2024.09.01 plugin doesn't show up with macOS 13.6.9 / python 3.9 anymore

[Cocoader]

Describe the bug I updated the plugin from 2024.07.02 to 2024.09.01 and it vanished from the External Plugins dropdown menu. Removing and reinstalling 2024.09.01 has the same effect.

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Updating from 2024.07.02 to 2024.09.01 via PCM or installing 2024.09.01 via PCM
2. Plugin disappears from External Plugins dropdown menu

Expected behavior Launching the plugin.

KiCad Version

Application: KiCad PCB Editor x86_64 on x86_64

Version: 8.0.5, release build

Libraries: wxWidgets 3.2.5 FreeType 2.13.2 HarfBuzz 8.3.0 FontConfig 2.15.0 libcurl/8.7.1 (SecureTransport) LibreSSL/3.3.6 zlib/1.2.11 nghttp2/1.51.0

Platform: macOS Ventura Version 13.6.9 (Build 22G830), 64 bit, Little endian, wxMac OpenGL: ATI Technologies Inc., AMD Radeon Pro 5500M OpenGL Engine, 2.1 ATI-4.14.1

Build Info: Date: Sep 6 2024 19:30:43 wxWidgets: 3.2.5 (wchar_t,wx containers) Boost: 1.84.0 OCC: 7.7.2 Curl: 7.87.0 ngspice: 42 Compiler: Clang 14.0.3 with C++ ABI 1002

Build settings:

[Bouni]

I just tested on Windows 11 with KiCAD 8.0.5 and have no issues.

So this might be a MacOS only issue.

Can you please go to Preferences -> PCB Editor -> Action plugins

Down next to the button you should see an icon with an attention mark.

Click it an post a screenshot of the error message.

[Cocoader]

You were right about the exclamation mark. This is the output.

File "/Applications/KiCad/KiCad.app/Contents/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/Current/lib/python3.9/importlib/__init__.py", line 127, in import_module return _bootstrap._gcd_import(name[level:], package, level) File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1030, in _gcd_import File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 1007, in _find_and_load File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 986, in _find_and_load_unlocked File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 680, in _load_unlocked File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap_external>", line 850, in exec_module File "<frozen importlib._bootstrap>", line 228, in _call_with_frames_removed File "/Users/daniel/Documents/KiCad/8.0/3rdparty//plugins/com_github_bouni_kicad-jlcpcb-tools/__init__.py", line 3, in <module> from .plugin import JLCPCBPlugin File "/Users/daniel/Documents/KiCad/8.0/3rdparty//plugins/com_github_bouni_kicad-jlcpcb-tools/plugin.py", line 7, in <module> from .mainwindow import JLCPCBTools File "/Users/daniel/Documents/KiCad/8.0/3rdparty//plugins/com_github_bouni_kicad-jlcpcb-tools/mainwindow.py", line 39, in <module> from .partdetails import PartDetailsDialog File "/Users/daniel/Documents/KiCad/8.0/3rdparty//plugins/com_github_bouni_kicad-jlcpcb-tools/partdetails.py", line 12, in <module> from .lcsc_api import LCSC_API File "/Users/daniel/Documents/KiCad/8.0/3rdparty//plugins/com_github_bouni_kicad-jlcpcb-tools/lcsc_api.py", line 9, in <module> class LCSC_API: File "/Users/daniel/Documents/KiCad/8.0/3rdparty//plugins/com_github_bouni_kicad-jlcpcb-tools/lcsc_api.py", line 34, in LCSC_API def download_bitmap(self, url: str) -> io.BytesIO | None: TypeError: unsupported operand type(s) for |: 'type' and 'NoneType'

[Bouni]

I know whats going on here.

Your MacOS uses a very old Python version (3.9). KiCAD on Windows ships its own Python version (3.11.5).

The type annotation used in that function uses the OR operand | which is supported from Python 3.10 onwards.

https://github.com/Bouni/kicad-jlcpcb-tools/blob/088c804e6dae3279db99fa769aa2a2ad82e2b918/lcsc_api.py#L34

I just looked up MacOS ventura and thats almost the most recent version. Do you see a chance to upgrade your python to a more recent version?

I really don't want to revert back to older syntax just because somebody uses a very old version of python without a need to do so.

[Cocoader]

Unfortunately this will not be possible because KiCad, like in windows, bundles in macOS it's own - I agree - ancient version of python 3.9.13. This isn't my system python version but it will only use: /Applications/KiCad/KiCad.app/Contents/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/Current/lib/python3.9/

I opened up an issue with the KiCad devs some time ago https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/18586#note_2074090846 because I came across this issue with multiple plugins already. This isn't an easy task to standardise on the KiCad side and I think for now macOS users have a better chance to talk to the plugin devs directly and hope they still consider supporting python 3.9 (according to the KiCad devs some older still from KiCad supported linux distros also use 3.9)

[ubidefeo]

@Cocoader do you think there's a way to use pyenv to trick KiCAD to use another version? I jumped on the update this morning and now lost the ability to generate production files 🥲 Maybe I should revert to the older version of this plugin

[ubidefeo]

Never mind, I have edited the | None in two points and now the plugin works I'm sure there are some edge cases which will break the plugin, but for now it's more important that I get my work done :D

lcsc_api.py line 34

def download_bitmap(self, url: str) -> io.BytesIO:

store.py line 134

def set_stock(self, ref: str, stock: int):

[Cocoader]

@ubidefeo

do you think there's a way to use pyenv to trick KiCAD to use another version?

I'm more of a python user - I can read it mostly but don't know the breaking changes that come with minor version increases - than a developer and only use pyenv locally not in KiCad. I did try it in the past but couldn't make it work. At some point Apples Gatekeeper / Notarization kicks in, which can be disabled of course, but it seemed too difficult for me. My reasoning was if it was that easy KiCad would already have standardised it on all platforms and wouldn't stick with 3.9 on macOS - which the KiCad devs kind of confirmed in the following issue. I did open an issue with the KiCad devs https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/18586#note_2074090846 but I think the macOS user base is just too small - I didn't see any related issues or even comments on this issue beside the KiCad devs. The only thing that kind of works without losing Notarization is installing missing packages like 'numpy' inside the application folder with pip directly. I'm more than curious if you found a way use pyenv with KiCad on macOS.

Never mind, I have edited the | None in two points and now the plugin works I'm sure there are some edge cases which will break the plugin, but for now it's more important that I get my work done :D

lcsc_api.py line 34 def download_bitmap(self, url: str) -> io.BytesIO:

store.py line 134 def set_stock(self, ref: str, stock: int):

I like your approach. Maybe @Bouni could have a look at that and evaluate what changes between 2024.07.02 and 2024.09.01 broke compatibility with python 3.9 - maybe it's just that?

[ubidefeo]

@Cocoader

I did go and check the issue, but I couldn't put myself through getting a GitLab account just to comment on it.

There sure are advantages in using fallback to None on returned types, too bad it breaks the plugin on Mac. I just started using KiCAD 3 weeks ago to redesign a board I initially made in Eagle.

Finding this plugin has been a godsend, and today I was able to generate a BOM+CPL which just worked on JLCPCB which is thrilling.

@Bouni , any chance you can add a try/except at __init__ time to distinguish between systems that will accept the conditional type and act accordingly?

I know we're a minority, but our heart is in a good place 🤣

[Cocoader]

@ubidefeo I understand that because I also only created an account to comment on the GitLab Repo of KiCad. I also transitioned from EAGLE to KiCad some time ago because Fusion360 Electronics is just not useable.

@Bouni Could using unions instead of the | operator be a compromise to keep the compatibility with python 3.9 on macOS? https://docs.python.org/3.10/library/typing.html#typing.Union What do you think about #540?

[lk-davidegironi]

Same problem for me on Windows 10, KiCAD 7.0.11, shipped with python 3.9.16 While I have no problem on the same system with KiCAD 8.0.5

@ubidefeo mod fix the problem

Waiting for a wide-band python 3.9 - 3.11 solution

[Cocoader]

@lk-davidegironi This is good to know it isn't just a macOS thing. Does #540 fixes this for your KiCAD 7.0.11 on Windows 10 too?

[lk-davidegironi]

~ Update ~ plugin is working, db has been downloaded, but on KiCAD 7.0.11 I have a empty BOM file generated, like the issue here: https://github.com/Bouni/kicad-jlcpcb-tools/issues/524

[lk-davidegironi]

@Cocoader it fixed the issue but still I have empty BOM. Do you too have empty BOM?

edit: ~ I mean Union https://github.com/Bouni/kicad-jlcpcb-tools/pull/540 fix too the issue ~

[lk-davidegironi]

So, think I've solved it. In fabrication.py IsDNP attribute is not part of footprint (at least on my version of KiCAD) So chaning line from if fp.GetReference() == component and fp.IsDNP(): to if fp.GetReference() == component and hasattr(fp, 'IsDNP') and callable(fp.IsDNP) and fp.IsDNP(): solves the issue, and the BOM is generated.

This is been introduced here: https://github.com/gonzalop/kicad-jlcpcb-tools/commit/24d1a871192d4ed391ba50d86a3cf18819db2b71 And found out here: https://github.com/Bouni/kicad-jlcpcb-tools/issues/524

This afternoon I'll post a merge request for this from my other github account.

[Cocoader]

@lk-davidegironi I think our problems are related but not exactly the same - some do overlap.

1. KiCad 8 with Windows10 works as is because it is bundled with Python 3.11.5 which accepts the new syntax for unions which were introduced in Python 3.10 and doesn't have the problem in #524.
2. KiCad 8 with macOS doesn't work because it is bundled with Python 3.9.13 and doesn't accept the new syntax for unions which were introduced in Python 3.10. This will only need #540.
3. KiCad 7 with Windows10 doesn't work because it is bundled with Python 3.9.16 and doesn't accept the new syntax for unions which were introduced in Python 3.10 and something related to #524. This will need #524 and #540.
4. I didn't test other platforms with KiCad 7.

So for KiCad 8 compatibility (python3.9 - 3.11+) on all platforms we will need #540 and for KiCad 7 compatibility (python3.9) on all platforms at least #524 and #540 - maybe there are still issues after this.

There is also the question which KiCad versions https://github.com/Bouni/kicad-jlcpcb-tools/blob/088c804e6dae3279db99fa769aa2a2ad82e2b918/README.md?plain=1#L195 @Bouni wants to support in the future.