pcb-rnd modularization

Why bother...

I believe good software should be modular. This is especially important in the context of large software, such as CAD applications. There should be a thin core that can model the world and provide the basic operations defined on it but anything else should go in separate modules.

Fortunately PCB already had a strong infrastructure supporting this idea. It has dynamic loadable plugins and the GUI and exporters are in separate HID modules. While working on pcb-gpmi and later pcb-rnd, I added the gpmi module as a separate plugin.

In version 1.0.8 to 1.1.0 a considerable chunk of core code has been moved into core plugins. A core plugin is just a plugin that is maintained together with the core, in the same repository, still the code is somewhat detached from the core. More importantly, the user can choose, for each plugin, separately:

I believe such modularization has benefits on multiple levels:

Progress in charts

Before-after

All numbers are in SLOC and are acquired running sloccount on the given directory. While lines of code alone is not a true measure of complexity, it's a good estimation. The slices of pie charts are the major components of the pcb-rnd executable.
       
Before modularization: pcb-rnd version 1.0.7
Note: gpmi was already a plugin
After modularization: current pcb-rnd
Note: gpmi is part of the "plugins" slice

Zooming on to the plugins

total size per class
IO plugins
feature plugins
export plugins
HID plugins
import plugins
library plugins
footprint plugins

(Red means the plugin doesn't really work).

Progress in numbers

Below is a table with the summary of core plugins.
module size [sloc] status configure
default
class description
acompnet306 WIP disable feature Auto-complete the current network. A very limited autorouter/assistant.
act_draw355 works buildin feature Expose drawing related API as actions
ar_cpcb320 WIP buildin feature Autoroute using external tool c-pcb
asm491 WIP buildin feature hand assembly assistant GUI
autocrop53 works buildin feature Reduce the board dimensions to just enclose the objects on the board.
autoplace720 works buildin feature Automatically place subcircuits.
autoroute4448 works buildin feature Automatically route selected or all rats. This is the original autorouter.
cam215 WIP buildin export Configurable output job based batch exporting
ddraft2018 WIP buildin export Actions and a command interpreter for supporting advanced/precise 2 dimensional drafting
diag722 works disable feature Actions for pcb-rnd core diagnostics, intended for developers. These are not in core because end users normally don't need these. As a plugin, due to dynamic loading, it can be dropped on an existing pcb-rnd installation with minimal risk of scaring away a reproducible bug.
dialogs7071 works disable feature Interactive core functionality: HID-independent GUI dialogs (enabled by GUI HIDs)
distalign441 works buildin feature Introducing Align() and Distribute(), which work much like the similarly named functions in Visio. Given that PCB does not have the concept of "first selected object" to draw on, the reference points can be selected by arguments.
distaligntext477 works buildin feature Same as distalign, operates on text objects.
djopt2253 works buildin feature Various board optimization algorithms.
draw_csect785 works disable feature Draw cross section and layer map.
draw_fab288 works buildin feature Draw the fab layer (for various exporters).
draw_fontsel143 works disable feature Draw the font selector GUI
drc_orig353 buildin feature A few simple, hardwired Design Rule Checks.
expfeat33 works disable feature Staging plugin for experimenting with new actions and dialogs before getting them into core or other plugins
export_bboard447 WIP disable-all export Export breadboard
export_bom234 works buildin export Export bom (Bill of Materials)
export_dsn451 works buildin export Export specctra .dsn files
export_dxf610 works buildin export Export dxf
export_fidocadj279 WIP buildin export Export to FidoCadJ format (.fcd)
export_gcode2474 works buildin export Export to gcode
export_gerber1260 works buildin export Export to gerber
export_ipcd356384 works buildin export IPC-D-356 Netlist export.
export_lpr104 works buildin export Export to lpr (using export_ps to generate postscript)
export_oldconn224 works buildin export Export subc/terminal connection map in an old, custom file format
export_openems1749 WIP disable export Export copper to OpenEMS simulation
export_openscad725 WIP buildin export Export openscad
export_png1403 works buildin export Export to png, gif and jpeg
export_ps1612 works buildin export Export postscript or embedded postscript.
export_stat316 works buildin export Export various board statistics in lihata format
export_svg671 works buildin export Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) exporter
export_test92 WIP disable export A thin layer of code to dump exporter calls for testing the HID exporter API.
export_xy721 works buildin export Template based export of XY centroid subcircuit data e.g. for pick & place.
extedit315 works buildin feature invoke external program to edit parts of the current board
fontmode259 works buildin feature Font editing actions.
fp_board120 WIP buildin fp Footprint: load a board and expose all the unique subcircuits on that board as a footprint library
fp_fs428 works buildin fp Footprint: file system based implementation. Used to be called Newlib: load footprints from directories. Run external processes for the parametric footprints.
fp_wget637 works buildin fp Footprint: get static (file) footprints from the web, e.g. from http://gedasymbols.org
hid_batch294 works buildin hid HID without GUI: read actions from stdin.
hid_gtk2_gdk1335 works buildin hid GUI: GTK2 HID with GDK software rendering.
hid_gtk2_gl916 works buildin hid GUI: GTK2 with opengl rendering
hid_gtk3_cairo1122 WIP disable-all hid GUI: the GTK3 HID, using cairo for rendering
hid_gtk3_gl51 WIP disable-all hid GUI: the GTK3 HID, using gl for rendering
hid_lesstif9133 works buildin hid GUI: the lesstif HID.
hid_remote1148 WIP disable-all hid Remote access HID: implement a protocol and use it to relay between a core and a remote HID implementation.
import_calay177 works buildin import Import the netlist and footprints from a calay netlist.
import_dsn270 works buildin import Import specctra .dsn files
import_edif3626 works buildin import Import plugin for netlists in the EDIF format.
import_fpcb_nl153 works buildin import Import the netlist and footprints from freepcb format (exported by e.g. easyeda)
import_hpgl133 works buildin import Emulate a plotter and import the plot as lines, arcs and polygons.
import_ipcd356383 works buildin import IPC-D-356 Netlist and pad centroid import
import_ltspice244 works buildin import Import the netlist and footprints from an ltspice .asc and .net pair of files
import_mentor_sch495 works buildin import Import Mentor Graphics Design Capture from flattened .edf netlist, using a parts conversion table.
import_mucs124 works buildin import Import lines and vias from MUCS unixplot .pl files
import_netlist141 works buildin import Import plugin for netlists in the classic pcb netlist format.
import_sch335 works buildin import Imports footprints and netlist data from the schematics (or some other source).
import_tinycad151 works buildin import Import the netlist and footprints from a tinycad netlist.
import_ttf165 WIP buildin import Import outline ttf glyphs into the current font, either as polygons or lines
io_autotrax1584 works buildin io Import and export autotrax layouts and footprints.
io_dsn1676 works disable io Load and save specctra DSN files
io_eagle4027 works buildin io Load the design from eagle's xml and binary formats.
io_hyp4087 works buildin io Import plugin for hyperlynx geometry (no polygons yet).
io_kicad3508 works buildin io Load and save the design and footprints in Kicad's s-expression format - this is the new, currently preferred format in Kicad.
io_kicad_legacy936 works buildin io Export the design and footprints in Kicad's legacy format.
io_lihata4160 works buildin io Load and save the design and footprints in the lihata board format.
io_mentor_cell401 WIP disable io Load Mentor Graphics cell footprint library and make footprints available (e.g. for fp_board)
io_pcb2859 works buildin io Load and save the design and footprints in the original gEDA/PCB text format.
io_tedax2281 works buildin io Import and export tEDAx netlists and footprints.
jostle423 works buildin feature Pushes lines out of the way.
lib_compat_help1167 works buildin lib a library of functions providing a simplified API compatibility layer, mainly for I/O plugins
lib_gensexpr13 works disable-all lib S-expression parser lib
lib_gtk_common10463 works disable-all lib hid_gtk* common code (regardless of gtk version or drawing mechanism: for both gtk2 and gtk3 and for both sw rendering and gl)
lib_gtk_hid1313 works disable-all lib Generic gtk HID implementation, independent of GTK version (2 vs. 3) and rendering engine. Mostly a dispatcher that fills in all the glue to connect the parts. An actual gtk HID implementation may use this lib or replace parts of it or the whole with local implementation.
lib_hid_common715 works disable-all lib hid_* common helper functions
lib_hid_gl1106 works disable-all lib generic openGL renderer shared among GUI HIDs
lib_legacy_func90 works buildin lib Random collection of old/obsolete (legacy) functions. 3rd party plugins may depend on them. This module implements C functions and variables and does not register actions or flags.
lib_netmap216 works disable-all lib create disposable cross-reference maps between all objects and all nets
lib_polyhelp708 works buildin lib functions to help plugins processing polygons and PolyHatch() action
loghid307 WIP disable feature Sits between a HID (or exporter) and the core and logs all core->plugin calls made through the HID structure.
millpath246 WIP disable feature Calculate and simulate toolpath for milling away opper
mincut948 works buildin feature Use the minimal cut algorithm to indicate shorts: instead of highlighting two random pins/pads, try to highlight the least number of objects that connect the two networks.
oldactions270 works disable feature Random collection of old/obsolete actions. Bell(): audible feedback, DumpLibrary(): print footprint library on stdout, a set of debug actions useful for writing pcb scripts: Debug(), DebugXY(), Return(). Old plugin actions to toggle or set settings that are now accessible via the unified config system (vendordrill, djopt)
polycombine209 works buildin feature The selected polygons are combined together according to the ordering of their points.
polystitch98 works buildin feature The polygon under the cursor (based on closest-corner) is stitched together with the polygon surrounding it on the same layer. Use with pstoedit conversions where there's a "hole" in the shape - select the hole.
propedit1540 works buildin feature List and edit properties of a group of objects.
puller1749 works buildin feature Pull traces to minimize their length.
query1986 works buildin feature pcb-rnd query language: execute expressions on objects and rules for the programmed drc.
renumber332 works buildin feature Renumber subcircuits (renaming them) and generate a text file for back annotation.
report899 works buildin feature Report() and ReportObject() actions - print a report about design objects.
rubberband_orig1252 works buildin feature The original rubberband code.
script812 works buildin feature Load and execute scripts written in any language supported by fungw
serpentine371 WIP disable-all feature Create serpentines on existing lines.
shand_cmd167 works buildin feature vi-like command shorthands (1..3 character long commands)
shape829 works buildin feature Generate objects of regular shape (regular polygons, circle, round rect)
sketch_route2677 WIP disable feature TODO
smartdisperse276 works buildin feature Improve the initial dispersion of subcircuits by choosing an order based on the netlist, rather than the arbitrary subcircuit order. This isn't the same as a global autoplace, it's more of a linear autoplace. It might make some useful local groupings. For example, you should not have to chase all over the board to find the resistor that goes with a given LED.
stroke133 works buildin feature Configurable gesture recognition with libstroke.
teardrops217 works buildin feature Draw teardrops on pins.
vendordrill517 works buildin feature Vendor drill mapping.

Classes

Each plugin implements a class (rarely a set of classes). Classes are:
name description
feature random features directly accessible for the user, usually actions
lib support code library for other plugins (core doesn't depend on these); functionality not directly accessible for the user but other plugins may depend on it
hid Human Interface Device: interactive user interface, usually GUI
import load alien formats into the design space
export save (parts of) the design space in alien formats
fp footprint (element) library implementation
io native file format (save & load) implementation

Status

Common status column values mean:
name description
works production quality code - configures, compiles, tested
WIP work in progress: the plugin may be avaialble for testing but is not yet production quality
abandoned unmaintained plugin; may be in working condition but there is no developer supporting it
deprecated legacy plugin scheduled for removal; may still work but will soon be removed; if your workflow depends on it, please report ASAP

Plugin dependency map

pcb-rnd plugin dependency graph