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Subject:	[geda-help] PCB segfault - project too big?
From:	Richard Rasker <rasker AT linetec DOT nl>
To:	geda-help AT delorie DOT com
Organization:	Linetec
Date:	Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:05:56 +0200
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Reply-To:	geda-help AT delorie DOT com

Hello,

I'm using gschem + PCB for a largish project (400 components, 2500 pins,
500 nets on a 100 x 160 mm 6-layer board), up until now without
problems.

Unfortunately, I've run some serious trouble all of a sudden:
PCB crashes when importing my latest schematics, and after some
experimenting I'm at the point where adding one simple component (e.g. a
capacitor, or even a single test pad) makes the difference between
crashing and proper functioning.

When I run PCB from the CLI and select File -> Import Schematics,
everything seems normal at first, but after a few seconds, PCB crashes
with no specific error messages, just "Segmentation Fault".

Have I stumbled upon the limits of PCB? I don't think that my PC
hardware is the problem: its 2GB of memory is never fully used, and
there is enough HD space.

I also ran gnetlist -g drc2 etcetera on my schematics; no errors were
found, apart from lots of unconnected pins and nets which are only
connected to one pin -- and hooking up 'nc' elements to these pins and
nets doesn't appear to make a difference.

So the question is what I can do about this. The irony is that I only
need to place another two dozen or so components to finish the design,
so it feels a bit as if someone put up a brick wall ten yards in front
of the finish line ...

Is there a way to obtain more verbose error messages? Or is there a
workaround for this problem, other than to eliminate components?

Thanks in advance,

Best regards,

Richard Rasker

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