[Feature Request] Share third 'Arc editing mode' that you already have.
When you draw an arc you:
- set its center,
- set its radius,
- set its angle.
I suggest the function used during 'set its angle' to be also available later as the third "Arc editing mode" to be chose from. I think when this mode will be selected and arc selected that only two editing points (at its ends) should be shown as modification points.
When it is needed:
- when you know the arc center and radius but you don't know its ends angles when first time drawing it,
- when you know the arc center and radius but your arc is completely in one quadrant of the coordinate system without reaching any of the axes (so you can't click to precisely set its radius,
- to not have to compose one arc of two to be able to precisely set its radius if none of arc ends is at X or Y direction from its center.
Here is the PCB I have designed yesterday: BR71A_A.zip
I'm not sure if I used the optimum way but for example to make the big arc at Edge.Cuts I have added arcs 4 times. At first I added 2 arcs - one from top point to the right bottom, close to expected final end second from top point to the left bottom, close to expected final end.
Then I was able to draw the bottom part of Edge.Cuts and that allowed me to decide where my big arc ends should be. If I'm not blind none of the available methods of arc editing allow to shift ends being sure you don't change center and radius so I deleted both arcs and then added them once more this time finishing at the correct points.
If the editing mode I suggest to make available (not only during arc drawing but also later) were available I would add that arc only once. I would start if from top to the right and then modified its top end to the left. And when I got to know where end points should be I would only shift arc ends as needed.
I used the same procedure for all 3 coils that are at that PCB. I would have much less work if I could just shift arc ends a little.
I know that with accepted precision I could do it using one of methods available but what wrong in being as precision as you can.
The other example when such editing would be useful is following PCB shape:
It seems logical that all big arcs should have the same center and radius, but only bottom contains a point that you can precisely set radius (making it from 2 parts) and 2 arcs at top and 2 small parts at right and left don't contain a point to specify the exact radius.
I know that such things can be made using external graphic program and would not ask for designing specially for it a new functions.
But as you already have that functionality used during arc drawing than I think it would be logical just to allow its use also later as edit mode.
KiCad Version
Application: KiCad PCB Editor x64 on x64
Version: 7.0.7, release build
Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.2.2
FreeType 2.12.1
HarfBuzz 6.0.0
FontConfig 2.14.1
libcurl/7.88.1-DEV Schannel zlib/1.2.13
Platform: Windows 10 (build 19044), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
Build Info:
Date: Aug 14 2023 02:42:39
wxWidgets: 3.2.2 (wchar_t,wx containers)
Boost: 1.81.0
OCC: 7.7.1
Curl: 7.88.1-DEV
ngspice: 40
Compiler: Visual C++ 1936 without C++ ABI
Build settings:
KICAD_SPICE=ON