On Apr 11, 2011, at 8:51 AM, Peter Clifton <[1]pc...@cam.ac.uk> wrote:
On Sun, 2011-04-10 at 21:55 +0100, Andrew Seddon wrote:
I am exploring the idea of using the Scalable Vector Graphics
standard
as an EDA format.
[2]https://github.com/seddona/svgparts
Would be interested in your thoughts, there's a little more
explanation on my blog.
p.s this is probably a topic for -dev but I don't access...
The idea of basing future formats on SVG has been thought of, floated,
and discussed before now. I don't recall whether any conclusions were
reached. I personally have mixed feelings, but am leaning towards the
the thought that it is a good idea - but with a healthy dose of
uneasiness about it as well.
My thoughts on this topic are that SVG should be the common format and
that converters are made. The converters job would be to map the
standardized SVG to the symbols.
I propose that there be levels of the svg symbols. Level one only has
lines and arcs, level 2 adds text, level three adds polygons and
circles... And so on.
It would be the converters job to map the symbols and footprints to the
EDA package you are using.
I'm not as convinced of the idea for PCB layouts / footprints. I'm just
not certain the drawing model is constrained enough. to match real
world
geometry demands.
The main niggle is that SVG is more expressive than a generic PCB
layer.
Things like colours and gradient fills are just not meaningful in
copper. That means we need to act intelligently if something adds
those.
Supporting complex geometry primitives which SVG would bring also means
internal processing in PCB might get more difficult.
Hence the job of the exporter to map properly to layers. Ignoring or
erring on higher level constructs.
--
Peter Clifton
Electrical Engineering Division,
Engineering Department,
University of Cambridge,
9, JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0FA
Tel: +44 (0)7729 980173 - (No signal in the lab!)
Tel: +44 (0)1223 748328 - (Shared lab phone, ask for me)
_______________________________________________
geda-user mailing list
[3]geda-user@moria.seul.org
[4]http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user
References
1. mailto:pc...@cam.ac.uk
2. https://github.com/seddona/svgparts
3. mailto:geda-user@moria.seul.org
4. http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user
_______________________________________________
geda-user mailing list
geda-user@moria.seul.org
http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user
