============================================== 'gschem and Friends' Electronic Design Suite ============================================== Copyright (C) 1998-2012 gEDA Developers This file documents important user-visible changes in gEDA/gaf. For more information, please consult the `ChangeLog' file. Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.9.0 ================================= * A new schematic renderer library, `libgedacairo' has been added, and all tools have been updated to use it. Related changes: - The following configuration functions have been removed: output-capstyle paper-sizes output-color postscript-prolog output-orientation print-command output-type setpagedevice-orientation paper-size setpagedevice-pagesize - The following `gschem' configuration items have been added: print-paper print-color print-orientation - `gschem' now generates PDF files rather than PostScript or EPS files. - `gschem' now uses a standard GTK print dialog (with printer selection, print preview, etc.) * A new `gaf' command-line utility has been added. It provides a number of subcommands: - `gaf export' can be used to convert schematic files to PNG, SVG, PDF, PS and EPS, with detailed control of paper size and margins. It supports multi-page PDF and PS output. - `gaf config' can be used to manipulate the project, user, and system configuration stores (see below). - `gaf shell' provides a Scheme REPL for batch manipulation of schematic and symbol files. * New project, user and system configuration stores have been added, using a format similar to .desktop files. They can be manipulated using the `gaf config' tool. Configuration parameters for most tools will be converted to use this mechanism in future releases. * The changes to highlighting of dangling net ends in gEDA/gaf 1.8.0 have been reverted. All dangling ends are once again flagged with a brightly-coloured square. * When editing a component with the `gschem' multi-attribute editor, the dialog will now show the symbol name in its title. * When using "Down Schematic" command in `gschem', an error message will now be displayed if the subcircuit schematic cannot be loaded. * Printing now uses a light background color map by default. * Objects can now have the line end "cap style" adjusted in `gschem'. * `gnetlist' now accepts the `-i' and `-g' command-line arguments together. If you specify both `-i' and `-g', `gnetlist' will enter the Scheme REPL after loading the requested backend but before executing it. * `gattrib' now has translations for the user interface and various messages. Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.8.0 ================================= * `gschem' and `gnetlist' have updated and rewritten user guides. * All tools now give more informative error messages if they are unable to load schematic or symbol files due to syntax errors. * All tools now correctly handle schematic and symbol files with `\r', `\n', or `\r\n` line endings, or a mixture. * Unconnected pin ends and net ends are now all drawn with the same box marker in `gschem' and printed output. * Net segments with at least two connections (including indirect connections via `netname=' attributes) are now drawn with arrowheads rather than box markers on dangling ends in `gschem' and printed output. Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.7.2 ================================= * `geda-gaf' now requires GTK+ 2.16.0 or later. * A greatly expanded Scheme API has been added to gEDA/gaf for use by extension authors. See the `geda-scheme' Info manual for more details. Existing extensions may need to be modified to load the `(geda deprecated)' or `(gschem deprecated)' modules. * The `component-library-search' function for `gafrc' files now skips directories without symbols, and searches for libraries recursively. * `gschem' keybinding improvements: - Keybindings are now unaffected by Caps Lock. - Keystrokes are displayed using the same characters as on keycaps (e.g. `:' instead of `colon'). - Keystrokes may use extended modifiers (Super, Hyper and Meta). - Key bindings can be modified in any rc file or interactively using the `global-set-key' function. See notes in `system-gschemrc' for examples. * `gschem' now displays help files and component documentation on all platforms, including Windows. The `locate' tool is no longer used to search for component documentation files. * The `schdiff' tool for generating visual diffs of schematics and symbols has been added. It can be used with most version control systems. See `man schdiff' for more details. * The `bom' and `bom2' backends to `gnetlist' now give error messages if no attribute file can be found. The `-O attrib_file=FILE' and `-O attribs=ATTRIB,ATTRIB...' options have also been added. * A new `ewnet' backend has been added to `gnetlist'. This outputs netlists for use with the National Instruments ULTIboard layout tool. * The `verilog' backend to `gnetlist' now supports concatenated net naming like "{a,b,c[3:0]}". * `gsch2pcb' no longer supports the `m4_command' parameter in project files. * The `--m4-pcbdir' and `--m4-file' arguments to `gsch2pcb' now work again. * `gsymfix.pl' has been renamed to `gsymfix'. * Man pages are now available for all programs installed as part of gEDA/gaf. * The undocumented programs `gnet_hier_verilog', `gsymupdate', `gschupdate' and `sch2eaglepos.sh' are no longer installed to ${prefix}/bin. Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.7.1 ================================= * gEDA is now compatible with Guile 2.0. * gEDA/gaf applications no longer complain when trying to load an rc file twice, or when an rc file doesn't exist. * `gschem' allows objects to be moved by dragging without having to select them first. * `gschem' now supports keybindings with more than one modifier key, and "Deselect" is bound to by default. * `gnetlist' correctly handles multiple renames of the same net. This resolves some long-standing bugs with multipage schematics. * The `spice-sdb' backend for `gnetlist' now has built-in support for `SUBCKT_NMOS' and `SUBCKT_PMOS' devices. * A new `makedepend' backend has been added to `gnetlist'. It generates Makefile code for SPICE simulation dependencies. * Visibility of embedded component attributes are now preserved by `gattrib'. * `gsch2pcb' correctly handles footprint names with hyphens (`-'). * `gsch2pcb' project files support quoting and escaping in `schematics' entries. * Considerable enhancements to Unicode support when printing schematics or exporting PostScript. Notable changes in gEDA/gaf 1.7.0 ================================= * All gEDA/gaf applications now handle configuration files much more strictly, and provide much more useful feedback when an error occurs. * Several changes to `gschem' command-line options: - The `-t' option is no longer supported. - Several command-line options now support a long-form alternative. - The `-s' option can now be used to run multiple Scheme scripts during `gschem' startup. - A new `-c' option is available, which runs a Scheme expression during `gschem' startup. - A new `-L' option is available, which adds a directory to the Scheme load path. - A new `-V' or `--version' option is available, which displays version information. * `gschem' now provides a "Select All" function, which is bound to by default, along with a corresponding "Deselect" function. * In the `gschem' "Add component" dialog, filtering the component library will expand matching libraries. If the filter is cancelled, all libraries are collapsed. Components can now be selected by double-clicking on them in the component list. * The `gschem' "Edit Text Properties" dialog now has an easier to use "Alignment" menu. * Printed text size now better matches on-screen text size in `gschem'. * Special characters, including commas, are now escaped or quoted appropriately in `gattrib' CSV output. * Several changes to `gnetlist' command-line options: - Four command-line options specific to the `spice-sdb' backend have been removed. They can be replaced with `-O