#pinion
Tool Generates Interactive PCB Diagrams from KiCAD
Nearly everyone likes nice pinout diagrams, but the more pins and functions are involved, the more cluttered and less useful the diagram becomes. To address this, [Jan Mrázek] created Pinion , a tool to help generate interactive diagrams from KiCad design files.
The result is an interactive diagram that can be viewed in any web browser. Hovering over a pin or pad highlights those signals with a callout for the name, and clicking makes it stay highlighted for easier reference. Further information can be as detailed or as brief as needed.
Interestingly, Pinion isn 't a web service that relies on any kind of backend. The diagrams are static HTML and JavaScript only, easily included in web pages or embedded in GitHub documentation.
If you think Pinion looks a bit familiar, you're probably remembering that we covered [Jan]'s much earlier PcbDraw tool, which turned KiCad board files into SVG renderings but had no ability to add labels or interactivity. Pinion is an evolution of that earlier idea, and its diagrams are able to act as both documentation and interactive reference, with no reliance on any kind of external service.
Interested? Pinion has a full tutorial and demo and a growing library of parts, so check it out.
#parts #softwarehacks #documentation #html #interactive #javascript #kicad #pinion