@Claudio.Lorini
little OT, in your image there is a layer marker…
is it a special FP you have in your library? or a macro to generate it? Does the B layer get mirrored?
No, just hand made copper squares and text. Making some kind of automation, like the one for QRcodes could be a neat idea.
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@JeffYoung
would it be possible to add to 3D viewer also the “Margin” technical layer? with the option to show/hide it.
Now I think this is getting less reasonable IMO… the 3D viewer should only be for viewing things that have real physical meaning
IMO margin is much more visible on 3d viewer than in pcb editor… it gives you an overview in case of issues… I consider this an utility for board review.
Me, too. The 3D viewer is useful for other things than a realistic or semi-realistic 3D view.
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In my opinion, we should figure out why the 2D canvas is not sufficient for such review, and fix it there.
In the pcb editor, the stress is on routing; in 3D viewer the stress is in 3D mechanical overview…
for this reason I think some of the layers are more evident in one canvas and others in the other.
It is not possible to get the same benefits in just the routing canvas.
It’s not so simple that the 2D canvas could just be improved for all purposes. The 3D view gives a different kind of feeling. I would compare it with this forum text editor. I write in one panel and the rightmost preview panel gives mostly the same view. Yet, when I’m writing, for some reason I notice things (spelling mistakes etc.) in the preview panel which a second ago went unnoticed in the writing panel when I inspected the text. My brain just works that way.
The difference between the main view and 3D view of KiCad is even bigger, and the 3D view is more helpful. The 3D rotating capability can be combined with the things which are already visible in the 2D view to give new viewpoints (literally and figuratively).
I don’t know how much I would use whatever layer in the 3D view. But if they can be integrated without big changes and without adding much complexity for end users, why limit the usefulness of the viewer artificially because it was originally meant to be used for things with “real physical meaning”.
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