PCB (and Schematic) reverse engineering

[jpyeron]

From time to time I have a PCB and I need to fix it or make changes, etc. Some of these times I go full reverse engineer.

Today is one of those days, but I decided to make my life easier (and share). I am patching KiCad, this is the punch list I started with:

Priority   Change
1   Quiet PCB/schematic sync (done)
2   Ctrl+Alt route-and-join
3   Automatic current-net labels
4   1–4 point image registration + disk cache (done)
5   Schematic ratsnest reusing PCB implementation
6   Selected-trace width stepping (done)

Searching here, I see:

• https://www.eevblog.com/forum/eda/simple-schematic-from-nodes-file/msg3558424/#msg3558424
• https://www.eevblog.com/forum/eda/magazine-artworks-to-gerbercopper-layer-conversion/msg3661846/#msg3661846
• https://www.eevblog.com/forum/eda/netlist-to-shematic/msg5231919/#msg5231919
• https://www.eevblog.com/forum/eda/issues-with-imported-copper-pour-in-sprint-layout/msg6241681/#msg6241681
• https://www.eevblog.com/forum/eda/how-do-i-determine-footprint-sizes-for-surface-mount-components/msg960066/#msg960066
• https://www.eevblog.com/forum/eda/pcb-re-tools-techniques/msg1390241/#msg1390241

So here is the question - what is on your wish list to make a better reverse engineering environment?

[jheissjr]

Kicad is missing a feature to resize jpegs with dimensions. PCB images are used for reverse engineering and images are resized to the dimensions of the PCB. Two points are selected in the image, the user tells Kicad the distance and Kicad enlarges or shrinks the image. One resize for horizontal and one for vertical. Kicad is missing the feature. Solidworks has the feature at t=28seconds.

[jpyeron]

Kicad is missing a feature to resize jpegs with dimensions. PCB images are used for reverse engineering and images are resized to the dimensions of the PCB. Two points are selected in the image, the user tells Kicad the distance and Kicad enlarges or shrinks the image. One resize for horizontal and one for vertical. Kicad is missing the feature.

Like this:

I added 1,2,3, and 4 point image adjustments. It does not do flipping, that should be done first.

The scale bar is cute, and has utility - but clicking points was much less change to the kicad UI.

I had a rectangular PCB, so I could draw a box of the dimensions, easy.

Otherwise I would make 2 triangles of 4 furthest calibration points. Ideally you would also have a horizontal or vertical reference. Layout (e.g. measure D1, D2, D3, D4, we already know the DIP package size) those 4 points then register the image to them.

[jheissjr]

That's the feature! The image transparency in the demo video is adjustable. The setting is in the right pane. Can you demo the features when your finished?