Separate splitter pane/view for projects and libraries in the Control Panel

Bob Starr wrote on Thu, 02 June 2011 10:39

Would be nice if the libraries were listed in a separate splitter pane

 

view in the control panel. I'm always jumping between projects and

parts

and find it annoying having to scroll back and forth so much.

 

Libraries, scripts, etc should be listed in a tree/view that is

separate

from the users projects. Having to sift through large lists in control

 

trees all the time is irritating at best..

I agree with the basic premise Bob.  And how many posts and technical

questions are simply "How do I find parts?"?

How about, instead of keeping it in Control Panel, having a better

window/tool for exploring and searching through libraries.  In fact, I

suggest that it is integrated into the library editor instead of control

panel.

Have you ever noticed that when you open a library you are faced with a

blank screen with, to the untrained eye, looks like a lot of nothing?  How

about use that space for a tool that can search and explore through the

libraries--not just the ones used but all the libraries.  Then you could do

all the library management and searching in the library editor which kind

of makes sense.

You'd probably need another button to go along with package, symbol,

device.  Call it home or something to be able to get back to that window.

Then you could have drag and drop between libraries.  And please, make

symbols regular objects that can be manipulated like packages and devices!

Cheers,

James.

--

James Morrison  ~~~  Stratford Digital

Specializing in CadSoft EAGLE

• Online Sales to North America

• Electronic Design Services

• EAGLE Enterprise Toolkit

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

hI James & Bob,

I 100% agree that the LIBRARY needs an overhaul! Not so much with designing

parts, but with NAVIGATION and ACCESS and USABILITY.

I want to purchase a full version of EagleCad but the CUMBERSOME Library

really puts me off making a purchase!

I would like to know what is planned for the library to be overhauled in

the future, If it stays the same way as it is now for the next major

release , I would be temped to look at other software! The rest of eaglecad

is ok and I am happy with ( I am not saying that nothing needs to be

done!)

Regarding the CONTROL PANEL, I think it should be SCRAPPED Completely! Yes,

Scrapped,

1) We already have a file system for organising project folders and files,

its called the operating system, theres no need to duplicate this.

2) The LIBRARY should have its own WINDOW SINGLE Window that all library

types activities take place, DRAG AND DROP needs to be more available, I

should be able to drag n drop from anywhere to anywhere!

3) ULP's are already stored away in a folder, so when we need to use them,

just click on the ULP Button and up pop's a list! Simple really!  Same goes

for SCRIPTS, Cam files  Design rules etc,

My main WISH'S are..

1) LIBRARY Overhaul. Needs it own ONE Window, NON MODAL! with all views

available.

2) Remove CONTROL PANEL Completely. When eagle opens up it should present

EXACTLY what was left on the screen when the app was last shut down.

3) Be able to open up more than one "Project" at a time!

4) Some kind of NESTING of "circuits/Projects" . i.e I should be able to

have say a power supply design ( Schematic & Layout) and INCLUDE that in

another design, but with the option to LINK back to the original design for

changes or just simple Copy and paste with no back annotation.

5) A floating Properties window for parts that's NON MODAL, and with more

attributes, perhaps in tabs within the window.

thanks

Dave M

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Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

"davem" <imix@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message

news:is96n1$c9e$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

Regarding the CONTROL PANEL, I think it should be SCRAPPED Completely!

>Yes, Scrapped,

+1

"davem" <imix@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message

news:is96n1$c9e$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

2) The LIBRARY should have its own WINDOW SINGLE Window that all library

types activities take place, DRAG AND DROP needs to be more available, I

should be able to drag n drop from anywhere to anywhere!

+1

Am 03.06.2011 01:34, schrieb davem:

Regarding the CONTROL PANEL, I think it should be SCRAPPED Completely! Yes,

Scrapped,

Please, no.

1) We already have a file system for organising project folders and files,

its called the operating system, theres no need to duplicate this.

No, you don't have such a system. I agree that for off-the-shelf

installation, EAGLE's control panel is not SO useful, because it doesn't

provide previews of projects (only for libraries).

In OUR installation here, you DO have nice project previews including

design description, board top and bottom side as well as schematics.

This way, you can very quickly look up some design without having to

open the corresponding files separately. Preview management is nearly

automatic - this is something that the operating system does NOT

provide. Of course, you could also create an external program for that,

but EAGLE programming is simple, effective and works on all supported

operating systems, anyway.

I have more than 1000 projects in my tree that have accumulated over

lots of years, and previewing them is VERY useful, especially since most

of these projects are designs by OTHER people.

This does NOT mean that I'm a huge fan of the control panel - as stated,

off-the-shelf there are lots of things missing - but at least it's much

better than having NOTHING (or just the OS).

So: Off-the-shelf, EAGLE is 'just' missing

  - a decent (automatic and perhaps configurable) project preview and

  - the possibility to SEARCH for projects.

Andreas Weidner

HI Andreas,

I can't see any "Project View" that you mention, just the files names? How

do you get the "Previews" you are talking about?

If thats the case then a Project viewer would be a good a idea, But I don't

want just one viewer for all file types. I would like to "View" Different

things at the same time, So all viewers would have a basic List View, along

with some kind of Graphical/icon preview, i.e for parts and boards,

schematics, etc, But a separate window should be able to be opened for each

actual view, that way we can view/edit more than one project a a time, drag

and drop between projects ( i.e to create Sub-Circuits) and drag and drop

between parts and designs.

thanks

Dave M

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Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

Hello Dave,

Am 07.06.2011 01:30, schrieb davem:

I can't see any "Project View" that you mention, just the files names?

That's what I meant with "off-the-shelf EAGLE cannot do this": EAGLE

just doesn't HAVE any project preview - unfortunately.

How

do you get the "Previews" you are talking about?

I type "run preview", which starts a self-made ULP, and after some

seconds (and a refresh of the project tree) I get something like in the

attached picture. And since a configurable preview might not only be

interesting for ME, but for others as well, it would be nice if CadSoft

provided something similar with their default installation.

If thats the case then a Project viewer would be a good a idea, But I don't

want just one viewer for all file types

This is NOT a FILE preview - the operating system usually provides

rather useful file previews (even if the EAGLE format cannot be

displayed), so I wouldn't ask CadSoft for this.

This is a preview of the whole PROJECT that resides in a certain folder,

automatically created from schematics, board and a description. An

operating system will NEVER really be able to provide such a display, so

EAGLE's control panel is the obvious choice.

As for FILE previews, there are quite sophisticated file managers

available that work at least a thousand times better than (the rather

crappy) Windows Explorer, and that CadSoft couldn't hope to match in

functionality. E.g., take a look at "Directory Opus".

With best regards,

Andreas Weidner

Hi Andreas,

That "Preview" script of yours is very cool! I guess its not available for

everyone?

But As you said this is not built into EagleCad, I Use a MAC and the file

system ( Finder) Does do previews in detail for all kinds of apps, i.e

word, excel, text, pictures pdf's etc. And these can be viewed in the file

system. Eaglecad does not take advantage of this "QUICKLOOK" feature",  But

I don't expect it to as CadSoft Would have to maintain separate "Preview"

systems for each platform. Best to have its own viewer.

It would be better to Scrap the current Control panel that tries to show

everything, and instead create separate "Viewer Windows" for different

things.

1) Project Viewer - With comments and revision control and previews of the

Schematic & Board. ( Just like yours)  From this viewer you can "OPEN" up

any project and most importantly more than one a a time in its own

"Project" Window.

2) Library Viewer - For Viewing, editing, managing All parts, With the

ability to OPEN up more than one PART at a time. this viewer need to break

a way from the libraries current FOLDER Structure, So that any part can be

listed together. ( Similar to The ADD PART Window).

Thanks

Dave M

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Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

Hello Dave,

Am 08.06.2011 02:17, schrieb davem:

That "Preview" script of yours is very cool! I guess its not available for

everyone?

due to file size (>64k), I sent you the corresponding files to the

address given in your e-mail header.

Cheers,

Andreas

"Andreas Weidner" <andreas.weidner@aei.mpg.de> wrote in message

news:isno0g$a23$1@cheetah.cadsoft.de...

Hello Dave,

 

Am 08.06.2011 02:17, schrieb davem:

>> That "Preview" script of yours is very cool! I guess its not available

>> for

>> everyone?

 

due to file size (>64k), I sent you the corresponding files to the address

given in your e-mail header.

So, the script is available for everyone? or just for Dave?