# astrimid - It feels like I'm fighting LLM again...

Channel: #support
Source: https://discord.com/channels/1233487248129921135/1529241486053478534
Started: 2026-07-21T21:39:42.807000+00:00
Last activity: 2026-07-22T13:40:10.991000+00:00

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T21:39:42.208000+00:00

It feels like I'm fighting LLM again. This is schPinArrangement property of `<chip>`:
```
  topSide: {
    direction: "left-to-right" as const,
    pins: [
      "CS1",      // Pin 1 (leftmost)
      "VFB1",     // Pin 2
      "VREG3",    // Pin 3
      "VFB2",     // Pin 4
      "CS2",      // Pin 5 (rightmost)
      "TP",       // Pin 21
    ],
  },
```

When I ask LLM to do counter clockwise, it seems to change both direction to "right-to-left" and reverse pins in a list. Is there a prompt that makes it do either pin reversal or change direction?

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T21:42:23.820000+00:00

Ok, LLM can generate a prompt, but can't follow it 😩 :

```
For the counter-clockwise layout, keep pins in ascending order (Pin 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
and use the direction property to control placement:
- Top side: direction "right-to-left" (so Pin 1 appears on the left)
- Right side: direction "bottom-to-top" (so Pin 6 appears on top)
- Bottom side: direction "left-to-right" (so Pin 11 appears on the right)
- Left side: direction "top-to-bottom" (so Pin 16 appears at the bottom)
```

```
For the counter-clockwise layout, use direction "left-to-right" for all sides
and reverse the pin order:
- Top side: ["CS2", "VFB2", "VREG3", "VFB1", "CS1"] // Pin 5 to Pin 1
- Right side: ["DRVH2", "VBST2", "SW2", "PGOOD", "EN2"] // Pin 10 to Pin 6
- Bottom side: ["DRVL1", "VO1", "VREG5", "VIN", "DRVL2"] // Pin 15 to Pin 11
- Left side: ["EN1", "VCLK", "SW1", "VBST1", "DRVH1"] // Pin 20 to Pin 16
```

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T21:42:47.284000+00:00

it seems to overeager to help and uses both

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T21:44:07.498000+00:00

```
For the counter-clockwise numerical layout:

IMPORTANT: Choose EXACTLY ONE of these two methods, DO NOT combine them.

METHOD A (Recommended): Use direction only
- Keep ALL pins in ascending order (Pin 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
- Use ONLY the direction property to position them
- DO NOT reverse the pin order in the pins array

Top side: direction "right-to-left" → pins: ["CS1", "VFB1", "VREG3", "VFB2", "CS2"]
Right side: direction "bottom-to-top" → pins: ["EN2", "PGOOD", "SW2", "VBST2", "DRVH2"]
Bottom side: direction "left-to-right" → pins: ["DRVL2", "VIN", "VREG5", "VO1", "DRVL1"]
Left side: direction "top-to-bottom" → pins: ["DRVH1", "VBST1", "SW1", "VCLK", "EN1"]

OR

METHOD B: Use pin order only
- Keep ALL directions as "left-to-right" (or "top-to-bottom")
- Reverse ONLY the pin order in the pins array
- DO NOT change the direction properties

Top side: direction "left-to-right" → pins: ["CS2", "VFB2", "VREG3", "VFB1", "CS1"]
Right side: direction "top-to-bottom" → pins: ["DRVH2", "VBST2", "SW2", "PGOOD", "EN2"]
Bottom side: direction "right-to-left" → pins: ["DRVL1", "VO1", "VREG5", "VIN", "DRVL2"]
Left side: direction "bottom-to-top" → pins: ["EN1", "VCLK", "SW1", "VBST1", "DRVH1"]

CONFIRM: You are using ONLY Method A OR ONLY Method B, not both.
```

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T21:58:24.789000+00:00

ok. this might be correct prompt for top pins, but completely wrong for bottom pins

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T21:59:34.022000+00:00

It feels like I would specify it much faster manually.

## Seve — 2026-07-21T22:08:21.352000+00:00

what model are you using

## Seve — 2026-07-21T22:08:35.209000+00:00

we could try to improve the API to something that makes less mistakes

## Seve — 2026-07-21T22:08:43.117000+00:00

CC <@809856037376491570> related to some stuff you're doing

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T22:08:45.134000+00:00

this prompt seem to work

```
Create a counter-clockwise pin arrangement for a {PACKAGE_TYPE} package where Pin 1 is at the top-left corner.

Package details:
- Total pins: {TOTAL_PINS} (including thermal pad if applicable)
- Pins per side: {PINS_PER_SIDE}
- Pin 1 location: top-left corner
- Thermal pad pin: {THERMAL_PIN_NUMBER} (if applicable, placed after the last pin on the top side)

IMPORTANT: Follow Method A ONLY (do not combine with Method B).

Method A (use direction property to control placement, keep pins in ascending order):

For each side, use the direction property to position pins correctly:

Top side:
- direction: "right-to-left"
- pins array: [{PIN_1}, {PIN_2}, ..., {PIN_N}, {THERMAL_PIN}]
- This places Pin 1 on the LEFT and Pin N on the RIGHT
- Thermal pad (if present) goes after Pin N

Left side:
- direction: "top-to-bottom"
- pins array: [{PIN_N+1}, {PIN_N+2}, ..., {PIN_2N}]
- This places Pin N+1 on TOP and Pin 2N on BOTTOM

Bottom side:
- direction: "left-to-right"
- pins array: [{PIN_2N+1}, {PIN_2N+2}, ..., {PIN_3N}]
- This places Pin 2N+1 on the LEFT and Pin 3N on the RIGHT

Right side:
- direction: "bottom-to-top"
- pins array: [{PIN_3N+1}, {PIN_3N+2}, ..., {PIN_4N}]
- This places Pin 3N+1 on BOTTOM and Pin 4N on TOP

CRITICAL RULES:
1. DO NOT reverse the pin order in the pins array - keep them in ascending order (1,2,3,4,5...)
2. ONLY use the direction property to control visual placement
3. The resulting layout should have Pin 1 at top-left and go counter-clockwise: Top → Left → Bottom → Right
4. Pin numbers should be in ascending order around the package

Generate the schPinArrangement object with these specifications.
```

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T22:08:56.386000+00:00

I'm using deepseek

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T22:09:46.899000+00:00

maybe there's  a simple clockwise and counter-clockwise pin arrangement preset for qfn chip footprint?

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T22:16:00.102000+00:00

Could probably define a simple helper function
```
const pinLabels16 = {
  pin1: "VCC",
  pin2: "GND",
  pin3: "EN",
  pin4: "FB",
  pin5: "SW",
  pin6: "PG",
  pin7: "VIN",
  pin8: "VOUT",
  pin9: "COMP",
  pin10: "SS",
  pin11: "CLK",
  pin12: "SYNC",
  pin13: "AGND",
  pin14: "PGND",
  pin15: "BOOT",
  pin16: "PH",
}

export const schPinArrangementQFN16 = generateQFNPinArrangement({
  pinsPerSide: 4,
  pinLabels: pinLabels16,
  // thermalPadPin: undefined // No thermal pad
})
```

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T22:29:13.380000+00:00

Maybe this API:

```
interface QFNConfig {
  pinsPerSide: number
  pinLabels: Record<string, string>
  /** 
   * The corner where Pin 1 is located.
   * This ALONE determines the orientation.
   */
  pin1Corner: "top-left" | "top-right" | "bottom-right" | "bottom-left"
  /** 
   * Direction of pin numbering around the package.
   * This ALONE determines the order.
   */
  numberingDirection: "counter-clockwise" | "clockwise"
  thermalPadPin?: string
}
```

OTOH, maybe schRotation is better for pin1Corner?

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T23:50:14.942000+00:00

Thinking a bit more, pin1corner is a bit confusing, maybe pin1side is better:
```
const schPinArrangementRightCounter = generateQFNPinArrangement({
  pinsPerSide: 4,
  pinLabels: pinLabels16,
  pin1Side: "right",
  numberingDirection: "counter-clockwise",
})
```

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T23:55:55.628000+00:00

My first package:
https://tscircuit.com/astrimid/qfn-numbering-direction/blob/index.tsx

Is there a way to mark it as an API package?
Attachment: image.png — https://community.tscircuit.com/media/1529275768050548818

## astrimid — 2026-07-21T23:57:12.173000+00:00

Also, it's a schematic only package. Is there a way to disable pcb?

## Seve — 2026-07-21T23:57:53.538000+00:00

congrats on the first package!!!!

## Seve — 2026-07-21T23:57:57.696000+00:00

yes you can disable pcb

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:06:22.605000+00:00

can't seem to find a way to do it. Is it some metadata? It seems even if I don't use `<board`, it's automatically populated.

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:09:30.106000+00:00

setting footpint to empty string generates errors:

```
pcb_missing_footprint_error:No footprint specified for component: <chip#2747 name=".TopCW" />
```

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T00:09:43.419000+00:00

`pcbDisabled` is passed in platformConfig

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:10:07.655000+00:00

platformConfig? where do I set it?

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T00:10:25.006000+00:00

Are you using just the tscircuit.com editor, or the cli?

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:10:32.918000+00:00

tscircuit.com

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:12:03.528000+00:00

Type '{ children: Element[]; pcbDisabled: boolean; }' is not assignable to type 'BoardProps'.

## Seve — 2026-07-22T00:13:37.421000+00:00

oh do you want to use this locally? The web editor is a bit hard to use

## Seve — 2026-07-22T00:13:48.501000+00:00

normally you would edit tscircuit.config.json

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:16:32.272000+00:00

doesn't appear to have any effect
Attachment: image.png — https://community.tscircuit.com/media/1529280954399719434

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T00:17:39.877000+00:00

Looking into it

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:19:58.153000+00:00

should it be *.ts?

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T00:21:23.926000+00:00

No, I am adding a fix. `pcbDisabled` isn't a supported flag in `tscircuit.config.json` . I am adding that support

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:23:00.154000+00:00

This appears to work:
export default {
  platformConfig: {
    pcbDisabled: true
  }
}

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:23:08.336000+00:00

using *.ts

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T00:23:53.052000+00:00

Okay, but the `tscircuit.config.json` should be working as well in sometime

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T00:47:07.757000+00:00

Okay. So, I've created a package, but how do I import it? `import { generateQFNPinArrangement } from "astrimid/qfn-numbering-direction"` doesn't seem to work?


Should there be some package.json ?

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T00:48:26.410000+00:00

You don't export it
Attachment: image.png — https://community.tscircuit.com/media/1529288982989639680

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T01:00:08.477000+00:00

the error says : Could not fetch "astrimid/qfn-numbering-direction" from https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/astrimid/qfn-numbering-direction/+esm:

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T01:03:40.202000+00:00

also, exporting funtion I see the error:

Execution Error:Error evaluating "entrypoint.tsx": Cannot read properties of undefined (reading '0')

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T01:07:12.044000+00:00

if exporting functions not supported, I might need to define it as a JSX element?

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T01:07:51.327000+00:00

Taking a look, it should work though

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T01:11:27.965000+00:00

Testing this package, it works
Attachment: image.png — https://community.tscircuit.com/media/1529294777928122418

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T01:11:42.609000+00:00

I think you missed the `@tsci/*` prefix

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T01:11:57.511000+00:00

import { MyChip } from "@tsci/astrimid.qfn-numbering-direction"

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T01:18:50.050000+00:00

Thanks, it works!

Could you also help with

```
export { generateQFNPinArrangement, MyChip };
export type { QFNConfig, SchematicPinArrangement }``` 

This seem to generate cryptic error

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T01:19:10.201000+00:00

```
Execution Error:Error evaluating "entrypoint.tsx": Cannot read properties of undefined (reading '0')
at importLocalFile (blob:https://tscircuit.com/5fa13c9c-631c-41ef-887a-dcdc1228d044:955:2290)
at async importEvalPath (blob:https://tscircuit.com/5fa13c9c-631c-41ef-887a-dcdc1228d044:973:743)
at async Object.executeWithFsMap (blob:https://tscircuit.com/5fa13c9c-631c-41ef-887a-dcdc1228d044:1007:729596)
@tscircuit/eval@0.0.1030 • @tscircuit/core@0.0.1474
```

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T01:20:16.280000+00:00

Ok, it seems I can't export just a function, I must export a function and a component

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T01:21:15.594000+00:00

Awesome: https://tscircuit.com/editor?#data:application/gzip;base64,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

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T01:23:49.939000+00:00

Still see Module '"@tsci/astrimid.qfn-numbering-direction"' has no exported member 'generateQFNPinArrangement', but running it works

## Seve — 2026-07-22T02:32:35.629000+00:00

interesting, CC <@809856037376491570> this is a type export error yea? maybe we're messing up the type bundle

## Seve — 2026-07-22T02:32:49.240000+00:00

i launched an improvement for the errors today fwiw

## Seve — 2026-07-22T02:32:57.963000+00:00

hopefully that particular error will be improved in the future

## Rishabh — 2026-07-22T02:33:57.075000+00:00

I tried it but didn't see the error

## astrimid — 2026-07-22T10:59:30.024000+00:00

What I notice it is more often reproducible when I open it in incognito. So might be some kind of race condition or caching issue.

## Seve — 2026-07-22T13:40:10.991000+00:00

Yep i think so