1 ==============================================
2 'gschem and Friends' Electronic Design Suite
3 ==============================================
5 Copyright (C) 1998-2011 gEDA Developers
7 This file documents important user-visible changes in gEDA/gaf. For
8 more information, please consult the `ChangeLog' file.
10 Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.7.1
11 =================================
13 * gEDA is now compatible with Guile 2.0.
15 * `gschem' allows objects to be moved by dragging without having to
18 * `gnetlist' correctly handles multiple renames of the same net. This
19 resolves some long-standing bugs with multipage schematics.
21 * Visibility of embedded component attributes are now preserved by
24 * `gsch2pcb' correctly handles footprint names with hyphens (`-').
26 * `gsch2pcb' project files support quoting and escaping in
29 * Considerable enhancements to Unicode support when printing
30 schematics or exporting PostScript.
32 Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.7.0
33 =================================
35 * All gEDA/gaf applications now handle configuration files much more
36 strictly, and provide much more useful feedback when an error
39 * Several changes to `gschem' command-line options:
41 - The `-t' option is no longer supported.
43 - Several command-line options now support a long-form alternative.
45 - The `-s' option can now be used to run multiple Scheme scripts
46 during `gschem' startup.
48 - A new `-c' option is available, which runs a Scheme expression
49 during `gschem' startup.
51 - A new `-L' option is available, which adds a directory to the
54 - A new `-V' or `--version' option is available, which displays
57 * `gschem' now provides a "Select All" function, which is bound to
58 <Control a> by default, along with a corresponding "Deselect"
61 * In the `gschem' "Add component" dialog, filtering the component
62 library will expand matching libraries. If the filter is cancelled,
63 all libraries are collapsed. Components can now be selected by
64 double-clicking on them in the component list.
66 * The `gschem' "Edit Text Properties" dialog now has an easier to use
69 * Printed text size now better matches on-screen text size in
72 * Special characters, including commas, are now escaped or quoted
73 appropriately in `gattrib' CSV output.
75 * Several changes to `gnetlist' command-line options:
77 - Four command-line options specific to the `spice-sdb' backend have
78 been removed. They can be replaced with `-O <option>' according
79 to the following table:
81 -e, --embedd -O embedd_mode
82 -I, --include -O include_mode
83 -n, --nomunge -O nomunge_mode
84 -s, --sort -O sort_mode
86 - The list of available backends is now obtained using a new
87 `--list-backends' option. `-g help' no longer outputs a list of
90 - A new `-L' option is available, which adds a directory to the
93 - A new `-V' or `--version' option is available, which displays
96 - When run with invalid command-line arguments, `gnetlist' now exits
97 with non-zero exit status.
99 * Several `gnetlist' backends have now been fixed so that it should no
100 longer be necessary to set an expanded Guile stack in gEDA's config
103 * The `spice-sdb' backend for `gnetlist' now supports probes
104 (`TESTPOINT' devices).
106 * The undocumented `mk_verilog_syms' program is no longer installed.
107 The symbols it creates are still installed to
108 `${prefix}/share/gEDA/sym/verilog'.
110 Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.6.2
111 =================================
113 * PNG export from `gschem' will now be cropped correctly.
115 * The `partlist' backends for `gnetlist' now handle hierarchical
118 * On Windows, `gschem' and `gattrib' will no longer launch with a
119 command window visible.
121 * `gnetlist-arg' is no longer valid in `gsch2pcb' project files.
123 Several other bugs were fixed, including a major crash bug in
126 Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.6.1
127 =================================
129 * Added accelerator mnemonics for root menus in gschem
131 * Lots of updated and new language translations in libgeda, gschem, and
132 gattrib. (Courtesy of language translators and Launchpad)
134 * Updated the shipped documentation from the official gEDA wiki
136 * Fixed the following bugs:
138 - 2876373: Fix rendering with zoomed out dashed lines
139 - 2901183: Fix for some manpage issues
140 - 2904715: Don't update page connectivity from o_place_rotate()
141 - 2949232: Fix slot editing routines to not edit inherited attributes
142 - Cherry picked some other bug fixes from master that should be in
145 Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.6.0
146 =================================
148 * Fixed the GtkItemEntry code inside of gattrib code so that it builds
151 * In gschem, rubberband pin to pin connections by adding nets.
153 * Cleanup of the slot handling code in libgeda.
155 * Fixes/updates to the MinGW port.
157 * Updated the shipped documentation from the online wiki.
159 Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.5.3/1.5.4
160 =======================================
162 * NOTE: gEDA/gaf 1.5.3 was released with some critical bugs, so
163 it was withdrawn before it was widely distributed.
165 * Text rendering using native system fonts:
167 - The various programs in gEDA/gaf no longer uses its own built-in
170 - Native system fonts are used for rendering, giving support for a
171 wider range of symbols, and better looking schematics.
173 * Always use PostScript fonts in gschem's PostScript output. The
174 "output-text", "text-output" and "output-vector-threshold" config
175 functions have been removed.
177 * Image rendering in 'gschem' uses cairo instead of GDK.
179 * Numerous build system changes:
181 - gEDA/gaf is now distributed as a single source archive, called
182 gEDA-<version>.tar.gz.
184 - GTK+ 2.10 or newer and Guile 1.8 or newer are now required.
186 - `intltool' is no longer required.
188 - Documentation is now installed to ${docdir} (usually
189 ${prefix}/share/doc/gEDA).
191 * The attribute edit dialog in `gschem' now has completion of most
192 common attribute names.
194 * The multi-attribute edit dialog in `gschem' now shows unpromoted
197 * Menu items in `gschem' now have icons and properly aligned key
198 bindings. They also support accelerator keys.
200 * The `gschem2pcb' and `PCBboard' netlist backends have been removed.
201 It is recommended to use `gsch2pcb' instead.
203 * Check for and reject non-footprint PCB files in 'gsch2pcb'.
205 * Removed unimplemented "File->Open" feature in 'gattrib'.
207 * Added --disable-gattrib command line flag to ./configure to disable the
208 building of 'gattrib'. This is useful if you are building against
209 gtk+ 2.17.x which breaks 'gattrib'.
211 * 'gnetlist' does not recommend drc2 every time it runs. The drc2
212 backend is only useful in certain circumstances.
214 * Assign shortcuts "vd" and "vl" for changing between color schemes
217 * Fix problem with attached net attribute not being honored in 'gnetlist'.
219 * Focus the "save" button in the close confirmation dialog in 'gattrib' and
222 * Accept empty attributes in the src file in 'tragesym'.
224 * Cleaned up the slot dialog box in 'gschem'.
226 * Changed the grip size rendering in 'gschem' to be reasonably sized when
229 * Introduction of a new attribute searching API in 'libgeda' and 'gschem'.
231 * Improvements and cleanup to the 'gnetlist' and 'gsymcheck' test suites.
233 * Fixed the following bugs:
235 - 1758673: Combine source tarballs
236 - 2058707: gschem, gattrib: Dangerous button focus in "Save changes"
238 - 2430369: gschem: Deselect invisible attribs with their parent object.
239 - 2449060: Graphic state left inconsistent cancelling from net mode
240 - 2460301: libgeda: Make o_complex_promote_attribs() respect keep_invisible
241 and libgeda: Make o_complex_copy() actually copy.
242 - 2455061: Gnetlist output changed, and tests fail with recent GLib
243 - 2655088: autogen.sh: Make sure to exit if autopoint fails.
244 - 2823703: gnet-pcbpins.scm: Quote pins names if they contain comma
245 or close parenthesis.
246 - 2823755: gnetlist: Fix DEBUG builds.
247 - 2836109: build-sys: Add check for groff html driver.
249 * Spanish translation were updated.
251 * Lots of code, infrastructure, and doxygen documentation cleanup and
254 Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.5.2
255 =================================
257 * `gschem' now uses Cairo for all rendering. This allows for
258 everything to be rendered anti-aliased.
260 * `gschem' now uses a mesh grid instead of dots by default.
262 * Net junction cues in `gschem' are drawn smaller now.
264 * Copy and paste now works between different `gschem' instances (using
267 * Recent files are no longer opened in a new `gschem' window.
269 * Major, *backwards-incompatible* changes to color handling in
270 `libgeda' and `gschem'.
272 - All colors are specified using hexadecimal `#RRGGBB' or
275 - The print and display color maps are now separate.
277 - A new Scheme syntax is used to inspect and modify color maps.
279 - If you wish to use a light background in `gschem', add the line:
281 (load (build-path geda-rc-path "gschem-colormap-lightbg"))
283 to your personal or project gschemrc file.
285 * Attributes of embedded objects are now shown in the right color.
287 * Bus pins are now supported by `gschem' and `libgeda', but are *not*
288 properly supported by the netlister. The pin type can be modified
289 by selecting a pin, then right-clicking it and selecting `Edit pin
292 * All of the symbols were modified to use overbar markup tags ("like
293 \_this\_") instead of separate lines.
295 * Log files are now saved to $HOME/.gEDA/logs rather than being
296 dropped in the current directory.
298 Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.5.1
299 =================================
301 * GTK+ version 2.8.x or later is now required.
303 * The selection behaviour in `gschem' was changed.
305 - Lines, unfilled boxes, unfilled circles, arcs, pins, nets, and
306 buses must be selected by clicking on the drawn path itself.
308 - Filled boxes, circles, text, and components, may be selected by
309 clicking anywhere in the bounding box.
311 - The default mouse click distance required to select an element was
312 increased to 10 pixels.
314 - Double-clicking on a net segment selects all connected net
317 * The percentage step in or out while zooming the display in `gschem'
318 is now configurable with the `zoom-gain' gschemrc parameter. The
319 default value is 20%.
321 * The size of steps when panning with the mouse wheel or with a
322 trackpad in `gschem' is now adjustable with the `scrollpan-steps'
323 gschemrc parameter. The default setting scrolls in steps of 1/8 of
326 * A number of improvements were made to the `gschem' component
329 - The dialog now shows a table of top-level attributes in the
332 - It is now possible to expand/collapse a library by clicking
335 * Changes to fill- and line-styles in `gschem' can now be undone.
337 * Arcs can now be adjusted in `gschem' using an arc angle dialog. It
338 can be accessed by selecting an arc and selecting Edit->Edit.
340 * It is now possible to rotate objects while placing them in `gschem'.
342 * Support for arbitrary filled and unfilled paths, using a subset of
343 the SVG path syntax. For more information, please see the file
344 format specification.
345 <http://geda.seul.org/wiki/geda:file_format_spec>
347 - `gschem' does not yet provide a GUI for creating or editing path
348 elements. However, it does support rendering them. They can also
351 - Some of the symbols in the component library were updated to use
354 * A Scheme evaluation prompt was added to `gschem'. It can be
355 accessed by typing `:'.
357 * Improved algorithm for drawing hatched fills both on screen and in
360 * Color selection dialogs and menus in `gschem' now show the actual
361 color as well as the description. Color names are now translatable.
363 * `gattrib' now prompts to save changes.
365 * All of the unimplemented menu items and pages in `gattrib' were
368 * The `always-promote-attributes' gafrc parameter now takes a list of
369 strings as an argument. The space-delimited string syntax is
372 * Some optimisations were made to the `gnetlist' connection traversal
373 algorithm to speed up netlisting large designs.
375 * A new netlist backend was added to support Liquid PCB.
376 <http://www.liquidpcb.org/>
378 * The `bom2' netlist backend now generates a `qty' column.
380 * Several improvements and fixes were made to the `systemc' backend.
382 * The `--gnetlist-arg' option to gsch2pcb can now be used to pass
383 extra `gnetlist' arguments.
385 * `gsch2pcb' now emits files with the latest `pcb' file format.
387 * The `gxyrs' pick-and-place tool was added.
389 Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.5.0
390 =================================
392 * Magnetic net mode in `gschem'. Magnetic mode lets you draw nets and
393 automatically connect to valid end points (such as pins and other
394 nets). The `magnetic-net-mode' gschemrc parameter can be used to
395 enable/disable this feature.
397 * Rotating a component while moving it in `gschem' now rotates around
398 the current mouse location.
400 * The `verilog' and `vhdl' backends now work again.
402 * Embedded components can now be mirrored.
404 * The `pads' netlist backend now uses CRLF line endings.
409 Release notes for older versions of gEDA/gaf are available on the gEDA
410 website. <http://www.gpleda.org/news/index.html>