flatcam externalized

.gitignore

@@ -1,4 +1,2 @@
 gcode/
 gerbers/
-.flatcam-env/
-flatcam-beta/

Readme.md

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 Automates the conversion of a KiCad v9 `F.Paste` and `B.Paste` Gerber to G-code for CNC milling a solder paste stencil, using FlatCAM beta 8.995 headless. Tested on Ubuntu 24.04 with Python 3.12 and a Frezu 3040 / FluidNC controller.
 
+This project shares a single FlatCAM install (`~/flatcam-beta`) with other `kicad2*` pipelines (e.g. `kicad2outlines`). Install FlatCAM once; each project just points to it.
+
 ---
 
 ## Prerequisites
@@ -21,37 +23,39 @@ Automates the conversion of a KiCad v9 `F.Paste` and `B.Paste` Gerber to G-code
 sudo apt install python3-venv python3-pip libgeos-dev libspatialindex-dev libxcb-cursor0
 ```
 
-### 2. Clone FlatCAM beta 8.995
+### 2. Install FlatCAM beta 8.995 (shared, once)
+
+If `~/flatcam-beta` already exists, skip to step 3 — there's nothing to do here.
 
 ```bash
-git clone --branch mstanciu_Beta_8.995 --depth 1 https://github.com/dwrobel/flatcam.git flatcam-beta
-```
-
-### 3. Create a Python venv and install dependencies
-
-```bash
-cd flatcam-beta
+git clone --branch mstanciu_Beta_8.995 --depth 1 https://github.com/dwrobel/flatcam.git ~/flatcam-beta
 
+cd ~/flatcam-beta
 python3 -m venv .flatcam-env
 source .flatcam-env/bin/activate
 
 pip install PyQt6 PyQt6-Qt6 PyQt6-sip
 
-# Skip ortools (path optimizer), rasterio, and gdal (image import) — not needed for stencils
+# Skip ortools (path optimizer), rasterio, and gdal (image import) — not needed for stencils/outlines
 grep -vE "ortools|rasterio|gdal" requirements.txt | pip install -r /dev/stdin
+
+deactivate
 ```
 
-### 4. Verify
+### 3. Verify
 
 ```bash
-python flatcam.py --version
+~/flatcam-beta/.flatcam-env/bin/python ~/flatcam-beta/flatcam.py --version
 ```
 
 You should see the FlatCAM version string printed without errors.
 
-Go back to the project directory:
+### 4. Point this project at the shared install
+
+`run_stencil.sh` reads the `FLATCAM_HOME` environment variable, defaulting to `~/flatcam-beta` if unset. Override it only if your install lives elsewhere:
+
 ```bash
-cd ..
+export FLATCAM_HOME=~/flatcam-beta   # default, usually no need to set this
 ```
 
 ### 5. Export the stencil gerbers
@@ -65,22 +69,41 @@ kicad-cli pcb export gerbers -o gerbers -l F.Paste,B.Paste ../kicad2panel/panel/
 
 ## Usage
 
-Generate the stencil G-code for both layers:
+Generate the stencil G-code for the layer `F.Paste`:
 ```bash
 ./run_stencil.sh gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Paste.gtp \
                  gcode/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Paste-stencil.nc
+```
 
+It should output:
+
+```
+→ Running FlatCAM headless...
+  Gerber : gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Paste.gtp
+  Output : gcode/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Paste-stencil.nc
+
+
+
+✓ Done: gcode/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Paste-stencil.nc (277 lines)
+```
+
+Generate the stencil G-code for the layer `B.Paste`:
+```bash
 ./run_stencil.sh gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Paste.gbp \
                  gcode/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Paste-stencil.nc
 ```
 
-G-code for both layers should be in:
+It should output:
 
 ```
-gcode/Flow_Controller_Panel-F_Paste-stencil.nc
-gcode/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Paste-stencil.nc
-```
+→ Running FlatCAM headless...
+  Gerber : gerbers/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Paste.gbp
+  Output : gcode/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Paste-stencil.nc
 
+
+
+✓ Done: gcode/Flow_Controller_Panel-B_Paste-stencil.nc (1895 lines)
+```
 ---
 
 ## Parameters
@@ -129,10 +152,10 @@ Alternative: `GRBL_11_no_M6` suppresses tool change commands — not needed for
 The `run_stencil.sh` wrapper detects the `TclCommandQuit` log line and kills the process after 3 seconds. This is expected behavior — FlatCAM's Qt GUI cleanup hangs in headless mode.
 
 **`ImportError: cannot import name 'Inf' from numpy`**
-You have the old PyPI FlatCAM 8.5 installed. Follow the installation steps above to switch to the beta 8.995 clone.
+You have the old PyPI FlatCAM 8.5 installed somewhere on your `PATH`/venv. Make sure `FLATCAM_HOME` points at `~/flatcam-beta` (the beta 8.995 clone from the install steps above), not a pip-installed FlatCAM.
 
 **`ImportError: cannot import name 'cascaded_union' from shapely.ops`**
-Same cause — old FlatCAM 8.5 is incompatible with Shapely 2.0. Switch to beta 8.995.
+Same cause — old FlatCAM 8.5 is incompatible with Shapely 2.0. Check `FLATCAM_HOME` as above.
 
 **G-code cuts everything except the pads**
 You used `ncc` (non-copper clear) instead of `paint`. The correct command is `paint` — it pockets the pad polygons. `ncc` clears everything around them, which is the inverse.
@@ -142,3 +165,6 @@ Skip it — `gdal` is only needed for the image import plugin. Use:
 ```bash
 grep -vE "ortools|rasterio|gdal" requirements.txt | pip install -r /dev/stdin
 ```
+
+**Multiple projects, which one owns the FlatCAM install?**
+None of them — `~/flatcam-beta` is shared and project-agnostic. Install it once via any one project's instructions above; every other `kicad2*` project just needs `FLATCAM_HOME` set (or left at its default) to find it. Don't `git clone` a second copy per project.

run_stencil.sh

@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ OUTPUT="${2:?Usage: $0 <B_Paste.gbp> <output.nc>}"
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
 TCL_SCRIPT="$SCRIPT_DIR/paste_stencil.tcl"
 
-FLATCAM_PY="$HOME/proj/kicad2stencil/flatcam-beta/flatcam.py"
-FLATCAM_ENV="$HOME/proj/kicad2stencil/.flatcam-env"
+FLATCAM_PY="$HOME/flatcam-beta/flatcam.py"
+FLATCAM_ENV="$HOME/flatcam-beta/.flatcam-env"
 
 if [ ! -f "$FLATCAM_PY" ]; then
     echo "ERROR: flatcam.py not found at $FLATCAM_PY"