gEDA-dev: Tomaz's new application icons

[Peter Clifton]

On Sat, 2007-12-22 at 13:20 +0100, Tomaz Solc wrote:
> Hi
> 
> > Ok, I completed the landscape set for schematics. I think it helps to
> > differentiate between schematic / symbol at least.
> > 
> > http://www2.eng.cam.ac.uk/~pcjc2/geda/icons/mime/
> 
> These icons are great. They differ more from the symbol icons than my 
> version.

Thanks. When it hit me... "why should all icons be portrait format", I
knew I had to try laying out a landscape schematic with title-block.

Its not blocking me for gEDA, but I can't figure out whats best to use
for a PCB footprint. Probably something not green, but just containing a
single component. DIP8 or SO8 ought to be recognisable, although perhaps
picking a surface mount component, like 0805 or a SOT-23 transistor
might scale better down to 16x16. TO92 is another option. (The 3-pin
versions provide a tie-in with the gEDA symbol icon too).

I think a problem with the PCB icon specifically (in relation to what
Ben said), is that its trying to look like a PCB and has defined edges,
yet with the number of pixels available, we don't have the space to
describe a full layout. The defined edges say "full PCB", but the layout
says not. I couldn't think of any way around this though, and it doesn't
seem too great an issue with the schematic icons.

I need to make / steal a spreadsheet icon. (and probably adorn it with a
NAND gate or something) to use as an icon for gattrib. The OpenOffice
one on my system is rubbish, although the gnumeric icon is a bit better,
I might still have to start from scratch.

> If you would these for the schematic icon you could also use a 
> transistor symbol on 16x16 version of the "gEDA Symbol" icon instead of 
> a diode (reduces confusion when transistor changes to diode).

Good point. I'd wondered about having to change the other sym icons to a
diode, but didn't think about the other way round!

> My only comment would be that smaller icons are a bit crowded. And that 
> the schematic icons have darker lines than symbol icons. It would be 
> nice if all used the same tint for consistency.

I could try to remove / collapse the title-block area on the smaller
icons.

I'll see how the schematic looks with lighter lines. As I was drawing
it, it seemed clearer with darker lines, so perhaps I'll try darkening
the sym icons as well. (They might meet at some middle colour).

-- 
Peter Clifton

Electrical Engineering Division,
Engineering Department,
University of Cambridge,
9, JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0FA

Tel: +44 (0)7729 980173 - (No signal in the lab!)