gEDA-dev: New diagram (attempt at UML)

[John Griessen]

Peter Clifton wrote:
  we could extend the file-format slightly to allow
> multiple pages per file (and make this the "official" way of defining a
> "circuit").

Steve Meier wrote:
in my netlister
<snip>
 > Pass 1) Create list of unique files
 > Pass 2) Collect components, nets and buses for each unique file
 > Pass 3) Flatten pages to make a super page that has all instances of
 > all components, nets and buses.

It seems to naturally fall out of looking at hierarchy that you get a "whole circuit" picture somehow.
File based or memory based steps both need that view.  I think making the file format require that
any "whole circuit" hierarchic view be in one file makes sense.

For instance, when placing a hierarchy module in a schematic  you get an embedded file section
for that module on the next save, and the external file is no longer the one most up to date
and isn't used again.  You might still want to use that module in other ways, so you could
export the latest version as a way to keep it in sync with the hierarchic module that
is embedded in one file with the "whole circuit" view.

John Griessen