That would indicate as I suspected that the fix got backed out as part of the gerber changes. If you are lucky the fix may be able to be applied standalone without the rest of the gerber changes as it looks to have originally been standalone and got integrated in to the larger gerber fix. Refer to pull request 3083 (which is closed) in your pr as a source of a fix. Development is only just restarting so it may be some time before anything happens. I don’t know of a time line for the 0.9.5 release yet.
Hi, my first time ever using such software. I tried to get an understanding how parts are being made, or how to modify one, but didn’t get it yet.
I found a switch in the database ( SS13D01 ), which has 4 pins, 3 positions, but the one I need requires 5 pins, 4 positions. I’d appreciate if someone can modify that one for me and if there isn’t much to ask, a quick explanation of what had to be done in order to modify it. Didn’t seem to find a way how to add more contacts in part editor.
The easiest is likely to be one sketch for each pcb ( that will give you separate gerbers for each pcb.) The interconnections are represented by either connectors or headers. If you need one pcb for some reason, the same trick should work, the interconnect goes in to a connector or header and the matching connector (with no connection in schematic between them, which would create a net) for the interconnection. Someone else may have more suggestions, pcb is not usually my thing.
It is fairly complex, there are a series of tutorials but the learning curve is fairly steep. These three apply to the latest version of Fritzing, most of the rest are for older versions (pre parts editor):
I can do that easily enough (it is usually the best bet if you are new to part making), or perhaps there is one somehwhere, but I need the data sheet or at least a part number that will lead to the data sheet for the switch you want to know what it needs to look like.
Parts editor was not completed when development stopped in 2016, thus can only add new connectors in the fzp file, not the underlying svg files (I’m not even sure it can add connectors new connectors at all, but I am not all that familiar with parts editor either.) Thus you need to use a svg editor such as Inkscape to modify the svg files (which implies you know the format to do that which is poorly documented.) That is part of what makes part creation difficult (and the lack of documentation doesn’t help.) I generally find parts editor not worth the effort and just modify the underlying files directly, but that requires knowing what the files need to look like.
I originally read your report and I was a bit lost by the time I finished reading it. So I’m re-reading this and ready to fix the part, fixed the schematic.svg already. I read to the end of your reply and find you’ve fixed it all…
I was going to finish it and fix all the problems…
but I can use any generic 4 position switch for the schematics. The switch holes for pcb aren’t important, as it will be mounted freely and wires drawn from it.
This one could be a good source for a part model, I guess: https://www.chinadaier.com/4-position-slide-switch/
When I made this post, I assumed it would be rather easy to modify the existing switch and add another set of contacts. It’s only needed for wire routing, so they don’t float randomly and give me hard time.
Off-topic: you mentioned the development of the part editor stopped in 2016 … is it going to be continued? Is fritzing being still developed or is a dead end?
I noticed a lack of CMOS 4000 Series ICs on here so I’ve decided to take it upon myself to create these with correct schematic views and pin assignments. So far I’ve only create one but more to come; just thought I’d get an opinion on this one and some feedback before continuing.
Once you have climbed the learning curve. parts making is fairly easy, as was this one. It is possible to make a partial part even more easily, but I prefer to make proper parts that could be submitted for inclusion in core. A full part is useful for anyone else that needs the part (and may need the full part not a partial.) As requested here is how I did this part (with notes on how you should do it where that differs from what I did.) I copied the existing SS13D01 files in to a new directory and modified them, if you are not very familiar with making parts you should load the SS13D01 part in to Fritzing and edit it with the new parts editor. Change the metadata tab to match the new part (change the various labels to match the new part.) Particularly change the family name in the properties section as the family needs to be unique to this part. Then save the new part, export it and unzip the resulting fzpz file to give you the 5 files that make up a part: the fzp and 4 svg files. Now using aa svg editor such as Inkscape, edit the breadboard svg. Ungroup it completely then add the extra pins by duplicating them. In this case because the original part was single pole I interleaved the pins with a .1 offset in y to make the needed dual row of pins and expanded the length of the rectangles to cover the new pins leaving this:
Now on to schematic, edit the schematic svg and as with breadboard add the necessary pins for the 2nd pole and (from the data sheet for the switch) set up the switching configuration: the 4 lines with arrows all connect together and will move one terminal position with each indent I believe. Again add and number the necessary new pins to get this:
Now on to the pcb svg. In this case because it connects with wires, pcb is not the same as real life but rather a dual row 10 pin header which will accept either .1in headers or wires soldered in to the pads. Again add the new connectors and number them correctly giving this:
Now all your svg files are created and you could run the resulting svgs through FritzingCheckPart.py (to remove the xml that the svg editors add that Fritzing won’t accept) or do the same via a text editor on the svg file and load them in to the new parts editor to assign the pin numbers. I chose (as I usually do) to directly edit the fzp file to do the same thing. I used FritzingCreateFzpConnectors.py to create the new connector defiinitions (which I believe you need to do anyway, I don’t think parts editor will create new connectors although I could be wrong), and added that to the fzp file and added the pin name and description fields. Then I ran FritzingCheckPart.py on the fzp file to make sure everything was ok. The script checks the syntax of all the files and insures all the connectors are defined if not placed, correctly and as noted cleans up a number of svg editor issues. Then all that was left is to load the part and test it in Fritzing to make sure all the connections are correct and the gerber export is correct (there are a number of bugs which make a board look fine in Fritzing but not in the gerber output.) As all that checks here is the completed part:
The Aisler (who run the fab) CTO has succeeded in getting development restarted. The 0.9.4 release made a month or so ago is the first result of that effort. It is mostly a test of the new build environment (the previous one no longer exists) with the handful of bug fixes committed since 2016. Assuming we can get funding from donations to fund professional developers there will be more releases. The code base is to complex to depend on volunteer developers (I have been trying that route for the last couple of years without any notable success) so a revenue stream is needed. The jury is still out in whether that will be successful, but the new release at least buys fritizing a couple more years before bit rot destroys it again (the current release had already started to fail due to unsupported library versions on some OSs). Hopefully development will continue.
First couple of suggestions: be lazy, parts making is hard, always search for an existing part first. In this case the 4011 is in core parts in both a single version like the above and a subpart version (where the individual gates can be moved around.) Even if it wasn’t in core parts a google search of the form “fritzing part 4011” may turn up a part (which may or may not be any good) elsewhere on the net or in the forums. That said, the part above is only the .fzp file not the needed .fzpz file (which includes the svg files) so I can’t tell you how good it is. If you post the .fzpz file I’ll have a poke at it.
Greetings. Compliments of the season. I have been trying to use vertical component parts unsuccessfully. I have read lots of suggestions about using fzpz extension files but end up with with stating the file or directory is not found no matter where I put it.
Can anyone of this community help with a better solution I have seen on line.
Greatly appreciated. Porrapai south Africa
As a workaround you can export the PCB to SVG and import it into Inkscape. You will still see the lines in InkScape, however not on the print.
This also allows you to print multiple design’s on a single sheet ( i use UV light method for creating PCB’s)
I once created a boring video which demostrates how to do this:
Ok, seems that the download page is slightly changed between now and the time OP posted. Strangle enough I noticed that when I logged in to the website that I have an “I already paid” option which allows me to direct download. Then I felt bad for not donating so I went back to the download page and made the donation, however when returning from paypal to Fritzing it resulted in an internal server error. @KjellM I can share / pm the ‘return’ link if that helps investigation
Personally I find that the download section can still be improved. I don’t think people are reluctant to donate, as long as it’s clearly explained that you either donate and get binaries or build it yourself (which no-one will probably do anyhow, heck i’m member of an Agile development team (Java), i checked if I could easily build it but when I saw the instruction i was like; nope, not gonna do that, too much effort)
Usage of Patreon is an interesting suggestion as it also would allow for recurring donations (for example $1 each month) and (I think) it allows controlled distribution of the binaries
A fzp file is not a .fzpz file (the .fzp is only one part of an .fzpz file. In this case, use the Resistor upright.fzpz file from this post. Download it, start Fritzing and do File->open then navigate to the fzpz file and click OK. That will load the part in to the mine parts bin ready for use:
A search for “top view” in the forums will find the other similar parts (leds transistors etc.) designed for perfboard use. A fzpz file is a zipped file that contains typically 5 files, a .fzp and 4.svg files (one for each view):
You can export them by right clicking on the part in the parts bin and selecting export part which will write the .fzp file. You can then unzip the .fzpz file to modify the above files to change the part (although that is not easy to do.)
There you need to right click and select “save link as” to download the fzpz file. Once downloaded, open Fritzing and select File->open, navigate to the RCWL-0516_Microwave_Radar_Motion_Sensor_Module.fzpz file and click OK. That will load the part in to the mine parts bin ready for use.
stating the file or directory is not found no matter where I put it.