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Subject:	Re: [geda-user] Find rat lines
From:	Peter Clifton <pcjc2 AT cam DOT ac DOT uk>
To:	geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Date:	Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:17:19 +0000
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On Fri, 2012-12-07 at 20:45 +0100, Gabriel Paubert wrote:

> I believed that some highlights had different colors when there
> was a short. I just tested on one recently completed board and
> some pads are highlighted in orange when I short 2 nets.

The operative word here is "some", as in "some pads" get highlighted in
orange. The pads which highlight may or may not be useful in determining
the location of the short, and certainly don't tend to flag every
affected connection.

> I also always use the message log window at the end to see the 
> "The layout is complete and has no shorted nets" message (from 
> the "O" command). Maybe this information should be made more
> "graphical".

Likewise, however in the case in question, I was expecting PCB to report
a short (AGND and DGND). I don't recall whether the missing connection
showed was mentioned explicitly, but I will check back when I have
access to the old revision of the design files next week.

BTW.. given I'm not a PCB noob, I consider the fact this tripped me up
is enough evidence we have usability issues in this area.

I will work on finding a better solution next week. (Probably along the
lines of split colouring of physically connected vs. "connected by rats"
objects).

Not adding bad rats would be nice too, although that might be harder to
fix right.

> Why not put a warning also when exporting to Gerber or other if
> the layout still has "issues" (non zero count of rats as a first
> approximation)?

Not a bad idea at all. Would you mind filing a feature-request bug on
that please?

-- 
Peter Clifton <peter DOT clifton AT clifton-electronics DOT co DOT uk>

Clifton Electronics

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