Tooling

typeCAD provides a collection of tools to make the development process easier.

Project Creation

To create a new project enter the following command in your terminal:

npx @typecad/create-typecad

The first time, npx will ask you to download the script so it can run it.

Then you’ll be prompted to enter project details:

  • name for the project
  • if you want to create a PlatformIO project and if so, the board ID
  • if you want to create a git repository
  • install optional utility packages

A project will be created in the current directory. Inside the project directory, there will be a VSCode workspace file that will open the project in VSCode.

Project Use

A typeCAD project is just an npm package. All the normal npm-based tools are available to you. A package.json file is created with access to the following scripts:

  • Project Building
  • Adding Components
  • Opening the kicad_pcb file in KiCAD

Tip

In VSCode, there’s a sidebar that allows you to just click the various scripts to run them

Project Building

Click the Build script in VSCode’s NPM Scripts sidebar.

To build the project in a terminal, run the following command:

npx tsx [path/to/file.ts]

The output will be a KiCAD netlist file in ./build/.

Adding Components

Components are discussed in the Components page. But for now, they are anything with a footprint that you’d add to your schematic like MCUs and resistors.

To add a component to the project:

npx @typecad/add-component ./src

When the script runs, you’ll be asked if the component is a KiCAD library component, a component from a local file, or an EasyEDA/JLCPCB component.

  • If it’s a KiCAD library component, you’ll be prompted to enter the symbol and footprint names
  • If it’s a local file, you’ll be prompted to enter the path to the file
  • If it’s an EasyEDA/JLCPCB component, you’ll be asked for the C### number

A [component].ts file will be generated along with instructions on how to use it. Files will also be copied into the ./build/ directory.


Important

There’s no need to add passives (resistors, capacitors etc.) this way. See the Passives page for more information.

Package Creation

typeCAD has a command-line tool to generate all the boilerplate code for a package. It sets up the package for easy publishing and reuse. It is discussed in more detail in the Package Overview page.

Execute the following command in ./hw of an already existing typeCAD project.

npx @typecad/add-package ./src



Project Structure