Is it possible to design a complete circuit from start to finish from within python?
The reason I ask this because I am blind, and one to design circuits myself rather than having to ask others.
Thank you.
This should be able to make the schematic, not sure about the PCB though. Kudos for doing this
Shack has a good idea for the schematic. I think the PCB is harder because of DRC and routing difficulty.
I’ve been thinking about and easy scripting interface for python that would collect some of the routines I’ve developed for DRC in the KiPadCheck script. A command language (or python function calls) that simplify the process of scripting. Something like “select track”, “move selected”, “draw segment”, etc with parameters for points, shapes, and layers.
It’s a far away idea at the moment, but I’m unaware of any existing tool.
Hi, Many thanks for your responses.
I have seen SKiDL, but don’t know by importing the output from SKiDL together with the level of scripting that is possible in KiCad, whether it is possible to achieve the full end-to-end process by programming.
Due to the visual elements of the application, I haven’t been able to go through the whole design process end-to-end, thus am not fully aware of what it entails.
I’m. Trying to understand how much of the end-to-end process I could achieve with SKiDL together with the programming capabilities within KiCad and what bits I cannot achieve through programming.
At least this would reduce the amount of supported I would need from a sighted person.
It would be really good if someone with the know how would be kind enough to document a simple example, lets say LED, Switch and arduino, starting off using SKiDL and then importing its output into KiCad and then using its scripting capabilities to complete as much of the design possible and describing those bits which must be done in KiCad itself.
This would be really helpful.
Many thanks.
KND RGS
Mo.
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Have you seen the Studio Clock example? It’s a scripted layout in pcbnew. Someone in the thread uses SKiDL to generate the schematic as well. It seems like full end-to-end programming is possible, but you’ll have to read that thread in detail to verify.
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This is fantastic, it certainly sounds like that what I want to do it is possible, will need to take a look more closely. Many thanks for your help.
Kind regards.
It is mind boggling to me to try to euhm, visualise (no pun intended) to design a pcb this way. I do not have much experience with Python and never wrote a script in KiCad…
I wanted to advise to take a look at the “studio clock” example, but you already found that.
So I searched this forum a bit for more info:
https://forum.kicad.info/search?q=pcbnew%20scripting%20tutorial
And I found:
And this points directly to some tutorials on:
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Many thanks for the info, much appreciated. For a blind person, building quite complex circuitry using wire wrap and bread board is actually very feasible.
, My difficulty lies with productising my prototype’s on to PCB.
However, from what I’ve seen so far, it certainly seems possible to design the complete circuit using a combination of SKiCAD and KiCad.
I just need to piece it all together using the verious examples that many have kindly provided.
KND RGS
Mo.
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