changelog.txt

*kicad StepUp 3D mechanical exporter* for collaborative exchange between KiCad and FreeCAD/MCAD;
With *kicad StepUp*, it is possible to work in kicad EDA with the same component model data
available in the *STEP AP214 3D format*, and obtain a 3D STEP AP214 model of the pcb board and
a complete board assemblies with electronic modules, to be used for *MCAD interchange*.
The accurate 3D visualization of components on board assemblies in kicad 3dviewer, is
maintained in the same accuracy and aspect in STEP AP214 format. +
The *kicad StepUp* maintains the usual way to work with kicad, but improves the process
to work in a collaborative way with mechanical designers bringing near ECAD and MCAD environments. +
With kicad StepUp you will get an exact representation of your physical board in Native 3D PCB
v9.0.2.2 August 2019

please refer to
kicadStepUp-starter-Guide.pdf


*Copyright*
-----------
This document and kicad StepUp scripts are Copyright � 2015 by Maurice.
You may distribute it and/or modify it under the terms of either
the GNU Affero General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation
to ensure cooperation with the community in the case of network server software;             *
for detail see the LICENCE text file.
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl-3.0.en.html
Moreover you have to include the original author copyright.
All trademarks within this guide belong to their legitimate owners.
Kicad STEPUP (TM) is a TradeMark and cannot be freely usable

Risk disclaimer
---------------
*USE 3D CAD DATA AT YOUR OWN RISK *
*DO NOT RELY UPON ANY INFORMATION FOUND HERE WITHOUT INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION.*


Changelog
---------
- upgrade kicadstepup version
- resized font size
- add bbox and volume images on the starter guide
- add ksu config more detailed description
- complete volume_minimum config in doc
- improved OSX QtGui File Open
- better arc and line import
- remove test button
- enable confirm on exit
- replace FreeCAD.Console.Message -> say 
- collision and proximity as microelly
- added messages on missing emn files
- added messages on missing models
- added path to adapt your KISYS3DMOD
- added blacklist for unwanted modules
- added messages on blacklisted modules
- added pcb color attribute
- added bounding box option
- added bounding box white list to leave real model on connector or peripheral models
- added auxorigin, base origin, base point placement option
- added vrml models z-rotation angle
- added virtual models option
- added fusion export option
- added saving in native format, export to STEP
- added arcs and circles for calculate board position
- added idf_to_origin flag for version >6091
- added reset properties for FC 016 bug
- added ${KIPRJMOD} support
- added v3,v4 pcb version support
- added multi 3D vrml model support
- added compatibility to kicad version >=3
- added auto color assigning in bboxes
- added minimum volume per model
- added minimum height per model
- updated findPcbCenter method
- added support for .stp extension beside .step
- added support for .igs extension beside .step
- added support for .iges extension beside .step
- because of hole sovrapposition prob...
- cutting hole by hole instead of hole compound
- added holes_solid var
- to have holes as solid to guarantee cutting
- handled single circle 
- used OpenSCAD2Dgeom instead of wire + face (best option)
- http://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Macro_Creating_faces_from_a_DXF_file
- fixed unicode text parsing
- double option .kicad_pcb .emn
- in case of non coincidences .emn is more tolerant
- try to build wires on closed shaped for make the cutting faster
- try to optimize cutting changing creation/type of holes
- manage bklist and volume
- accept with or without /\ at the end of 3Dpath
- search models in KIPRJMOD and in KISYS3DMOD 
- removed unicode chars in .kicad_pcb
- exported wrl, step from python
- reload & display ini cfg file
- display/edit ini file with syntax highlight
- msg first ksu config
- added warning for import step multi part fixed v3035
- commented warning in load footprint and in placing step mod if x,y are different from 0 0 0
- added message if scale are different from 1 1 1
- non stopping warning for footprint
- added command line args to load board(/emn)
- avoid argv in memory in case of opened from  command line
- used multi cut also for footprint too
- enabled loadB, loadI, loadF with filename=None to align Mod and Macro
- enabled Macro & Mod
- added ico tools info
- added checkbox export_2_step
- added export2STEP var in ini file
- subst print to say
- fixed cursor wait
- angle on pads for footprint pads angle i.e. DB25M_V ok
- improved multipart load checking
- added virtual checkbox
- added VRML with material properties exporter
- added metal grey material
- added multipart VRML option
- improved export resolution from %.3f, %.5f to %g
- added config for material props
- pad & holes as circles when possible
- improved multipart load checking
- removed illegal characters in filenames when exporting VRML and STEP
- message of missing models at the end
- implemented caching for 3D models
- optimized for fusion w/ colors
- added support for alias i.e. :Kicad3D: as for environment variables
- added crease angle for wrl export 
- added support for ${KISYS3DMOD}/ in new 3d viewer path resolver
- accepting .wrl .step .stp .iges .igs as 3d models directly in kicad_pcb
- added fixedPosition for aligning part to footprint in assembly2
- message if scale values are not assigned to 1 1 1
- added support for wrl offset in position & rotation when loadboard
- added bbox creation based on scaled values (1mm as base unit)
- added height and volume blacklist for scaled shapes
- added error message in case of scale factor not 1:1 for non scaled box
- fixed base point for lower case settings
- added single instance
- added open file type 'rb' 'ab' and write file 'wb' type binary for utf8 full support
- added fix to rect pads in footprint loader
- non blocking warning only for scale <> 1
- fixed minor issues in FC015 loading fp
- added models3Dprefix as default saving location
- added $HOME support for unix systems (it doesn't resolve on win)
- added OCC >=7 FC 0.17 compatibility for Footprint pads, lines, arcs
- added check if the models3Dprefix is writable, otherwise will write on $HOME
- added 2nd path to resolver prefix3d_2
- added wrl materials dialog theme compatibility
- reduced export file size
- accept the new Part.LineSegment using yorik help function FC 0.17 >= 9123
- EdgeCuts for footprint will generate a path on FP loader
- EdgeCuts in footprint will generate Cuts in Board
- accepted utf8 for model in kysys3mod or alias
- checked spaces in name
- added edge tolerance on vertex coincidence
- added /n to say() and removed extra /n in each say msg
- removed print in all doc ()<print "here  ... etc
- removed unnecessary messages (when non coincident edges)
- removed extra messages helping debug
- fixed edge tolerance on FC 017 >9255
- message when adjusting edges
- animation when assembled
- moved config read-write to my own method for full utf-8 support
- accept utf8 on 3D prefix path
- accept utf8 on saving loading last path
- tidy up a bit the utf-8 code
- regenerate ksu-config if too short
- enabled upper case on config
- added message on edge not coincident
- added turntable section
- added 'no layers' for pads
- allowed STEP multipart (creating compound)
- added exception on import step model
- added better theme integration
- improved tolerance on edges <0.005 #edge coincidence tolerance (5000nm = 1/2 centesimo) base is mm
- updated import IDF mod
- added font size in config
- added improved way to load step files as compound from vejmarie
- accepted lower and upper case for extension (linux is case sensitive os)
- added align_vrml_step_colors when saving with material properties
- assigned shininess and specular color for single color Shapes
- fixed position for rotated fp-modules with offset
- fixed position for all rotation and offset
- fixed edge cuts for bottom modules
- fixed circle in circle edges
- added tolerance warning > 1e-6 #(1nm) base is mm
- substituted  (== None) -> (is None)
- disabling VBO during loading modules to avoid crashing (new bug from 0.17 after 10101)
- disabling Part-o-Magic observer if exists (not possible without calling the PoM function)
- added full unicode support for names in compounds
- removed activateWorkbench("PartWorkbench") if Assembly2 is active
- added Glass materials to exporting
- added virtual parts skipped message
- added recursive App::Part single copy (thx nico!) to compatibility with FC > 10647
- implemented App::Part also for moving/rotating obj and exporting model
- added support for opening footprints kicad_mod from command line
- disabling VBO during loading footprints to avoid crashing (new bug from 0.17 after 10101)
- removed IDF import
- removed Move X,Y,Z buttons
- resetP always enabled
- collision cb, virtual cb, expstep cb, reset placement cb, setGeometry
- textEdit -> textBrowser for html links to tutorials
- link to local config file on disk
- moved to icon based GUI
- minor dock fixing
- temporary_undock to enable dock left & right memory on edit/help
- fusion & compound buttons (App::Part compatible)
- handling bad fusion redirect to compound
- added toggle on minimize button
- fixed Qt5 OSX issues
- removed App. changed to FreeCAD in remaining instances
- fixed App::Part relative placement
- started moving toward compatibility to py3
- small fix to avoid VRML selection when exporting
- added pcb colors for exporting
- fixed bug on multiple mixed models per footprint position/rotation
- compatibility py3
- added Step_Virtual_Models folder for mechanical parts
- added workaround for "bug for ImportGui *.iges" -> using "Part.insert"
- cleaned License for App::Part containers (.License .LicenseURL)
- added warning_nbr in case of too many missing models
- added reset placement before exporting wrl & STEP model
- added warning in case of drill and volume used in config
- added ReadShapeCompoundMode parameter for step import shapes with colors on LoadBoard and (+)Import Step
- added ReadShapeCompoundMode var also when (+) importing step models
- added force_oldGroups to force old method if set to True
- use_AppPart instead of Groups for FC0.17 > FC_export_min_version="11670"
- managed Export2MCAD for exporting hierarchy and not if fused selected
- added semantic parser to speed up .kicad_pcb parsing up to 70 times faster for pcb loading
- added Top & Bottom containers for STEP models
- added allow_compound mode 'simplify' to enable fast loading (losing colors)
- removing empty Top/Bot containers after loading models (only on FC 0.17)
- added relative 3d path '../'
- added F.Fab F.CrtYd to loadFootprint function
- added StepUp WorkBench
- fixed utf-8 str to Label
- recurse placement for Collision check ['Placement.multiply']: now it works also with App::Part, Body & Compound in FC0.17
- added links to pdf files in Help
- added config value for autoconstraints in sketcher
- auto constraint coincident points and vertical/horizontal
- some cleaning on warn messages for wrong scale, missing models
- boost in cutting drills
- added sketch button
- started experimental Sketch support
- improve help and add sketch functionality
- auto constraint coincident points and vertical/horizontal
- edge_width from kicad_pcb
- managed not supported geometry BSplines & Ellipses with optimized deviation   # loop in App.ActiveDocument.PCB_Sketch.Geometry searching for coincident vertex 
- aligned Sketch to center of A4 in pcbnew if first time 
- removing sketches from export 3d to step button
- removing sketches in FC0.16 and when exporting automatically
- added use grid_origin as reference point for placing the board and for sketch!!!
  this will allow to copy sketches between boards releases to keep constraints
- fixed Sketch position for default use BaseOrigin @ 0,0,0 
- fixed App::Part list inverted after FC 12090 https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/pull/916
- fixed case of pcb with one drill only
- minor fix when exporting wrl from multi objects 
- fixed tabify
- added better support for Body (hidden Parts)
- fixed a regression in Sketch
- fixed Arc orientation when creating Sketch from dxf,svg
- improved FC0.16 compatibility
- aligned GridOrigin also in case of Sketch copy/paste from empty board
- aligned pushing pcb to GridOrigin from empty Sketch/Board (only GridOrigin set)
- removed draftify bugged function
- added support for arc of 360 deg
- added oval exception if only one value is done
- starting py3 compatibility
- added offset in mm after kicad_pcb version 20171114
- moved edgestofaces to internal function
- fixed ellipses
- added new materials
- improved bspline to arcs
- started footprint exporter (smd [rect, oval, circle])
- added Round Rectangles and Poly Lines (for RF design)
- simple copy button added
- improved TH, NPTH and SMD pads
- bspline allowed on footprint F_Silks
- solder Mask Zones for Polylines
- added Check for Solid property
- ZLength for BBox height
- skipped Points in geometry of sketch
- added single copy and PDN copy (object flattening)
- added Zip open of STEP file(s)
- added option to check updates
- added Sketch simplifier
- added loading pad poly in fp
- fixed simplify sketch
- improved Qt5 compatibility
- added workaround for STEP exporting OCC 7.2.0
- improved STEP exporting with hierarchy, onelevel, flat options
- added QtGui.QApplication.processEvents() for Qt5
- skipping \" characters
- added 'links' for import mode settings
- moved the generation of PCB inside the Sketch to Face process
- adding Geometry and Constraints as a single instruction to avoid long delay with sketches
- added Constrinator
- allowed ArcOfCircle for Polyline Pads
- roundrect pads for import footprint supported
- assigned combobox to defined colors
- improved generation of complex footprint with arcs
- partially implemented Circle Geometry primitive
- improved writing fp data 
- push Moved 3D model(s) to kicad PCB
- sync Reference in case of lost correct Label (import export STEP file with Links)
- improved precision on board data using "{:.3f}".format for pushpcb & Pushfootprint and angles
- re-introduced ability to use footprints with edge cuts inside
- restored ability to load pcb edge from footprint instead of Sketch
- added option (not used) to simplify compsolid to solid
- added support for pcb reading gr_poly on Edge.Cuts
- improved fp parsing for custom geo
- improved fp parsing for custom geo again
- first implementation of bspline edge import (TBD: spline w control points, push to pcb)
- pushpcb working with gr_curves, downgrading to arcs and lines (TBD: use spline)
- spline w control points
- fixing pushing pcb
- adding support for double quotes on kicad_pcb and kicad_mod format
- bsplines allowed for push&pull kicad_pcb
- fixed hanging issue on AppImages (thread)
- improved simplify sketch
- workaround force saving before exporting VRML (win freeze bug)
- importing custom Geo also for bottom layer
- fixed wbs ordering
- added edges2sketch function
- local coordinate system reference added
- improved search for 3d models on local path without using KIPRJMOD
- initial support for App::Link & App::LinkGroup
- most clean code and comments done