Moving magnifier window.
Is it possible to add a magnifier window to the PCB layout window?
It should be such that as it moves across the layout the section is shown zoomed in.
Somewhat like a handheld magnifier on a printout.
This will be especially handy for developer not using large high-resolution monitors.
That is folks who do not have the luxury of seeing the complete layout at high zoom in.
Since in 2017 I used KiCad V4 for the first time I loved at once how mouse wheel is working in KiCad. Whenever I want to move to different location (even when for example drawing a line) I zoom out to see whole PCB (or even to have PCB small at screen) move cursor a little and zoom in at new location. All takes max 2s.
Those time I sow many people saying they don’t like it and in next versions that behavior was made conditional, and may be by default switched off. I’m not sure as my configuration propagates with me to next versions and I can’t say where it is in preferences as I write from PC with only old (V5) KiCad version.
The problem with this approach is that the magnifier window itself also needs screen area, and that is a problem on small and low resolution monitors.
KiCad itself does not have such a function, but there are utilities for visually impaired people, and those may even be built in for your operating system.
I have worked with a dual 24" monitor setup for years, but two years ago I bought a 4k monitor with a 107cm diagonal and it was a very good investment for me. I’m also getting a bit older (53 at the moment) and this monitor is the perfect balance. If I put on some reading glasses, I can just see the individual pixels from normal viewing distance, but without glasses, the pixels blend into each other and the picture just looks sharp.
I don’t think a magnifier makes sense. Zooming in would take far less screen area. Which is what I think everyone does today.
FWIW, with these Pan and Zoom settings, I can easily pan through my PCB (or schematic) while highly zoomed in.
An alternative idea would be a pop-up or panel providing a “mini-map” of the overall board while zoomed in.
