'Mounting Hole 3.2mm, no annular, M3',
'ordernum': 0, 'keywords': 'mounting hole 3.2mm no annular m3'}") FootprintInfo;
# returns a list of all available footprint libraries
pcbnew.GetLogicalLibs;
sadly, I had already implemented a bunch of code merging lines and arcs into polygons.↩
I’ve written about zones and boundaries before. Since then, the data structs behind zones have changed a bit. Also, I didn’t cover zones with holes. The old post is still relevant and there’s a bunch I won’t repeat here.
In this post, I talk about zones with holes and with multiple boundaries. Multiple boundaries makes it easier to move the zones together as a unit.
The code associated with this post is here.
Here’s a video talking mostly about the steps needed in inkscape to draw the graphic. Also has scripting details, but the text below is probably more informative:
pcbnew zones are stored in ZONE_CONTAINERs. They are what you get when you call board.InsertArea to create a new zone. Something like this:
[code]
SCALE = 1000000.0
zone_container = board.InsertArea(powernet.GetNet(), 0, powerlayer,
int(10*SCALE), int(10*SCALE),
pcbnew.CPolyLine.DIAGONAL_EDGE)
[/code]
That creates a single point zone on net powernet and layerpowernet1
To modify the zone, you need to access the shape_poly_set. It’s a single data struct that holds all of the coordinates.
[code]
shape_poly_set = zone_container.Outline()
[/code]
To add points:
[code]
shape_poly_set.Append(int(10*SCALE), int(20*SCALE))
[/code]
But there are some details hidden there. Append actually takes a bunch more arguments. From the c++ code:
[code]
/**
* Function Append
* adds a new vertex to the contour indexed by \p aOutline and \p aHole (defaults to the
* outline of the last polygon).
* @param x is the x coordinate of the new vertex.
* @param y is the y coordinate of the new vertex.
* @param aOutline is the index of the polygon.
* @param aHole is the index of the hole (-1 for the main outline),
* @param aAllowDuplication is a flag to indicate whether it is allowed to add this
* corner even if it is duplicated.
* @return int – the number of corners of the selected contour after the addition.
*/
int Append( int x, int y, int aOutline = -1, int aHole = -1,
bool aAllowDuplication = false );
[/code]
aOutline tells which boundary you want to add to. By default, you add to the last one -1. If aHole is -1, you’re telling it you want the bound, not a hole. You see, the boundaries/outlines are numbered 0+. Same with the holes.
so, with the single outline zone we’re messing with now, the call above is equivalent to these:
[code]
shape_poly_set.Append(int(10*SCALE), int(20*SCALE))
shape_poly_set.Append(int(10*SCALE), int(20*SCALE), -1)
shape_poly_set.Append(int(10*SCALE), int(20*SCALE), 0)
[/code]
One last thing, you’ll probably want this line, to make the edges more visible:
[code]
zone_container.Hatch()
[/code]
It can be helpful to have multiple outlines on the same zone. That way, moving one moves the other. Unlike the initial zone method, InsertArea, this time all of the points are added with Append
You’ll need code like this:
[code]
shapeid = shape_poly_set.NewOutline()
shape_poly_set.Append(int(10*SCALE), int(20*SCALE), shapeid)
[/code]
Adding holes is similar to adding outlines. Note that you are adding a hole to a particular outline:
[code]
hi = shape_poly_set.NewHole()
shape_poly_set.Append(int(10*SCALE), int(20*SCALE), -1, hi)
shape_poly_set.Append(int(10*SCALE), int(20*SCALE), outlineid, hi)
[/code]
So, I wanted to convert an inkscape drawing into a zone. I have a post on my other blog talking about how to parse SVG paths. The code for the parse I wrote is here. I also have a blog post one understanding and parsing svg. The main function returns instances of a class I called SVGpath, which will give you a list of polys and holes. I have a helper function to group the bounds with their holes. The result is this code for creating my zones:
[code]
# here I load from drawing.svg in the current directory. You’ll want to change that path.
paths = parse_svg_path.parse_svg_path(os.path.dirname(inspect.stack()[0][1]) + ‘/drawing.svg’)
if not paths:
raise ValueError(‘wasnt able to read any paths from file’)
# things are a little tricky below, because the first boundary has
# its first point passed into the creation of the new area. subsequent
# bounds are not done that way.
zone_container = None
shape_poly_set = None
for path in paths:
for shape in path.group_by_bound_and_holes():
shapeid = None
if not shape_poly_set:
# the call to GetNet() gets the netcode, an integer.
zone_container = board.InsertArea(powernet.GetNet(), 0, powerlayer,
int(shape.bound[0][0]*SCALE),
int(shape.bound[0][1]*SCALE),
pcbnew.CPolyLine.DIAGONAL_EDGE)
shape_poly_set = zone_container.Outline()
shapeid = 0
else:
shapeid = shape_poly_set.NewOutline()
shape_poly_set.Append(int(shape.bound[0][0]*SCALE),
int(shape.bound[0][1]*SCALE),
shapeid)
for pt in shape.bound[1:]:
shape_poly_set.Append(int(pt[0]*SCALE), int(pt[1]*SCALE))
for hole in shape.holes:
hi = shape_poly_set.NewHole()
# -1 to the third arg maintains the default behavior of
# using the last outline.
for pt in hole:
shape_poly_set.Append(int(pt[0]*SCALE), int(pt[1]*SCALE), -1, hi)
zone_container.Hatch()
[/code]
System.ArgumentException: XOR data length expected 
We have to do this because that information is not carried forward to pcbnew. I would like to see pcbnew support user properties. Block locations could be one such property but there are others. I think it makes more sense to define netclasses in the schematic and have that passed along.↩
I encourage everyone that finds the python interface to kicad valuable to post to the kicad developers list.Another thing, there will be no more wxPython releases. The project has been renamed to Phoenix and AFAIR nobody has tried to use it with KiCad. It may turn out that our SWIG work might be dropped/converted or we will stay stuck with wx3.0 forever.
../src/common/object.cpp(251): assert "classTable->Get(m_className) == NULL" failed in Register(): Class "wxCommandEvent" already in RTTI table - have you used IMPLEMENT_DYNAMIC_CLASS() multiple times or linked some object file twice)?It means you have gtka based wx installed but wxPython wants a gtkb wx.
libjpeg-turbo8-dev : Conflicts: libjpeg62-dev but 1:6b2-2 is to be installed
pcbnew.Refresh()
x = pcbnew.FromMM(10)
y = pcbnew.FromMM(10)
width = pcbnew.FromMM(20)
height = pcbnew.FromMM(20)
pcbnew.WindowZoom(x, y, width, height)
This was mostly fine. On the one hand, a lot of bugs slipped through that shouldn’t have, but on the other, it meant that a lot of what we did was very much co-development/co-design with the users.↩
sometimes protection of empires, but probably also a lot critical code. I’d hope that mysql, Apache, linux kernel, g++,… are strict. Hopefully, they’ve also found ways to be welcoming. I don’t know. I guess it’s often the negative news that we remember., but probably also a lot critical code. I’d hope that mysql, Apache, linux kernel, g++,… are strict. Hopefully, they’ve also found ways to be welcoming. I don’t know. I guess it’s often the negative news that we remember.↩
The rest of that file handles automagic conversion from svg files into a format that can be consumed by the kicad code. Things are easier for us. You just need a 26×26 image file. In this example, I use png format, but you can use any format listed here on the wxPython page# Plan for three sizes of bitmaps:
# SMALL – for menus – 16 x 16
# MID – for toolbars – 26 x 26
# BIG – for program icons – 48 x 48
Things are only weird if you don’t know the explanation. In this case, I can guess at the reasons, but I don’t know for sure.↩
if you already have the pointer with the wrong type, subsequent searches for windows will yield the same unhelpful type. My theory on why this is so is a matter of caching (why it persists) and swig symbol tables. Before you do import wx.aui, these types are not yet known to python and swig, so they return a type that is known. wxControl↩
probably incorrect, but usable for what I’m about to talk about.↩
again, this is a bad solution, but it’s only needed for debugging and learning about pcbnew’s structure.↩
The better answer is for the kicad enum that holds these number to be exposed in python. Easy to add, but it’s not there now. that holds these number to be exposed in python. Easy to add, but it’s not there now. ↩