Interface improvement mk2

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VEC7OR
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Interface improvement mk2

#1 Post by VEC7OR » 24 Jun 2012, 20:57

My previous suggestions:
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2000 - Usability improvement
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3855 - Better component/part interoperability

First off all I want to thank dev's for all the hard work - it is really an awesome product you have, routing boards has been breeze lately.

Here are some annoying kinks I really want gone:

1) Replace most of drop-down lists with just lists:
This:
Image
With this:
Image

Logics behind this - most of your drop-downs have 3-5 options, many of these are accessed quite frequently, so spare users a few clicks.

2) File/open dialog boxes point to whatever previous location that was open, this gets especially annoying when working with patterns:
Image
Instead when loading anything pattern/component related open the default library folder (whichever settings in library setup point to)

3) Component bounding boxes:
Image
Selecting component (red) in another components bounding box(green) is a pain in the ass (trying to select with CTRL works though).
How can this issue be sorted out ? One thing - rotate bounding box along with the component.
Component selection/highlighting probably should be done not when mousing over its box, but when hovering over its parts (silkscreen, pads, any other thing that belongs to the component in question)

4) Dimensioning:
Image
Replace drop down button panel with 5 buttons visible at once.
Even better solution would be this - replace 5 of those with a single button with the following logics:
1) Clicking on a single node and clicking elsewhere produces a callout with a leader (although a callout can be another button)
2) Clicking on two nodes makes a dimension - dragging around the points defines what type of dimension it will be - how to determine which one it should be:
Image
Depending in which cone of the midpoint between two nodes the mouse is - it produces horizontal, vertical or free dimension.
3) Clicking on an arc/circle produces a radial dimension

5) Layer control when drawing shapes - draw the shape on the current layer (top/bottom) - easier than selecting shapes in that little box(and select shape flavor in that box).
Image

6) Component pads or copper pour should have a different color/shade by default - just for ease of use when routing - when copper pours are enabled its almost impossible to see where are the pads/traces (highlighting works just as fine, so its a small suggestion).
My rhombicosidodecahedron is bigger than yours.

Alex
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Re: Interface improvement mk2

#2 Post by Alex » 27 Jun 2012, 02:13

Hi,
Thank you for the feature requests.

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VEC7OR
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Re: Interface improvement mk2

#3 Post by VEC7OR » 10 Jul 2012, 18:44

7) Pattern editor should be able to specify any of these dimensions - reasoning - different manufacturers specify different dimensions for their packages, it could be quite a pain in the butt to recalculate those.
Image
My rhombicosidodecahedron is bigger than yours.

Alex
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Re: Interface improvement mk2

#4 Post by Alex » 11 Jul 2012, 02:23

DipTrace shows dimensions that user can enter on pattern properties panel. It makes obvious what each parameter means. But user can add as many dimensions as he/she wants.

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Re: Interface improvement mk2

#5 Post by VEC7OR » 26 Sep 2012, 21:26

Alex wrote:DipTrace shows dimensions that user can enter on pattern properties panel. It makes obvious what each parameter means. But user can add as many dimensions as he/she wants.
Yes its obvious, yes you can add any of those, but that is not what I'm asking for - I want to enter any of those dimensions, and I'm only allowed to enter the one circled in blue.

Okay, some usage report on 2.2.9.0 Beta:

1) None of the things I asked for were implemented, mainly the simple UI improvements.

2) PCB layout sometimes mangles traces that supposed to go at 45 degrees, only happens during trace editing.

Image

As I understand it - it tries to snap trace to grid, and sometimes it correctly snaps at 45 degrees and sometimes both nodes snap to grid and we have this a bit weird angle as the net highlighted in the picture.

3) DRC reports perfectly good vias as violations with weird values (the file was taken from 2.2.8.0)

Image

4) Feature request - when updating PCB from schematic you should include the ability to select what thing to update:
a) Update nets
b) Update components
c) Update patterns
Locking things helps, but still update could mangle the design.
My rhombicosidodecahedron is bigger than yours.

pradipkhare
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Joined: 20 Dec 2011, 16:59

Re: Interface improvement mk2

#6 Post by pradipkhare » 27 Sep 2012, 02:55

Alex, 1 agree with Vector and to prove the point #3 mentioned above, pls see the attache PCB file. Here you try to change width or trace (encircled in Red) in the attached image file. It is difficult to select the trace and to change it, rather you will see a dancing effect on the other end of the resistor R17. :lol:
Attachments
ResBank_SSBAOC_v11.2.dip
The actual PCB file
(7.98 KiB) Downloaded 32 times
try select the trace in-circled in the red
try select the trace in-circled in the red
PCB_Image.JPG (32.37 KiB) Viewed 550 times

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Re: Interface improvement mk2

#7 Post by VEC7OR » 15 Jul 2013, 02:33

It has been a year, has anything really changed ?
My rhombicosidodecahedron is bigger than yours.

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