====== gattrib README ======
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*************  DANGER!!  Read the entirety of this  **************
************  README before you try runing gattrib!  *************
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INTRODUCTION

Gattrib is gEDA's attribute editor.  It reads a set of gschem .sch
files (schematic files), and creates a spreadsheet showing all
components in rows, with the associated component attributes listed in
the columns.  It allows the user to add, modify, or delete component
attributes outside of gschem, and then save the .sch files back
out.  When it is completed, it will allow the user to edit attributes
attached to components, nets, and pins.  (Currently, only component
attribute editing is implemented; pin attributes are displayed only,
and net attributes are TBD.) 

Gattrib is useful in situations where you need to view, add, modify,
or delete a number of attributes all at once.  It saves you the pain
of clicking on each component and repeatedly using gschem's attribute 
editor to modify component attributes.  For example, if you create a
large design with generic components, and then later want to attach
"footprint" attributes to your components, it is a real hassle to do
so using gschem.  In this situation, you can run gattrib on your
design files to attach the "footprint" attributes all at once using an
easy-to-use spreadsheet. 

WARNING NOTE:  Gattrib is currently PRE-ALPHA SOFTWARE!
It has been tested on several designs, but is not garuanteed to work.
It may even trash your design!  Therefore, if you wish to try gattrib
out, please create a backup copy of your design before you run it!

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USAGE

You can invoke gattrib on your design from the command line in the
following way:

gattrib my_design_*.sch

(This assumes you have a multi-page design with file names
"my_design_1.sch", "my_design_2.sch", etc.)  Gattrib will then read in
your design, and present you with a spreadsheet showing all components
and associated attributes. 

You can also just run gattrib, and specify the input files using the
file->open dialog box.

To edit your attributes, just edit the cells in the spreadsheet.  

To save your design, just select "save" from the command menu.  Note
that no checks are currently done when you select save.  Be careful!

To quit, just select "quit" from the command menu.  Note that
currently no checks thet you have saved your design are done when you
quit.  

If you want to add an entirely new attribute to your design (i.e. one
which doesn't exist on any component), you must first attach at least
one instance of that attribute to a component using gschem.  Then you
can use gattrib to attach the attribute to the remaining components.
(The reason for this is that gattrib creates its spreadsheet columns
based upon all attributes it finds when reading in the design.
Therefore, to create a column for a new attribute, you need to make
sure that that new attribute pre-exists in the design.)  In the future,
you will be able to add new attribute columns directly from gattrib,
but this feature is currently unimplemented.

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FEATURES

The following features are currently implemented:

*  .sch file read in from command line.
*  .sch file read in from menu.
*  .sch file save out from menu.
*  Component attribute editing (of course).
*  Pin attribute viewing.
*  Quit from menu.

The following features are currently unimplemented, but will be
incorporated at some future date:

*  Throw up "Are you sure" dialog boxes upon selecting "save" and
   "quit" from menu.
*  Alphabetic sort of rows.  (Should happen automatically upon read-in
   of design.)
*  Editing of net attributes (important for setting routing
   attributes). 
*  Adding/deleting attribute columns (to add/delete entire sets of
   attributes from a design.)
*  Search/replace of individual attributes.
*  Search for component refdeses & netnames.
*  Set/view component & net visibility (through options pull-down
   menu).  Currently, visibility is "invisible", and both name & value
   are displayed (if you turn on the visibility).

Note that if you select unimplemented features from the menu, nothing
will happen.

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INSTALLATION

To install gattrib, place the tarball in the directory where your gEDA
sources live.  Then do:

tar -zxvf geda-gattrib-20040806.tar.gz
cd geda-gattrib-20040806
./configure --prefix=/path/to/your/geda/stuff
make
make install

Note that you may need to set some environment variables first.  If
your compilation barfs, try setting these (for csh):

setenv LD_LIBRARY_PATH /usr/local/geda/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
setenv PATH /usr/local/geda/bin:$PATH
setenv PKG_CONFIG_PATH /usr/local/geda/lib/pkgconfig:$PKG_CONFIG_PATH

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CREDITS/CONTACT:

Gattrib was cobbled together by Stuart Brorson starting in December
2003 from parts culled from GtkSheet (GTK+Extra) and gEDA.  Please
mail bug reports to: sdb@cloud9.net



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