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drforbin edited this page Mar 20, 2020 · 1 revision

Introduction

This document describes the Lepton EDA suite configuration system.

Currently, there are two types of configuration files:

  1. Traditionally, Lepton EDA and gEDA settings were stored as Scheme source code files, and some of them are still in use: gafrc and gschemrc. The work is underway to convert these to the new configuration system.
  2. New settings are stored in *.conf ini-like text files and can be accessed using the lepton-cli config command.

NOTE 1: In an upcoming Lepton EDA release (1.9.10) all the gschemrc and many gafrc options will be deprecated. Some configuration groups will be renamed. New and renamed options are marked with [ 1.9.10 ].

NOTE 2: An upcoming Lepton EDA release (1.9.10) will no longer use legacy names for its configuration files (geda.conf, geda-user.conf, geda-system.conf). Settings will be read from the lepton.conf, lepton-user.conf, and lepton-system.conf files, respectively. Use the lepton-upcfg utility to upgrade your settings.

Table of contents

Resources

Documentation

Web pages

Utilities

  • GUI configuration utility: lepton-conf (home page). lepton-conf now has the ability to work with both legacy (geda*.conf) and new (lepton*.conf) configuration files, which could be helpful in settings upgrade process.

Other resources (outdated, but may be useful)

Overview

Below is a simplified description of how to work with new configuration system.

Configuration parameters are always evaluated within a configuration context. Each context is associated with a configuration file (although the file does not necessarily need to exist).

There are five configuration contexts:

  • DEFAULT

    • contains default values for configuration settings (read-only)
    • configuration file: none
    • parent context: none

  • SYSTEM

    • contains system-wide settings
    • configuration file: geda-system.conf (lepton-system.conf [ 1.9.10 ])
    • configuration file location: $PREFIX/share/lepton-eda/ ($PREFIX is the installation prefix, e.g. /usr or /usr/local)
    • parent context: DEFAULT
    • lepton-cli config option to access this context: --system

  • USER

    • contains per-user settings
    • configuration file: geda-user.conf (lepton-user.conf [ 1.9.10 ])
    • configuration file location: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/lepton-eda/ ($XDG_CONFIG_HOME usually expands to $HOME/.config)
    • parent context: SYSTEM
    • lepton-cli config option to access this context: --user

  • PATH

    • contains per-project (per-directory) settings
    • configuration file: geda.conf (lepton.conf [ 1.9.10 ])
    • configuration file location: current directory (or directory specified by --project)
    • parent context: USER
    • lepton-cli config option to access this context: --project[=PATH]

  • CACHE

    • contains program-specific settings (dialog geometry, command history, etc.; normally, you do not use it directly)
    • configuration file: gui.conf
    • configuration file location: $XDG_CACHE_HOME/lepton-eda/ ($XDG_CACHE_HOME usually expands to $HOME/.cache)
    • parent context: none
    • lepton-cli config option to access this context: --cache

Context inheritance means that if particular configuration parameter is not found in current context, the value from the parent context will be used. And if parameter is set in the child context it will override one set in the parent context(s).

Configuration file contains groups and key=value pairs, for example:

[group]
key=value

Lines beginning with a # and blank lines are considered comments:

# This is a comment

lepton-cli utility with the config command is used to read and write configuration settings:

lepton-cli config [OPTION] [GROUP KEY [VALUE]]

OPTION can be either --system, --user, --project[=PATH], or --cache to access the SYSTEM, USER, PATH or CACHE context, respectively.

For example, to get value of the font key from the schematic.gui group in the USER configuration context, issue the following command:

$ lepton-cli config --user "schematic.gui" "font"

It will print the result to standard output:

OpenGost Type B TT Regular

To set that value to Monospace Regular for configuration in the current directory, type:

$ lepton-cli config --project "schematic.gui" "font" "Monospace Regular"

Configuration settings for tools in the Lepton EDA suite

1. lepton-schematic

[schematic.gui] group:

  • use-docks

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • How to display widgets: as dialogs (false) or inside the dock widgets (true).

  • use-tabs

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to use tabbed GUI: display each schematic in its own tab within GtkNotebook widget.

  • font

    • type: string
    • default value: "" (empty string)
    • The name of the font to be used to draw text in schematics. For example: font=OpenGost Type B TT Regular

  • text-sizes

    • type: list of strings
    • default value: empty list
    • If set, these values will appear in the 'size' combo box of 'add text' and 'edit text' dialogs instead of the default ones (set in gschem_toplevel.c: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26). For example: text-sizes=2;3;4;5;6;8

  • max-recent-files

    • type: integer
    • default value: 10
    • Maximum number of recent files to show in File->Open Recent menu.

  • title-show-path

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Whether to show full file path in the main window's title.

  • restore-window-geometry

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to restore main window's size and position on startup.

  • draw-grips [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls if the editing grips are drawn when selecting objects.

  • toolbars [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls if the toolbars are visible or not.

  • scrollbars [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls if the scrollbars are visible or not.

  • handleboxes [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls if the handleboxes for the menu and toolbars are visible or not.

  • zoom-with-pan [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Sets the zoom functions to pan the display and then zoom.

  • fast-mousepan [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Controls if text is drawn properly or if a simplified version (a text string bounding box) is drawn during mouse pan. Drawing a simple box speeds up mousepan a lot for big schematics.

  • continue-component-place [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls the behavior of the "Select Component..." dialog. Allows to place multiple instances of a component without having to press the "Apply" button each time.

  • file-preview [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls if the preview area in the File Open/Save As dialog boxes is enabled.

  • enforce-hierarchy [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls if the movement between hierarchy levels of the same underlying schematics is allowed or not. If this is enabled, then the user cannot (without using the page manager) move between hierarchy levels. Otherwise, the user sees all the hierarchy levels as being flat.

  • third-button-cancel [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls if the third mouse button cancels draw actions such as placing of a component or drawing of a primitive.

  • warp-cursor [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Controls if the cursor is warped (moved) when you zoom in and out.

  • force-boundingbox [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Controls if the entire bounding box of a symbol is used when figuring out which end of the pin is considered the active port. This option is for backward compatibility with old schematic file format.

  • net-direction-mode [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Guess the best continuation direction of an L-shape net when adding a net.

  • embed-components [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Determines if the newly placed components are embedded in the schematic.

  • netconn-rubberband [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Maintain net connections when you move a connected component or net.

  • magnetic-net-mode [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to mark a possible connection that is close to the current cursor position when drawing a net.

  • zoom-gain [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 20
    • The percentage size increase/decrease when zooming in/out with the mouse wheel. Negative values reverses the direction.

  • mousepan-gain [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 1
    • Controls how much the display pans when using mouse. A larger value provides greater pan distance when moving the mouse.

  • keyboardpan-gain [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 20
    • Controls how much the display pans when using the keyboard keys. A larger value provides greater pan distance.

  • select-slack-pixels [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 10
    • Controls how many pixels around an object can still be clicked as part of that object. A larger value gives greater ease in selecting small, or narrow objects.

  • text-size [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 10
    • Sets the default text size.

  • snap-size [ 2.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 10
    • Sets the default grid spacing.

  • scrollpan-steps [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 8
    • Controls the number of scroll pan events required to traverse the viewed schematic area. Larger numbers mean more scroll steps are required to pan across the viewed area and giving finer control over positioning.

  • dots-grid-dot-size [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 1
    • Controls the size of the grid dots (in pixels) in the dots grid display.

  • dots-grid-fixed-threshold [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 10
    • Specifies the minimum number of pixels for the grid to be displayed. Controls the density of the displayed grid (smaller numbers will cause the grid to be drawn denser). This option is only effective when the dots-grid-mode is set to "fixed".

  • mesh-grid-display-threshold [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 3
    • Specifies the minimum line pitch for the grid to be displayed. Controls the maximum density of the displayed grid before the minor, then the major grid lines are switched off.

  • action-feedback-mode [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: outline
    • values: outline, boundingbox
    • Sets the default action feedback mode for copy, move, and component place operations. When set to "boundingbox", just a box surrounding objects is drawn, which is much faster. It may help with slow hardware.

  • text-caps-style [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: both
    • values: both, lower, upper
    • Sets the default caps style used for the input of text.

  • middle-button [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: mousepan
    • values: mousepan, popup, action, stroke, repeat
    • Controls what the middle mouse button does:
      • mousepan: mouse panning
      • popup: display the popup menu
      • action: perform an action on a single object
      • stroke: draw strokes
      • repeat: repeat the last command

  • third-button [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: popup
    • values: popup, mousepan
    • Controls what the third mouse button does:
      • popup: display the popup menu
      • mousepan: mouse panning

  • scroll-wheel [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: classic
    • values: classic, gtk
    • Controls the binding of the mouse scroll wheel:
      • classic: zoom in/out, with Ctrl - horizontal scroll, with Shift - vertical scroll
      • gtk: vertical scroll, with Shift - horizontal scroll, with Ctrl - zoom in/out

  • grid-mode [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: mesh
    • values: mesh, dots, none
    • Sets the type of the grid.

  • dots-grid-mode [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: variable
    • values: variable, fixed
    • Controls the mode of the dotted grid. In the variable mode, the grid spacing changes depending on the zoom factor. In the fixed mode, the grid always represents the same number of units as the snap-spacing. You can control the density of the grid using the dots-grid-fixed-threshold option.

  • net-selection-mode [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: enabled_net
    • values: enabled_net, enabled_all, disabled
    • Controls how many net segments are selected when you click at a net:
      • enabled_all:
        • first click selects the net itself
        • second click selects all nets directly connected to the selected one
        • third click in addition selects all nets with equal netname attributes
      • enabled_net:
        • first click selects the net itself
        • second click selects all nets directly connected to the selected one
      • disabled:
        • mouse clicks just selects the clicked net

  • default-titleblock [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: title-B.sym
    • Symbol (usually, a title block) to be automatically added when a new page is created. If you do not want to use a title block, set this option to an empty string.

[schematic.tabs] group:

  • show-close-button

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to show "close" button on each tab.

  • show-up-button

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to show "hierarchy up" button on each tab.

  • show-tooltips [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to show tabs tooltips in tabbed GUI.

[schematic.status-bar] group:

  • show-mouse-buttons

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Whether to show mouse buttons assignment indicators.

  • show-rubber-band

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to show net rubber band mode indicator.

  • show-magnetic-net

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to show magnetic net mode indicator.

  • status-bold-font

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Whether to display the status line with bolder font weight.

  • status-active-color

    • type: string
    • default value: "green"
    • Color to use for the status line text when some mode is activated. The string can be either one of a set of standard names (taken from the X11 rgb.txt file), or a hex value in the form #rrggbb.

[schematic.undo] group:

  • modify-viewport

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Allow undo/redo operations to change pan and zoom.

  • undo-control [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls if the undo is enabled or not.

  • undo-type [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: disk
    • values: disk, memory
    • Controls what kind of medium is used for storing undo data. The disk mechanism is nice because you get undo-level number of backups of the schematic written to disk as backups so you should never lose a schematic due to a crash.

  • undo-levels [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 20
    • Determines the number of levels of undo.

  • undo-panzoom [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Controls if pan or zoom commands are saved in the undo list. If this is enabled, then a pan or zoom will be considered a command and can be undone.

[schematic.log-window] group:

  • font
    • type: string
    • default value: "Monospace 11"
    • Custom font for the log window (e.g. "Monospace 10").

[schematic.macro-widget] group:

  • history-length

    • type: integer
    • default value: 10
    • Maximum number of items to keep in the macro-widget command history.

  • font

    • type: string
    • default value: "Monospace 11"
    • Font to be used to draw text in the macro-widget command entry. For example: font=Monospace 12

[gschem] ([schematic] [ 1.9.10 ]) group:

  • default-filename
    • type: string
    • default value: "untitled"
    • Default file name for any new schematic files. It is used to create filenames of the form untitled_N.sch where N is a number.

[gschem.library] ([schematic.library] [ 1.9.10 ]) group:

  • component-attributes

    • type: string list
    • default value: *
    • List of attribute names (semicolon-separated) that are displayed in the component select dialog. An empty list will disable the attribute view. If the first list element is an asterisk "*", all attributes will be displayed in the alphabetical order.

  • sort

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • If true, the component libraries are sorted alphabetically. Otherwise they are sorted in the order opposite to what they were added in.

[gschem.printing] ([schematic.printing] [ 1.9.10 ]) group:

  • layout

    • type: string
    • default value: auto
    • values: auto, portrait, landscape
    • When using a paper size, set the orientation of the output. If "auto" layout is used, the orientation that best fits the drawing will be used.

  • monochrome

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Toggle monochrome (true) or color (false) output.

  • paper

    • type: string
    • default value: "iso_a4"
    • Size the output for a particular paper size. The default value depends on the current locale. Described in the PWG 5101.1 standard (Printer Working Group "Media Standardized Names"). Examples: iso_a4, iso_a5, na_letter.

[schematic] group [ 1.9.10 ]:

  • bus-ripper-size [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 200
    • Sets the size of the auto bus rippers.

  • bus-ripper-type [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: component
    • values: component, net
    • Sets the bus ripper type, either a symbol (component) or plain net.

  • bus-ripper-symname [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: busripper-1.sym
    • The default bus ripper symbol, used when the schematic::bus-ripper-type configuration key is set to "component". The symbol must exist in a component library.

  • bus-ripper-rotation [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: non-symmetric
    • values: non-symmetric, symmetric
    • This deals with how the bus ripper symbol is rotated when it is auto added to a schematic.

  • net-consolidate [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Controls if the net consolidation code is used when schematics are read in, written to disk, and when nets are being drawn (does not consolidate when things are being copied or moved yet). Net consolidation is the connection of nets which can be combined into one.

  • logging [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Determines if the logging mechanism is enabled.

  • log-window [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: string
    • default value: later
    • values: later, startup
    • Controls if the log window is shown when lepton-schematic is started up (startup), or not (later).

  • auto-save-interval [ 1.9.10 ]

    • type: int
    • default value: 120
    • Controls how often a backup copy is made, in seconds. The backup copy is made when you make some change to the schematic, and there were more than "interval" seconds from the last autosave. Autosaving will not be allowed if setting it to zero.

[schematic.backup] group [ 1.9.10 ]:

  • create-files [ 1.9.10 ]
    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Enable the creation of backup files (NAME.sch~) when saving a schematic.

[schematic.attrib] group [ 1.9.10 ]:

The parameters in this group replaces the deprecated options used to be set in gafrc files.

  • promote [ 1.9.10 ]

    • former gafrc option: attribute-promotion
    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Set if attribute promotion occurs when you instantiate a component. Attribute promotion means that any floating (unattached) attribute which is inside a symbol gets attached to the newly inserted component when it is instantiated.

  • always-promote [ 1.9.10 ]

    • former gafrc option: always-promote-attributes
    • type: string list
    • default value: footprint;device;value;model-name
    • The list of attributes that are always promoted regardless of their visibility.

  • promote-invisible [ 1.9.10 ]

    • former gafrc option: promote-invisible
    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Set if invisible floating attributes are promoted when a component is instantiated.

  • keep-invisible [ 1.9.10 ]

    • former gafrc option: keep-invisible
    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Do not change this option. Here's the original description from the system-gafrc file: "If both attribute-promotion and promote-invisible are enabled, then this controls if invisible floating attributes are kept around in memory and NOT deleted. Having this enabled will keeps component slotting working. If attribute-promotion and promote-invisible are enabled and this keyword is disabled, then component slotting will NOT work (and maybe other functions which depend on hidden attributes, since those attributes are deleted from memory)."

2. lepton-netlist

[gnetlist] ([netlist] [ 1.9.10 ]) group:

  • default-net-name

    • type: string
    • default value: "unnamed_net"
    • Default name used for nets for which the user has set no explicit name via the netname= or net= attributes.

  • default-bus-name

    • type: string
    • default value: "unnamed_bus"
    • Default name used for buses for which the user has set no explicit name via the netname= or net= attributes.

  • net-naming-priority

    • type: string
    • default value: net-attribute
    • values: net-attribute, netname-attribute
    • Specify which attribute, net or netname, has priority if a net is found with two names. Any netname conflict will be resolved using the chosen attribute.

[gnetlist.hierarchy] ([netlist.hierarchy] [ 1.9.10 ]) group:

  • traverse-hierarchy

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Turn on/off hierarchy processing.

  • mangle-refdes-attribute

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to mangle sub-schematic's refdes attributes.

  • refdes-attribute-order

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • While mangling refdes attributes, whether to append (false) or prepend (true) sub-schematic's ones.

  • refdes-attribute-separator

    • type: string
    • default value: "/"
    • Separator string used to form mangled refdes attribute names.

  • mangle-netname-attribute

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to mangle sub-schematic's netname attributes.

  • netname-attribute-order

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • While mangling netname attributes, whether to append (false) or prepend (true) sub-schematic's ones.

  • netname-attribute-separator

    • type: string
    • default value: "/"
    • Separator string used to form mangled netname attribute names.

  • mangle-net-attribute

    • type: boolean
    • default value: true
    • Whether to mangle sub-schematic's net attributes.

  • net-attribute-order

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • While mangling net attributes, whether to append (false) or prepend (true) sub-schematic's ones.

  • net-attribute-separator

    • type: string
    • default value: "/"
    • Separator string used to form mangled net attribute names.

3. lepton-cli

The following settings controls the behaviour of lepton-cli utility when it's invoked with the export command.

[export] group:

  • align

    • type: list of two doubles in the form HALIGN;VALIGN or string "auto"
    • default value: "auto"
    • Set how the drawing is aligned within the page. HALIGN controls the horizontal alignment, and VALIGN the vertical. Each alignment value should be in the range 0.0 to 1.0. The "auto" alignment is equivalent to a value of 0.5;0.5, i.e. centered.

  • dpi

    • type: integer
    • default value: 96
    • Set the number of pixels per inch used when generating PNG output.

  • font

    • type: string
    • default value: "Sans"
    • Set the font to be used for drawing text.

  • layout

    • type: string
    • default value: auto
    • values: auto, portrait, landscape
    • When using a paper size, set the orientation of the output. If "auto" layout is used, the orientation that best fits the drawing will be used.

  • margins

    • type: list of four integers in the form TOP;LEFT;BOTTOM;RIGHT
    • default value: 18;18;18;18
    • Set the widths of the margins to be used (the minimal distances from the sheet edges; actual margins may be larger if the sizes of the chosen paper do not meet the sizes of the printed schematic).

  • monochrome

    • type: boolean
    • default value: false
    • Toggle monochrome (true) or color (false) output.

  • paper

    • type: string
    • default value: "iso_a4"
    • Size the output for a particular paper size. The default value depends on the current locale. Described in the PWG 5101.1 standard (Printer Working Group "Media Standardized Names"). Examples: iso_a4, iso_a5, na_letter.

  • size

    • type: list of two doubles in the form WIDTH;HEIGHT or string "auto"
    • default value:
    • Size the output with specific dimensions. If the size is "auto", select the size that best fits the drawing. This overrides the paper key (see the previous entry).
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