[Pkg-electronics-devel] Fw: re: pcb program on linux, v20140316, bugs in gcode output + solutions

[Peter P.]

Please connect me with the current maintainer. I sent these emails to Harry Eaton by
mistake, since I did not realize he is no longer the maintainer. I have a bug and a possible
solution since 2014, known to work well. The text below describes the bug, how to reproduce,
and links to my patches from 2014 which fix it for a previous pcb version. Please advise if
I should try to port the patches to the current published version (v20140316) or [other action].

--- On Sun, 4/15/18, Peter P. <plpeter2006 at yahoo.com> wrote:

-- re-sent the message below on Sunday, April 15, 2018 4:10 PM
-- no answer no reaction.
-- edit: as expected, he is no longer maintainer since ~2003-2008, added
   a few details.

re: pcb program on linux, v20140316
Saturday, March 31, 2018 11:15 AM
From: "Peter P." <email at censed.com>
To: "Harry Eaton (pcb design program related)" <harry.eaton at jhuapl.edu>

Hello, I use pcb for years now and I wrote small patches against it in the
past, published at:

peter5.50webs.com/free

and also discussed on mailing lists, electronics-related.

It appears that the 20140316 release of pcb has some problems with gcode
export modes which my patches have solved since 2012 or so.

pcb v20140316 is part of the debian jessie linux distribution. There appears
to be no update in the normal .deb package stream higher than this version at
this time.

Bug description:

- gcode export of a small board with 139 holes outputs a drill file with only
  one hole in it. This happens both with advanced and simple gcode mode
  selected. It does not seem to matter how many holes are on the board, or
	whence the board design comes (like other version of pcb). This is how I
  found the bug. The board exports correctly to gcode on previous versions of
  pcb, namely, those patched by me.

Bug replication:

- create a 1x1in pcb, place one 6pin or 8pin part on it from the library,
  optionally create 2-3 traces on top and bottom. The traces do not influence
  the outcome.  The test parts used were a dip8 and a dip6 optocoupler.
- export the design using gcode, deselect pre-drill, select or deselect
  advanced-gcode deselect drill-mill.
- Visualize the .gcode output drill file, there will be only one hole in it,
  with a G81 cycle if advanced is selected, and a G1 fed one if not selected.

Expected outcome:

- There should be 6 or 8 or as many holes as there are in the design in the
  output drill file(s). See the hole commands by opening the gcode file with
  a text editor.

Since my patches against pcb 2010 version, at peter5.50webs.com/free do work
since 2012 or so, I hope you can find the time to fix this version (your
20140315) or indicate what upgrade path may be available for me to be able to
use these features, i.e. gcode export. An email would be appreciated to let me
know where we are standing on this. Thanks.