========================================================================
Release Notes for PCB snapshot 20110918
========================================================================
This release represents over 797 commits and as such this summary
clearly is not complete. See the ChangeLog file for the complete list
of changes.
Features
--------
- Internal coordinate space is now metric. This should fix the "trace
nubs on metric grids" issue. Also, units are allowed on pretty much
every "coordinate" that PCB accepts. Example: 5.4in, 10cm, 0.55mm.
New configure option --enable-coord64 to force (slower?) 64-bit type
for coordinates on 32-bit systems (if you need a board bigger than 1
meter across). The internal precision is 1 nanometer, the internal
type is "Coord".
- MinGW support.
- New GL mode for the gtk hid with translucent traces.
- New GTK layer view/choose widget and other GUI enhancements.
- GTK HID warns if the *.pcb file has changed on disk.
- Enhanced grid snapping logic.
- Select/report nets by name.
- Auto-pan has been removed.
- Zoom can zoom out beyond the edge of the board's workspace.
- GTK: title string matches GNOME conventions.
- Personally identifiable information is no longer stored in the PCB.
- Toggling vias from hole to plated is reversible.
- Gerber exporter has options for including outlines on other layers.
- Edited footprint files are saved as footprints, not pcbs.
- Improved gtk library search/filter.
- Default layer stack is now a six-layer template with outline.
- If the board has an outline layer, an outline will be shown if no
other outline is specified.
- Group[] string allows t/b synonyms for c/s. "top" and "bottom" are
the standard names now.
- PCB will save files with an older version tag if newer features aren't needed.
- Autorouter has a progress dialog.
- PCB will no longer let you delete the last top/bottom layer.
- Refcard has been updated.
- Documentation updates.
- Layes with the PCB::skip-drc attribute set are ignored during DRC.
- Allow numeric keys to also choose the silk layer.
- Minor readability tweaks to the default font.
- Via copper may overlap.
- User is notified if an Import() cannot find all the footprints.
Bug Fixes
---------
- Optimizer won't try to optimize overlapping pads
- Undo should fail less, in corner cases.
- Nested key-bound actions won't crash lesstif.
- Do not select invisible pads on the far side.
- Protect Import() from command injection.
- Fix conversion of far-side polygons to element pads.
- Fix initial clearance values of text when loading PCBs.
- Fix solder mask drawing on vias.
- Add missing action documentation.
- Fab drawing notes actual outline trace width.
- Zero clearance pins and pads won't cause DRC failures.
- PS export: fix draw-rectangle (used to do fill, not outline)
- Gerber export no longer fills unfilled rectanges.
- If there are no image formats available, the PNG hid is not enabled.
- You can no longer select pins/pads of locked elements.
- The m4-to-newlib converter now creates file names that match the
library view.
- Never set the FOUND flag on new silk lines.
- Lesstif HID won't crash if both Xinerama and XRender are detected.
- Lesstif menu is now internationalizable.
- Refdes labels in a font-less layout can be moved.
- Import can correctly update elements on the bottom side.
- DRC no longer treats unplated holes as conducting.
Other
-----
- Updated and new translations, including Dutch.
- Many polygon speedups.
- Numerous build-related cleanups.
- Numerous minor speed-related cleanups.
- GTK 2.18 is the minimum required version.
- GTS moved out of the src/ tree so it can be built with different flags.
- More C++ compatible.
- Expanded regex documentation.
- Much code which is no longer needed has been removed.
- HID init method changed to allow for hid struct expansion without
breaking everything.
- New HID calls for whole-pad and whole-pin drawing.
- ClearAndRedrawOutput() replaced with Redraw().
- Board objects use hashes instead of lists to store parts, so
pointers don't change.
- DVI documentation output is no longer generated.
========================================================================
Release Notes for PCB snapshot 20060321
========================================================================
- Add internal support for more than 8 layers. By default PCB is still
compiled for 8 copper layers.
- Fixed several minor bugs in the GTK user interface including fixing
scrolling of the log window, fixed up some of the DRC reporting
and mm/mil units.
- Fixed several key bindings.
- Updated refcard.tex to reflect the current set of key bindings.
- Fixed some minor bugs which caused compilation problems on some
systems.
- Converted the QFN footprints to hi-res.
- Added documentation to the manual for the centroid file format and
the algorithm used for finding the centroid and rotation.
- Fixed a bug so that the initial layer named 'component' is actually
on the component side of the board and 'solder' is actually on the
solder side of the board.
- Fixed the pin order in the bourns trim pots (~bourns library)
- Added actions and a script to allow command line printing.
- Added IPC-7351 recommended footprints for 0201, 0402, etc passives.
- Fixed SME5 package.
- Fixed a bug which prevented disabling nets from the ratsnest
- Fixed a bug where clearances could be set 1 below the spacing
- Fixed clearline flag so that arcs also have this property.
- Speed up rtree searches and other autorouter speedups.
- Fixed a bug in computation of the closest polygon point.
- Use rtrees for polygon handling for speed improvements.
- Add a ChangePinName() action.
- Fix a bug which caused duplicate rats names when manually adding
rats lines.
- Added DRC checks for minimum drill diameter and minimum annular ring.
- Add a minimal glossary to the manual
- Fix the author name in the fab drawing
- Cause the crosshair to snap to pad ends instead of center for rat
drawing.
- Add "join" to SetFlag, ClrFlag and ChangeFlag.
- Added inline documentation for the pcb file syntax. The manual now
is up to date and correctly documents the file format. In addition
the inline documentation will make it much easier to maintain the
documentation.
- Remove some broken m4lib footprints
- Put the correct setting for the gschem footprint= attribute in []
in the library window for the m4 libraries.
delete the old cad/pcb package. The package which has lived in cad/pcb
for the last few years was horribly out of date and pcb is not making
a distinction right now between -current snapshots and normal releases.
