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Project Specific Configs and Gerber File extensions

davidkitson
Sun, 16 Sep 2018 16:28:24 GMT

Thanks again for this fantastic program... I still can't believe that every time I come back here, there's so much more added... Anyway, it seems to be getting a little too complex now - since it does so many great things. This makes setting up the config a little more challenging. At some point, it would be great if it were possible to generate a "config override" for some files, eg, if "flatcam.json" exists in a directory from which a file is loaded, then it will get all of it's configs from that file, and override the default and start-up default files, and will then use that for any CAM files in that directory. This way I could set up specifics around how I want files in that directory to be handled, which would be handy when I make a change to a file, and have to regenerate all the other files subsequently. Additional to this, a default-config file editor would be cool as well, so we don't have to do it by text editor and select the items we want in the JSON file. Actually, a non-JSON extension would be good too because then if the extension was different so we could just double-click to config overrides file to bring up the editor. Also, can you please inclued .GRB as a valid gerber extension? I don't know if it was never supported, but since reinstalling ( post system rebuild ) I've noticed that FreePCB sames .GRB files for gerber, and Flatcam expects .GBR - Thanks - :) David.

Marius Stanciu
Sun, 16 Sep 2018 21:03:49 GMT

Hi David, Since you talk about adding an extension to the Gerber list I assume you are referring to the Nightly version that I post here, since FlatCAM does not have this, it just open (or try to) any kind of file. Perhaps I did not say it but the Nightly's are just a fork of the "real" FlatCAM. Your comment made me feel guilty because, after all, Juan created this place for the FlatCAM and not for an "offshoot" like the builds that I post in the Nightly topic. And FlatCAM is FlatCAM ... the only real stable version of FlatCAM. The builds I post in the Nightly topic are something that I do for me and share with you guys. If occasionally I add features from requests, it's because I think it's fun and maybe I like it. Let's keep requests for the builds I make to the Nightly topic and do not pollute the FlatCAM discussion forum. Otherwise we create a mess and people will not know which FlatCAM are we talking about. Perhaps I will change the name to something like FlatCAM1000 or the like so we can make clear references. To answer your question: - I will add the .GB R extension to the default list although for the moment you can click on the drop-down extension menu and select All Files which will make visible all the files. - I don't see the real benefit of having config files all over. Sorry. But I may add the possibility for the user to create it's own config files that will be possible to be loaded through menu -> Preferences . For the moment, default settings is a mess because FlatCAM followed a philosophy (project based default settings combined with app default settings) and I try a different one (application only based default settings).