[SKiDL BUG] `netlist_to_skidl` requires top sheet

[shanemmattner]

In development branch the new logic for netlist_to_skidl will not properly parse parts or nets on the top sheet. So you must have the top sheet just be documentation and other schematic sheets. However, this logic works well for complex hierarchical sheets so we should leave it in for now.

Example of erroneous behavior:

Terminal command:

netlist_to_skidl -i simple.net -o simple_out

netlist file simple.net:

(export (version "E")
  (design
    (source "/Users/shanemattner/Desktop/skidl/simple/simple.kicad_sch")
    (date "2025-02-03T19:07:40-0800")
    (tool "Eeschema 8.0.8")
    (sheet (number "1") (name "/") (tstamps "/")
      (title_block
        (title)
        (company)
        (rev)
        (date)
        (source "simple.kicad_sch")
        (comment (number "1") (value ""))
        (comment (number "2") (value ""))
        (comment (number "3") (value ""))
        (comment (number "4") (value ""))
        (comment (number "5") (value ""))
        (comment (number "6") (value ""))
        (comment (number "7") (value ""))
        (comment (number "8") (value ""))
        (comment (number "9") (value ""))))
    (sheet (number "2") (name "/r2/") (tstamps "/f0106cc7-bcaf-4eae-80a7-294f7e8ff323/")
      (title_block
        (title)
        (company)
        (rev)
        (date)
        (source "r2.kicad_sch")
        (comment (number "1") (value ""))
        (comment (number "2") (value ""))
        (comment (number "3") (value ""))
        (comment (number "4") (value ""))
        (comment (number "5") (value ""))
        (comment (number "6") (value ""))
        (comment (number "7") (value ""))
        (comment (number "8") (value ""))
        (comment (number "9") (value "")))))
  (components
    (comp (ref "R1")
      (value "R")
      (description "Resistor")
      (fields
        (field (name "Footprint"))
        (field (name "Datasheet"))
        (field (name "Description") "Resistor"))
      (libsource (lib "Device") (part "R") (description "Resistor"))
      (property (name "Sheetname") (value "Root"))
      (property (name "Sheetfile") (value "simple.kicad_sch"))
      (property (name "ki_keywords") (value "R res resistor"))
      (property (name "ki_fp_filters") (value "R_*"))
      (sheetpath (names "/") (tstamps "/"))
      (tstamps "b877a166-ca19-4ecc-a7fb-fdc585ad6315"))
    (comp (ref "R3")
      (value "R")
      (description "Resistor")
      (fields
        (field (name "Footprint"))
        (field (name "Datasheet"))
        (field (name "Description") "Resistor"))
      (libsource (lib "Device") (part "R") (description "Resistor"))
      (property (name "Sheetname") (value "Root"))
      (property (name "Sheetfile") (value "simple.kicad_sch"))
      (property (name "ki_keywords") (value "R res resistor"))
      (property (name "ki_fp_filters") (value "R_*"))
      (sheetpath (names "/") (tstamps "/"))
      (tstamps "f52ce8ae-1b07-4abf-b779-2b61cb5c82e0"))
    (comp (ref "R2")
      (value "R")
      (description "Resistor")
      (fields
        (field (name "Footprint"))
        (field (name "Datasheet"))
        (field (name "Description") "Resistor"))
      (libsource (lib "Device") (part "R") (description "Resistor"))
      (property (name "Sheetname") (value "r2"))
      (property (name "Sheetfile") (value "r2.kicad_sch"))
      (property (name "ki_keywords") (value "R res resistor"))
      (property (name "ki_fp_filters") (value "R_*"))
      (sheetpath (names "/r2/") (tstamps "/f0106cc7-bcaf-4eae-80a7-294f7e8ff323/"))
      (tstamps "8d8ce9d4-7aee-497b-9789-d162dd2ef370")))
  (libparts
    (libpart (lib "Device") (part "R")
      (description "Resistor")
      (docs "~")
      (footprints
        (fp "R_*"))
      (fields
        (field (name "Reference") "R")
        (field (name "Value") "R")
        (field (name "Footprint"))
        (field (name "Datasheet") "~")
        (field (name "Description") "Resistor"))
      (pins
        (pin (num "1") (name "") (type "passive"))
        (pin (num "2") (name "") (type "passive")))))
  (libraries
    (library (logical "Device")
      (uri "/Applications/KiCad/KiCad.app/Contents/SharedSupport/symbols//Device.kicad_sym")))
  (nets
    (net (code "1") (name "+3V3")
      (node (ref "R1") (pin "1") (pintype "passive")))
    (net (code "2") (name "/r2/pwr_in")
      (node (ref "R1") (pin "2") (pintype "passive"))
      (node (ref "R2") (pin "1") (pintype "passive"))
      (node (ref "R3") (pin "1") (pintype "passive")))
    (net (code "3") (name "GND")
      (node (ref "R2") (pin "2") (pintype "passive"))
      (node (ref "R3") (pin "2") (pintype "passive")))))

main.py output:

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
from skidl import *
from r2 import r2


def main():
    # Create global nets

    # Create subcircuits
    r2()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()
    generate_netlist()

r2.py output:

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
from skidl import *

@subcircuit
def r2():
    # Local nets
    r2_pwr_in = Net('/r2/pwr_in')
    GND = Net('GND')

    # Components
    R2 = Part('Device', 'R', value='R', ref='R2', fields={'Sheetname': 'r2', 'Sheetfile': 'r2.kicad_sch', 'ki_keywords': 'R res resistor', 'ki_fp_filters': 'R_*'})


    # Connections
    r2_pwr_in += R2['1']
    GND += R2['2']
    return

[devbisme]

I assume the netlist file is parsing correctly so there's not a problem with kinparse 1.2.3, but there is a problem with the logic that generates the SKiDL code from the parsed netlist?

[shanemmattner]

Correct, kinparse looks to be working properly. I believe the netlist_to_skidl logic is failing due to the top Sheetname being Root vs the Sheetpath being /.

[devbisme]

I was writing the unit test for netlist_to_skidl and I found that it doesn't generate SKiDL from a netlist created using generate_netlist because there aren't any sheet elements. So I'm going to do the following:

1. Modify generate_netlist so the sheet elements are included in the netlist file.
2. Modify netlist_to_skidl so it will operate even when there are no sheet elements.

While doing that, I'll see if I can address this problem where parts and nets are ignored at the top level.

[devbisme]

I reworked netlist_to_skidl. Now it will handle circuitry defined on the top level. I regenerated your example and compared the new SKiDL code to the original and they seem nearly equivalent. I imported the netlist generated by the new code into PCBNEW and that seemed OK. Still, I think you should take a look at what the new netlist_to_skidl is doing to make sure it's what you want.