Trace length calculation wrt different layer

Lakshmi · September 9, 2020, 10:59am

Hi,
there’s an option of Tune track length which calculates the TOTAL trace i.e. signal length.
But Is there a way where I can calculate trace length layerwise.
For eg., I’ve A signal which is going top pad to some X distance on Top Layer and Then via to inner layer for Y distance and then top Layer for Z distance Is there a way I can calculate Each distance separately? OR total propagation time of flight?
Currently, KiCAD will give total value of (X+Y+Z).

Lakshmi · September 12, 2020, 12:47pm

Can anyone please answer?

paulvdh · September 12, 2020, 3:23pm

This is probably not high on any KiCad related priority list.
Matched lenth suggest high speed signals, which suggest not too many layer changes etc.

In the status area at the bottom of the screen there is a “Segment Length” and “length”.

You can (temporarily) delete some track segments or via’s, then check the length and use [Ctrl +Z] to undo the delete.

That may be the closest workaround currently available.

MitjaN · September 12, 2020, 4:07pm

You could modify Lenght stats action plugin

Lakshmi · September 13, 2020, 9:24am

I’ve tried downloading plugin and added in the Plugin folder of KiCAD but it doesn’t see plugin when I check in the PCB Tool> External Plugins >Refresh

MitjaN · September 14, 2020, 8:07am

While I prefer issues with plugins reported on Github I think we can check few possibilities.

You have to shut down the KiCad completely in order for plugin to register.
which version of KiCad and OS you are on?
Can you look in the plugin folder if there is a lenght_stats_error.log file there. If there is, can you post the contents?

Naib · September 14, 2020, 12:14pm

did you remove the -master suffix? the directory name needs to be correct

Lakshmi · September 16, 2020, 6:58pm

Hi,
Yes, I’ve closed and open again.
KiCAD 5.1.6 running Windows 10.
There are no such files I do see the only lengthStats_alt.fbp and lengthStats_GUI.fbp

Lakshmi · September 16, 2020, 6:58pm

Hi ,
I didn’t get you.

MitjaN · September 17, 2020, 8:17am

Thanks for the feedback
Where did you put the plugin? Can you please state the full path to the action_length_stats.py file?

Naib · September 17, 2020, 8:32am

If you download from GitHub as a zip it appends -master to the zip and directory name. This needs to be removed

If you did a got clone you should be fine

Where did you put the plugin directory

Lakshmi · September 18, 2020, 1:02pm

Hi,
path file is as follows: KiCad(E)\share\kicad\scripting\plugins

Lakshmi · September 18, 2020, 1:04pm

Hi,
Yes I’ve downloaded from Github as a zip but I’m not copying entire folder into plugin folder and I’m just copying .py and fbp files

Naib · September 18, 2020, 1:07pm

Iirc it needs to be in the named directory

Lakshmi · September 18, 2020, 1:28pm

could you please explain in detail?

der.ule · September 18, 2020, 5:58pm

To install the plugin copy relevant folder into ‘scripting/plugins’ subfolder of the KiCad configuration folder: on Windows: %APPDATA%\scripting\plugins (which most commonly translates to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\kicad\scripting\plugins )

on GNU/linux: ~/.kicad/scripting/plugins or ~/.kicad_plugins

on MacOS: ~/Library/Application Support/kicad/scripting/plugins or on newer versions ~/Library/Preferences/kicad/scripting/plugins

MitjaN · September 18, 2020, 6:08pm

This is where I put it

Lakshmi · September 30, 2020, 2:43pm

Yes Now have put in
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\kicad\scripting\plugin\length_stats.
When Close,Open KiCAD, and Refresh it doesn’t appear.

MitjaN · September 30, 2020, 2:55pm

This is strange. Can you paste a list of all the files in the folder?

Lakshmi · September 30, 2020, 3:05pm