Chipndale 0.18 released
Chipndale 0.18 contains lots of internal changes made in long time. However, only minor adaptions of client programs are necessary. Chipndale is now several pages of code shorter. Since really everything has been updated, version 0.17 will be deleted soon.
DF file for designers
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cddesign.df
On bringover, the public option on cddesign18, cddesign now is important; with all you now get everything, which might be interesting for programers, but not for designers.
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/spinifex18.df
...
DF file for programmers
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cd18.df
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cmos18.df
...
DF file for documentation
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/CDDoc.df
Release strategy change
Chipndale has grown too much, and it is no more possible for us to maintain everything. Every author of some Chipndale tool is now asked too maintain his tool himself. The fact that some file is stored on /indigo/chipndale/ does NOT mean it is maintained automatically. Users of certain hacks are supposed to verify themselves whether the hack will be supported or not.
The following stuff is inside the chipndale-implementors support umbrella:
/indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cddesign©.df
cd©.df, cmos©.df, nmos©.df
CornerStitching©.df, spinifex©.df (soon)
For all the other stuff, no maintenance agreements exist yet. Authors will get pre-release messages few days in advance of the release.
New Hacks
CMos Color hack
A nice color hack for cmos has been written by Gerome and Louis;
bringover -P /indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/cmoscolors18.df
-- cmos now is supposed to be loaded already
run CMosColors
no further support yet
Press plot hack
New press plot package (use on RocknRoll or Stinger). Plots all layers in black.
(Also plots texts of chipnsil)
bringover -P /indigo/chipndale/5.2/top/PressPlot18.df
-- chipndale is supposed to be loaded already
CDPressPlot
-- will load the program; use <P-SHIFT-middle> to make a plot
no further support yet
Designer visible changes
Stretchy step move commands: step move+SHIFT.
Changed user profile options for selection of colors (maps and patterns).
New user profile options to put viewers on the color display.
Not loaded commands do no more appear in the menus.
Control panel: changing values with CTRL or SHIFT down shows a menu.
Control panel: button to create/split a design viewer.
<ESC-LF> stops drawing of viewer (commands are exchanged)
<ESC-DEL> abort command, (programmers (cif, plot,... :! please check for aborts)
Scaling and moving the view works concurrently with other commands!
<P-SHIFT-middle> executes programs which need a rectangular input area.
There is no way back from version 0.18 to 0.17.
The chipmonk compatible tiptable is no more available (code is removed).
User profile suggestions (for chipmonk compatible colors, ...)
Chipndale.FirstViewerOnColor: TRUE
Chipndale.ColorStartLeft: TRUE
Chipndale.ColorStartBits: 4
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorMaps: "default.CDColorMaps"
better: use full path name
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorMapNum: 2
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorPatterns: "default.CDColorPatterns"
better: use full path name
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorPatternNum: 3
Chipndale.ChipmonkColorPatternNum: 2
good value for nmos
Chipndale.SavePeriod: 0
to specify interval for automatic saving designs, in seconds; -1 to avoid saving
Definitions changes
CD:
DeviceDrawRef: worldClip gets comment as interrestrect, device might be different
gets new procedure to draw background if pushed
background level
match is removed; the exotic stretchy move feature moved to an exotic module..
hasChildren renamed to inDirectory;
CDBasics: new module; will replace CDInline, new proc: PushedIn
CDColors: new module, makes color definitions non private
CDCommandOps: new proc to redraw an application, to handle resources (cif, mask, plot)
CDDefaults: new module
CDDirectory: CDDirectoryExtras, CDExtras2 merged in; proc's another, replacedirectchild...
CDEvents: $Abort: new event
CDExtras: DecomposeRect, AppendExt removed
CDInline: Will be discarded in next version
CDInterestRects: new module, supports a rectangle which constitutes a designer specified border
CDIO: CDIOExtras merged in (working directories, file name handling)
CDMarkObjects: new module, not yet compatible with the tiler
CDMarks: marks must be used only on objects which are in the directory
CDMenus: new menu module, to allow dynamic inclusions in menus
CDObjectProcs: type included
CDOps: DelayedRedraw gets comment about efficiency
CDOrient: new representation of orientation; give up 45 degrees.
CDStretchyExtras: new module, to allow object implementors handling of stretchy move
CDTechnology: removed, replaced by CDDefaults, CDTipEtc
CDTipEtc: new module
CDX: new module, supports an origin which does no more move
Implementation changes
ChipmonkPatterns: new module
ChipmonkColorMap: new module
CDVPrivate: color definition stuff removed, to module CDColors
All the chipmonk compatible color handling is removed from basic Chipndale and can be loaded as new, separate module.
Use of interest rect for initial interactive placement of objects. (Use of inner rect for placement of objects in files.)
Christian