Documentation Circuit Design Beat

gerbv

gerbv has been upgraded to 2.6.0 from 2.5.0. Changes include:

• Greater accuracy
• Support for panelization
• A number of bugfixes

gtkwave

gtkwave (http://gtkwave.sourceforge.net/) has been upgraded from 3.3.25 to 3.3.31

kicad

kicad has been upgraded from 2011.07.12 to 2012.01.19. The project's web sit is at https://launchpad.net/kicad

pcb

pcb has been updated from 0.20100929 to 0.20110918. In addition to numerous bug fixes, the following list some of the significant changes:

• Internal coordinate space is now metric. This should fix the "trace nubs on metric grids" issue. Also, units are allowed on pretty much every "coordinate" that PCB accepts. Example: 5.4in, 10cm, 0.55mm.
• New configure option --enable-coord64 to force (slower?) 64-bit type for coordinates on 32-bit systems (if you need a board bigger than 1 meter across). The internal precision is 1 nanometer,
• New GTK layer view/choose widget and other GUI enhancements.
• GTK HID warns if the *.pcb file has changed on disk.
• Enhanced grid snapping logic.
• Select/report nets by name.
• Auto-pan has been removed.
• Zoom can zoom out beyond the edge of the board's workspace.
• Personally identifiable information is no longer stored in the PCB.
• Toggling vias from hole to plated is reversible.
• Gerber exporter has options for including outlines on other layers.
• Edited footprint files are saved as footprints, not pcbs.
• Autorouter has a progress dialog.
• PCB will no longer let you delete the last top/bottom layer.
• Via copper may overlap.

For additional details, including a list of bug fixes, refer to the NEWS page at http://pcb.gpleda.org/news.html