v0.0.2

Changelog

All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.

The format is based on Keep a Changelog, and this project adheres to Semantic Versioning.

Unreleased

[0.0.2] - 2026-06-12

Fixed

• Packaging: the metadata.json embedded inside the distributed zip no longer
  carries repository-level distribution fields (download_sha256,
  download_url, download_size, install_size). A package can't contain its
  own download hash, and KiCad's official Plugin and Content Manager validator
  rejects download_sha256 in the in-package metadata. This unblocks
  submission to the official KiCad PCM repository.

0.0.1 - 2026-05-08

Initial release. Exports KiCad cable-harness projects to Splice CAD.

Added

• Connector + jumper detection. Auto-detects from .kicad_pcb by reference prefix (J, CN, CON, P, X) plus footprint-name regex (JST / Molex / TE / Hirose / Phoenix / generic header / socket / plug variants). Filters out mounting holes (MP*, MH*, MTG*), np_thru_hole pads, and unnumbered pads.
• Manufacturer / MPN extraction from KiCad symbol + footprint properties. Recognizes a long synonym list (Manufacturer, Mfr, MFG, Vendor, Manufacturer_Part_Number, MPN, Mfr_PN, …) with case- / space- / underscore- / hyphen-insensitive matching. Optional fuzzy classifier (default on, settings toggle) catches arbitrary *_PART_NUMBER / *_MANUFACTURER_* variants.
• Pin functions from netlist. Reads sibling <project>.net and labels each connector pin with its net name. Strips KiCad's leading-slash on hierarchical net names. Unconnected pins display as NC.
• Splice CAD desktop handoff. Plugin discovers a running desktop app via its discovery file, probes /api/health, and POSTs the plan over loopback (X-Splice-Desktop-Secret auth). Plan loads in the desktop window with no network roundtrip — works offline. Falls back to web POST if desktop isn't running.
• Web fallback to the configured Splice CAD backend URL. Bearer-token authentication via the Authorization header. Creates a real Project + project_plan owned by the authenticated user; the response includes the open_url for the editor.
• Settings dialog (Tools → External Plugins → Splice CAD — Settings). API key, server URL, fuzzy-property toggle, prefer-desktop toggle. Test-connection button validates against the configured server. API key is optional when desktop app is the user's only path.
• Preview dialog (Tools → External Plugins → Export to Splice CAD). Shows board summary, send-path status (desktop / web), per-connector list with metadata, full pin tables. Checkbox per connector to deselect from export. Send button shows the live count.
• Auto-grid layout for imported connectors so they land on a usable canvas. ELK auto-arrange in Splice CAD can re-flow them.
• BOM entries emitted alongside PlanNodes — manufacturer / MPN / spec.positions / pin labels / pin functions all populate the Splice CAD BOM panel via the bomEntryId linkage.
• Stable IDs. Re-exporting the same project produces identical node and pin IDs (UUID5 derived from the connector's reference) so the editor can recognize a re-import as an update of the same shape.
• KiCad project name flows through to the Splice CAD project name (sibling .kicad_pro filename, falling back to the board stem).
• Toolbar icon + Splice CAD branding throughout.

Compatibility

• KiCad 9.0+ (uses pcbnew.ActionPlugin).
• Python 3.9+ (matches KiCad's bundled interpreter).

Known limitations

• The Splice_* symbol-annotation override fields (Splice_Skip, Splice_Part, Splice_Ref, Splice_Pin_Map, Splice_Group, Splice_Twisted) are documented in RFC-003 §4.5 but not yet implemented. Tracked for v0.1.0.
• Re-exporting the same project always creates a new Splice CAD project. Dedupe-by-external_id is planned for v0.1.0.
• Hierarchical schematics are supported via the netlist (post-elaboration) but not by parsing .kicad_sch directly.
• Schematic raw .kicad_sch parsing isn't shipped — the plugin reads PCB footprints + netlist properties.

Internal

• 237 unit tests covering parser, detector, builder, client, config, and dialog helpers.
• Hand-rolled S-expression parser ported byte-for-byte from the Splice CAD frontend's kicadParser.ts (drift-checked via shared kicad-detect.json).
• Stdlib-only HTTP (urllib.request); no requests or other pip-installable deps to satisfy KiCad PCM's no-runtime-pip rule.

v0.0.1

Changelog

All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.

The format is based on Keep a Changelog, and this project adheres to Semantic Versioning.

Unreleased

0.0.1 - 2026-05-08

Initial release. Exports KiCad cable-harness projects to Splice CAD.

Added

• Connector + jumper detection. Auto-detects from .kicad_pcb by reference prefix (J, CN, CON, P, X) plus footprint-name regex (JST / Molex / TE / Hirose / Phoenix / generic header / socket / plug variants). Filters out mounting holes (MP*, MH*, MTG*), np_thru_hole pads, and unnumbered pads.
• Manufacturer / MPN extraction from KiCad symbol + footprint properties. Recognizes a long synonym list (Manufacturer, Mfr, MFG, Vendor, Manufacturer_Part_Number, MPN, Mfr_PN, …) with case- / space- / underscore- / hyphen-insensitive matching. Optional fuzzy classifier (default on, settings toggle) catches arbitrary *_PART_NUMBER / *_MANUFACTURER_* variants.
• Pin functions from netlist. Reads sibling <project>.net and labels each connector pin with its net name. Strips KiCad's leading-slash on hierarchical net names. Unconnected pins display as NC.
• Splice CAD desktop handoff. Plugin discovers a running desktop app via its discovery file, probes /api/health, and POSTs the plan over loopback (X-Splice-Desktop-Secret auth). Plan loads in the desktop window with no network roundtrip — works offline. Falls back to web POST if desktop isn't running.
• Web fallback to the configured Splice CAD backend URL. Bearer-token authentication via the Authorization header. Creates a real Project + project_plan owned by the authenticated user; the response includes the open_url for the editor.
• Settings dialog (Tools → External Plugins → Splice CAD — Settings). API key, server URL, fuzzy-property toggle, prefer-desktop toggle. Test-connection button validates against the configured server. API key is optional when desktop app is the user's only path.
• Preview dialog (Tools → External Plugins → Export to Splice CAD). Shows board summary, send-path status (desktop / web), per-connector list with metadata, full pin tables. Checkbox per connector to deselect from export. Send button shows the live count.
• Auto-grid layout for imported connectors so they land on a usable canvas. ELK auto-arrange in Splice CAD can re-flow them.
• BOM entries emitted alongside PlanNodes — manufacturer / MPN / spec.positions / pin labels / pin functions all populate the Splice CAD BOM panel via the bomEntryId linkage.
• Stable IDs. Re-exporting the same project produces identical node and pin IDs (UUID5 derived from the connector's reference) so the editor can recognize a re-import as an update of the same shape.
• KiCad project name flows through to the Splice CAD project name (sibling .kicad_pro filename, falling back to the board stem).
• Toolbar icon + Splice CAD branding throughout.

Compatibility

• KiCad 9.0+ (uses pcbnew.ActionPlugin).
• Python 3.9+ (matches KiCad's bundled interpreter).

Known limitations

• The Splice_* symbol-annotation override fields (Splice_Skip, Splice_Part, Splice_Ref, Splice_Pin_Map, Splice_Group, Splice_Twisted) are documented in RFC-003 §4.5 but not yet implemented. Tracked for v0.1.0.
• Re-exporting the same project always creates a new Splice CAD project. Dedupe-by-external_id is planned for v0.1.0.
• Hierarchical schematics are supported via the netlist (post-elaboration) but not by parsing .kicad_sch directly.
• Schematic raw .kicad_sch parsing isn't shipped — the plugin reads PCB footprints + netlist properties.

Internal

• 237 unit tests covering parser, detector, builder, client, config, and dialog helpers.
• Hand-rolled S-expression parser ported byte-for-byte from the Splice CAD frontend's kicadParser.ts (drift-checked via shared kicad-detect.json).
• Stdlib-only HTTP (urllib.request); no requests or other pip-installable deps to satisfy KiCad PCM's no-runtime-pip rule.