[Globals][Added] work_layer

- To choose the temporal layer for internal operations

Closes #713

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [1.8.3] - UNRELEASED
 ### Added
+- Global options:
+  - `work_layer`: to choose the temporal layer for internal operations (#713)
 - BoM:
   - Field aliases ${QUANTITY} and ${ITEM_NUMBER} for compatibility with
     KiCad's internal BoM.
@@ -29,6 +31,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - BoM
   - The field name `Reference` was accepted, but didn't work
 
+### Changed
+- Default temporal layer for internal use is now "Margin", instead of "User.9"
+
+
 ## [1.8.2] - 2024-10-28
 ### Added
 - Experimental GUI

docs/source/Changelog.rst

@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ Versioning <https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html>`__.
 Added
 ~~~~~
 
+-  Global options:
+
+   -  ``work_layer``: to choose the temporal layer for internal
+      operations (#713)
+
 -  BoM:
 
    -  Field aliases ${QUANTITY} and ${ITEM_NUMBER} for compatibility
@@ -48,6 +53,12 @@ Fixed
 
    -  The field name ``Reference`` was accepted, but didn’t work
 
+Changed
+~~~~~~~
+
+-  Default temporal layer for internal use is now “Margin”, instead of
+   “User.9”
+
 [1.8.2] - 2024-10-28
 --------------------
 
@@ -107,6 +118,8 @@ Fixed
 -  Expansion of internal field names. KiCad expands “VALUE”, not
    “Value”, which is what you see in the GUI
 
+.. _changed-1:
+
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
 
@@ -257,7 +270,7 @@ Fixed:
    fills, that could generate huge lines in the generated PCB, not
    supported by KiCad. (#660)
 
-.. _changed-1:
+.. _changed-2:
 
 Changed:
 ~~~~~~~~
@@ -388,7 +401,7 @@ Fixed
    -  Expansion of variables in fields could fail if the KiCad config
       wasn’t initialized
 
-.. _changed-2:
+.. _changed-3:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -418,7 +431,7 @@ Added
 -  Navigate results: A header and navigation bar (#582)
 -  BoM: support for SVG format in the logos (#383)
 
-.. _changed-3:
+.. _changed-4:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -615,7 +628,7 @@ Added
    -  Added a new mode where we can control the added/removed colors
       (#551)
 
-.. _changed-4:
+.. _changed-5:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -840,7 +853,7 @@ Added
    -  ``quote_all``: forces quotes to all values in the CSV output. (See
       #456)
 
-.. _changed-5:
+.. _changed-6:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -1020,7 +1033,7 @@ Fixed
 
    -  ref_y coordinate not used. (#419)
 
-.. _changed-6:
+.. _changed-7:
 
 Changed:
 ~~~~~~~~
@@ -1275,7 +1288,7 @@ Added
 
    -  Option to control the *SVG precision* (units scale)
 
-.. _changed-7:
+.. _changed-8:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -1420,7 +1433,7 @@ Fixed
 -  Position: Components wrongly separated by side when the side column
    wasn’t the last column (#313)
 
-.. _changed-8:
+.. _changed-9:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -1523,7 +1536,7 @@ Fixed
    when VAR isn’t defined. The old code tried to make it an absolute
    path.
 
-.. _changed-9:
+.. _changed-10:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -1586,7 +1599,7 @@ Fixed
    orientation.
 -  svg_pcb_print: page orientation for portrait.
 
-.. _changed-10:
+.. _changed-11:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -1746,7 +1759,7 @@ Added
 -  Support for ``--subst-models`` option for KiCad 6’s kicad2step.
    (#137)
 
-.. _changed-11:
+.. _changed-12:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -1837,7 +1850,7 @@ Added
 -  Basic KiCost support (**experimental**).
 -  Basic internal BoM and KiCost integration (**experimental**).
 
-.. _changed-12:
+.. _changed-13:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -1949,7 +1962,7 @@ Added
 -  KiAuto time-out control.
 -  Now you can import outputs from another config file.
 
-.. _changed-13:
+.. _changed-14:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -1996,7 +2009,7 @@ Added
 -  A filter to rotate footprints in the position file (#28).
 -  The step output now can download missing 3D models.
 
-.. _changed-14:
+.. _changed-15:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -2109,7 +2122,7 @@ Fixed
 [0.6.2] - 2020-08-25
 --------------------
 
-.. _changed-15:
+.. _changed-16:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -2142,7 +2155,7 @@ Added
 
 -  More robust behavior on GUI dependent commands.
 
-.. _changed-16:
+.. _changed-17:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -2194,7 +2207,7 @@ Added
    -  ``error_number`` -> ``number``
    -  ``regexp`` -> ``regex``
 
-.. _changed-17:
+.. _changed-18:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -2214,7 +2227,7 @@ Changed
 [0.5.0] - 2020-07-11
 --------------------
 
-.. _changed-18:
+.. _changed-19:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -2320,7 +2333,7 @@ Added
 -  Better debug information when a BoM fails to be generated.
 -  Support for compressed YAML files.
 
-.. _changed-19:
+.. _changed-20:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -2362,7 +2375,7 @@ Fixed
 [0.2.4] - 2020-05-19
 --------------------
 
-.. _changed-20:
+.. _changed-21:
 
 Changed
 ~~~~~~~

docs/source/configuration/sup_globals.rst

@@ -211,4 +211,5 @@
       -  ``use_pcb_fields`` :index:`: <pair: global options; use_pcb_fields>` [:ref:`boolean <boolean>`] (default: ``true``) When a PCB is processed also use fields defined in the PCB, for filter and variants processing.
          This is available for KiCad 8 and newer.
       -  ``variant`` :index:`: <pair: global options; variant>` [:ref:`string <string>`] (default: ``''``) Default variant to apply to all outputs.
+      -  ``work_layer`` :index:`: <pair: global options; work_layer>` [:ref:`string <string>`] (default: ``'Margin'``) Layer used for temporal tasks, choose a layer you are not using in your design.
 

kibot/__main__.py

@@ -324,7 +324,6 @@ def detect_kicad():
             GS.kicad_dir = 'kicad-nightly'
         GS.pro_ext = '.kicad_pro'
         # KiCad 6+ doesn't support the Rescue layer, they can save it to disk, but can't load it
-        GS.work_layer = 'Margin'
     else:
         # Bug in KiCad (#6989), prints to stderr:
         # `../src/common/stdpbase.cpp(62): assert "traits" failed in Get(test_dir): create wxApp before calling this`
@@ -333,7 +332,6 @@ def detect_kicad():
         with hide_stderr():
             GS.kicad_conf_path = pcbnew.GetKicadConfigPath()
         GS.pro_ext = '.pro'
-        GS.work_layer = 'Rescue'
     # Dirs to look for plugins
     GS.kicad_plugins_dirs = []
     # /usr/share/kicad/*

kibot/globals.py

@@ -387,6 +387,8 @@ def __init__(self):
             self.layer_defaults = Layer
             """ [list(dict)=[]] Used to indicate the default suffix and description for the layers.
                 Note that the name for the layer must match exactly, no aliases """
+            self.work_layer = 'Margin'
+            """ Layer used for temporal tasks, choose a layer you are not using in your design """
             self.include_components_from_pcb = True
             """ Include components that are only in the PCB, not in the schematic, for filter and variants processing.
                 Note that version 1.6.3 and older ignored them """

kibot/gs.py

@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ class GS(object):
     kicad_share_path = None
     kicad_dir = 'kicad'
     kicad_plugins_dirs = []
-    work_layer = 'Rescue'
     # KiCad version: major*1e6+minor*1e3+patch
     kicad_version_n = 0
     kicad_version_major = 0
@@ -138,7 +137,7 @@ class GS(object):
     cli_global_defs = {}
     # The variant value, but already solved
     solved_global_variant = None
-    #  This is used as default value for classes supporting "output" option
+    # This is used as default value for classes supporting "output" option
     def_global_output = '%f-%i%I%v.%x'
     # The class that controls the global options
     class_for_global_opts = None
@@ -216,6 +215,7 @@ class GS(object):
     global_kicad_dnp_applied = None
     global_kicad_dnp_applies_to_3D = None
     global_cross_using_kicad = None
+    global_work_layer = None
     pasteable_cmd = shlex.join if hasattr(shlex, 'join') else lambda x: str(x)   # novermin
 
     @staticmethod

kibot/kiplot.py

@@ -213,6 +213,10 @@ def load_board(pcb_file=None, forced=False):
     try:
         with hide_stderr():
             board = pcbnew.LoadBoard(pcb_file)
+        if board.GetLayerID(GS.global_work_layer) < 0:
+            raise KiPlotConfigurationError(f"Unknown layer used for the global `work_layer` option"
+                                           f" (`{GS.global_work_layer}`)")
+
         if GS.global_invalidate_pcb_text_cache == 'yes' and GS.ki6:
             # Workaround for unexpected KiCad behavior:
             # https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/14360
@@ -532,14 +536,14 @@ def get_output_dir(o_dir, obj, dry=False):
 def config_output(out, dry=False, dont_stop=False):
     if out._configured:
         return True
-    # Should we load the PCB?
-    if not dry:
-        if out.is_pcb():
-            load_board()
-        if out.is_sch():
-            load_sch()
-    ok = True
     try:
+        # Should we load the PCB?
+        if not dry:
+            if out.is_pcb():
+                load_board()
+            if out.is_sch():
+                load_sch()
+        ok = True
         out.config(None)
     except (KiPlotConfigurationError, PlotError) as e:
         msg = "In section '"+out.name+"' ("+out.type+"): "+str(e)

kibot/out_base.py

@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ def remove_paste_and_glue(self, board, comps_hash):
         old_badhes = []
         old_fmask = []
         old_bmask = []
-        rescue = board.GetLayerID(GS.work_layer)
+        rescue = board.GetLayerID(GS.global_work_layer)
         fmask = board.GetLayerID('F.Mask')
         bmask = board.GetLayerID('B.Mask')
         if GS.global_remove_solder_mask_for_dnp:
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ def remove_graphics_from_layer(self, board, comps_hash, layer_name):
         logger.debug(f'Removing from {layer_name}')
         layer_id = board.GetLayerID(layer_name)
         old_graphs = []
-        rescue = board.GetLayerID(GS.work_layer)
+        rescue = board.GetLayerID(GS.global_work_layer)
         for m in GS.get_modules_board(board):
             ref = m.GetReference()
             c = comps_hash.get(ref, None)

kibot/out_pcb_print.py

@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ def get_targets(self, out_dir):
         return [self._parent.expand_filename(out_dir, self.output)]
 
     def clear_layer(self, layer):
-        tmp_layer = GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.work_layer)
+        tmp_layer = GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.global_work_layer)
         cleared_layer = GS.board.GetLayerID(layer)
         moved = []
         for g in GS.board.GetDrawings():
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ def plot_frame_ki8_external(self, dir_name, p, page, pages, color):
             # https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/18959
             logger.debugl(1, '  - Fixing images')
             # Do a manual draw, just to collect any image
-            ws.draw(GS.board, GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.work_layer), page, self.pcb.paper_w, self.pcb.paper_h, tb_vars)
+            ws.draw(GS.board, GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.global_work_layer), page, self.pcb.paper_w, self.pcb.paper_h, tb_vars)
             ws.undraw(GS.board)
             # We need to plot the images in a separated pass
             self.last_worksheet = ws
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ def plot_pads(self, la, pc, p, filelist):
         id = la._id
         logger.debug('- Plotting pads for layer {} ({})'.format(la.layer, id))
         # Make invisible anything but through-hole pads
-        tmp_layer = GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.work_layer)
+        tmp_layer = GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.global_work_layer)
         moved = []
         removed = []
         vias = []
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ def plot_vias(self, la, pc, p, filelist, via_t, via_c):
         id = la._id
         logger.debug('- Plotting vias for layer {} ({})'.format(la.layer, id))
         # Make invisible anything but vias
-        tmp_layer = GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.work_layer)
+        tmp_layer = GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.global_work_layer)
         moved = []
         removed = []
         vias = []
@@ -946,7 +946,7 @@ def move_kibot_image_groups(self):
         if GS.ki5:
             # Groups were introduced in KiCad 6
             return
-        tmp_layer = GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.work_layer)
+        tmp_layer = GS.board.GetLayerID(GS.global_work_layer)
         for g in GS.board.Groups():
             name = g.GetName()
             if not name.startswith('kibot_image_'):