Git Status Plugin

Stephen_Walker-Weins · April 26, 2017, 8:35pm

I currently keep all my KiCAD projects in git repos, however it is hard to remember to commit regularly due to me getting engrossed in projects.

Is there such a thing as a git status plugin for KiCAD? Ideally it would show a reminder in eschemma/pcbnew etc, that any of the currently opened file type has been modified from the most recently committed version. Also I would love to have that same status information presented in the project view window.

bobc · April 26, 2017, 10:11pm

Something like the output of “git status”? I think that could be scripted quite easily.

SchrodingersGat · April 27, 2017, 12:21am

Many modern programs “integrate” (to varying degrees) with common SCM tools.

It would be nice if KiCad offered this feature too (e.g. files that have changed can be displayed differently in the project viewer, for example).

This is a great addition to the git plugin that I have developed in the future.

More discussion about this here - Github footprints problem

This mythical future tool would be abstracted beyond just using Git - other SCM tools could be supported also.

Each library (.pretty, .sweet) could support the same tool to show that there are library updates available, etc.

Stephen_Walker-Weins · April 27, 2017, 1:07am

@SchrodingersGat Yes I agree totally. Would love to see this. Especially if it could be integrated with the other git functionality. I use git and github for personal .pretty and .kicad_lib files as well so being able to manage those inside KiCAD would be amazing

SchrodingersGat · April 27, 2017, 1:23am

Especially if it could be integrated with the other git functionality

The further down this path we explore, the more that KiCad becomes another GIT UI tool.

IMO the git integration should be limited to something along the lines of “hey, you have updated this file!”, with (perhaps) the ability to commit files with a version string.

I don’t want to have to manage branches, remotes, etc. That’s in the domain of the user, and there are already plenty of git tools for that.

Stephen_Walker-Weins · April 27, 2017, 1:54am

Agreed again. Just adding and committing files, plus scm library management
would be perfect

Joan_Sparky · April 27, 2017, 2:48am

You’ve been to the future? Cool - now we can tell @explore that KiCAD still exists then and is being under active development

SchrodingersGat · April 27, 2017, 2:55am

Future me spends a lot of time on KiCad - there’s not much else to do in the bunker whilst waiting for the radioactive dust to settle.

Joan_Sparky · April 27, 2017, 3:17am

That’s the spirit, see something good in something bad.

PS: if you need a hug just tell me

PPS: the chance of this bunker scenario is less than me winning in some lottery

PPPS: KiCAD will help people in developing countries to do electronics, which is the basis of the information age. More educated people is always a good thing.

matthew_venn · November 7, 2017, 4:47pm

It’s not what you asked for, but I just modified JSReynauld’s plugin that replaces the $date$ string in a pcb board file with the current git short hash.

github.com

mattvenn/kicad/blob/master/scripts/action_menu_text_by_date.py

import pcbnew
import re
import datetime
import subprocess
import os


class text_by_date( pcbnew.ActionPlugin ):
    def defaults( self ):
        self.name = "Add date on PCB"
        self.category = "Modify PCB"
        self.description = "Automaticaly add date on an existing PCB"

    def Run( self ):
        pcb = pcbnew.GetBoard()
        pcb_dir = os.path.dirname(pcb.GetFileName())
        os.chdir(pcb_dir)
        git_version = subprocess.check_output(['git', 'log', '--pretty=format:"%h"', '-n', '1']).decode('utf-8')
        for draw in pcb.GetDrawings():
            if isinstance(draw, pcbnew.TEXTE_PCB):

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