HOWTO: Register a python plugin inside pcbnew Tools menu

Layout
8

hummm …
I forgot to tell you I’m in windows … and there nothing can be seen when running pcbnew from console

9

Ok so you can for example use some wx message box:

import wx
…
wx.MessageDialog(None,“My message”)

2 Likes
10

thx,

I had to write:

wx.LogMessage(“My message”)

to see the window
but this is fine for me :wink:

2 Likes
11

Would it be possible to execute scripts on specific events? Like on import of netlist.
I would like to make the revision on the silkscreen update from the revision in the netlist/schematic

12

This feature is also planned. Not yet available.

2 Likes
13

Hi again,
I noticed that when a script is executed, the board get touched and Save button become enabled…
The same script if launched in python scripting console doesn’t do the same…
Is that something expected?
Here a simple example that triggers Save Button…

import wx
import pcbnew
from pcbnew import *

class minimal_test( pcbnew.ActionPlugin ):

def defaults( self ):
    """
    Method defaults must be redefined
    self.name should be the menu label to use
    self.category should be the category (not yet used)
    self.description should be a comprehensive description
      of the plugin
    """
    self.name = "minimal test"
    self.category = "Checking PCB"
    self.description = "minimal test"

def Run( self ):
    
        wx.LogMessage("test")

minimal_test().register()

PS
Do you know why this nice tool is not available as default in nightly builds?
I use to build my own copy of kicad, but I discovered that in windows nightly it is not enabled …

Maurice

14

@jsreynaud
here a first Action Plugin Script converted from python console to AP :slight_smile:


action_menu_annular_check.py

1272×1006 786 KB

3 Likes
15

Hi,

KiCad is unable to detect what your script is trying to do. So it assume that the script is modify the board.
An history in the undo/redo list is added and the board is marked as changed.
Event if you script doesn’t modify anything …

About nightly build I’ll ask to @nickoe.

JS

2 Likes
16

yes, I noticed in the the cpp code

would be nice to have a return code from the python script (i.e. default = 1 #‘board modified’) that the script can assign to 0 (board unmodified) so the board can be marked as changed only if the script is doing something that really change it?

that will allow a large amount of users to have this useful option enabled and will give developers a useful feedback …
Very little amount of users are building kicad from source…
In fact this Action Plugin does not add any risk to those already present with the python console, but it is giving a more user friendly way to use python inside Kicad
Looking forward to see it in Nightly :wink:

3 Likes
17

I look forward too. I am on a mac :slight_smile:

1 Like
18

I had also ask to @adamwolf for that point.

1 Like
19

I think I can automatically detect if there are some modifications or not. I’ll try this autodetection on a future patch.

1 Like
20

it seems that now the Action Plugin is delivered with the Nigtlies :smiley:

Application: kicad
Version: (2017-04-13 revision c4ea54227)-makepkg, release build
Libraries: wxWidgets 3.0.2
libcurl/7.52.1 OpenSSL/1.0.2k zlib/1.2.11 libssh2/1.8.0 nghttp2/1.19.0 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Windows 8 (build 9200), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW

  • Build Info -
    wxWidgets: 3.0.2 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
    Boost: 1.60.0
    Curl: 7.52.1
    KiCad - Compiler: GCC 6.3.0 with C++ ABI 1010
    Settings: USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
    USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
    BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCE=ON

From now on, having a larger testing audience is much easier :wink:

21

I added an other Action Script to my repo:

Maurice

1 Like
22

Thanks to @skuep, more detail about how to make a “clean” plugin:

While for single file plugins you can put that single file in the plugin directory, multiple files/complex plugin should be created with an other way. You can put all your files inside a sub-directory and put that sub-directory to the plugin directory.

An example:

  • ~/.kicad_plugin/ The main directory
  • MyPlugin/ Your plugin directory
    • _init_.py A single file to register the plugin
    • date_plugin.py The plugin himself
    • … any other files

Content of date_plugin.py

import pcbnew
import re
import datetime

class text_by_date( pcbnew.ActionPlugin ):
    def defaults( self ):
        self.name = "Add date on PCB (onto a sub dir)"
        self.category = "Modify PCB"
        self.description = "Automaticaly add date on an existing PCB"
 
     def Run( self ):
         pcb = pcbnew.GetBoard()
         for draw in pcb.m_Drawings:
             if draw.GetClass() == 'PTEXT':
                 txt = re.sub( "\$date\$ [0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}",
                              "$date$", draw.GetText() )
             if txt == "$date$":
                 draw.SetText( "$date$ %s"%datetime.date.today() )

Content of _init_.py

from date_plugin import *
text_by_date().register()
4 Likes
23

I can not add this plugin even I have copied the script to those directories, how can I fix it ?
I have refreshed plugin and restart kicad, but external plugin is still not displayed…??

24

What version of KiCad, OS etc?
The plugin is for Nightly builds, not the “Stable” 4.0.x series

25

It is nightly build version. Os is Ubuntu 16.04.
I can t refresh plugin and the script has been copied to plugin directory.
How can I fix it?
Thx

26

It is kicad version 4.xx but I can not see it now. I m not on my computer.

27

4.xx is not Nightly. Your two last posts are contradicting each other.