René's URL Explorer Experiment

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"[Feature] Auto-placement before autorouting","articleBody":"## Description\n\nThe cloud autorouter requires components to be placed on the PCB before it can route traces. If placement hasn't been done or is poor, the router either fails or produces bad results.\n\nWe currently advise users to place their components before running the autorouter, as the routing algorithm performs significantly better with a good placement. This is expected behavior for now, not a bug.\n\nHowever, we are actively working on auto-placement so that users can go from schematic to routed board without a manual placement step.\n\n## Current Workflow\n\n1. User finishes schematic\n2. User runs \"Update PCB from Schematic\" (components appear in a pile)\n3. **User must manually place components** (or ask the AI in plan mode to help)\n4. User runs cloud autorouter\n5. Router produces traces based on the placement\n\n## Goal\n\nAdd an auto-placement capability so the workflow becomes:\n\n1. User finishes schematic\n2. Components are automatically placed (or AI-assisted placement via chat)\n3. Autorouter runs on the placed board\n4. User gets a fully placed and routed result\n\n## Status\n\n- Cloud autorouting: working (requires good placement)\n- Auto-placement: in development\n- AI-assisted placement via plan mode: available now (ask the AI to \"place these components\")\n\n## Additional Context\n\nFor now, users should place components manually or use plan mode to ask the AI for placement help before running the autorouter. The routing algorithm needs reasonable placement to produce good results.","author":{"url":"https://github.com/elcruzo","@type":"Person","name":"elcruzo"},"datePublished":"2026-03-09T00:11:00.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":0},"url":"https://github.com/11/trace/issues/11"}