Hi;

I downloaded kicad on the weekend and am trying it out right now. It
looks good this far, took me only a couple of hours to edit and print
a simple circuit.

I'm editing a library with favourite symbols right now, I like to have
common parts like resistors and capacitors available both in the
horizontal and upright positions without needing to edit them after
placement. I haven't got around to examining the footprints yet but
I'll get there quite soon.

It certainly seems like a great piece of software, on a par with
LT-spice. The author is to be congratulated and let's hope this
project gets air under the wings and really takes off.

- YD

First thank you to set up this nice group, and a big thank to mr
Charras for the generosity of sharing this software to the world.

I saw on Kicad web site in the news folder that it is now possible to
export a netlist in Pads-pcb format. I tried to found in the menu and
in the directories the utility. I found in the plug-in folder a .exe
file that seem to be that what I am looking for. I tried to see in the
help file how to use it but I did not found it. May somebody already
used it and how?

Thank you

Benoit

Yes, Pedro I know how to make ALL letters of a pin name overlined but
I only want SOME letters of the pin name overlined. like if i made a
name: ~MCLR/VPP <- how would i get MCLR to be overlined but not VPP.
I can deal with not being able to do it but I just like to stay
consistent with the data sheets.

--- In kicad-users@..., Pedro Martín del Valle
<pmartin@p...> wrote:

Yes, just make ~ the very first character of the name.

And RTFM :-)

Regards,

Pedro.

Hi Ryan:

I just starting using kicad about a week ago. a few questions:

1. in eeschema lib editor, is it possible to make some letters of a
pin name overlined (active low) and some not? for example
microcontroller pins that have multiple uses.

Yes, just make ~ the very first character of the name.

And RTFM :-)

Regards,

Pedro.

Suggestions:

First, the program is very impressive, and please take the
suggestions as a compliment (users would not bother to
ponder/suggest for poor SW). I apologize in advance if a suggestion
is already a feature of your software.

PCBlayout
1. The drop down layer selector should have indicators for:
Active/Editable, Visibility(ON/OFF), Colour, and fill mode(hatched,
solid, semi-transparent)--so four columns beside each layer, and at
the top of the column would be All ON/OFF. This approach would be
somewhat like Allegro SW and a lot of the gerber viewers.
2. Centre button wheel on mouse changes the zoom factor, and
clicking recentres the view (nice). I also suggest to have an
active 'hand' associated with the centre button (like Adobe Acrobat
and some other software), so that if centre button is held down the
user can "shove" or "move" the displayed page around--this would be
useful when routing a trace so that you can move the page around if
your endpoint is off page, and just seeing what is around it. I
know that the SW will pan the view for you as you route a trace,
however, this means you cannot access the menu itmes such as units
and what not as you route(the view is panned as the mouse arrow gets
to edge of window, unless autopan is OFF).
3. Mouse-right click does not show a copy facility, just moves
etc. Suggest to add a 'copy component' (or other objects such as
via pad or anti-pad or a keepout area or text, etc). Back
annotation would be required. The object selected would depend on
the active layers from suggestion#1, or the "Tab" button could be
used to select exactly which object, if multiple objects are
overlapping.
4.0 Definition files (layers, pad stack, symbols, etc....)
should be in text files. Allows users to easily rededfine/translate
sch netlists and parse/analyze for custom DRC checks and even
interface to databases. For interfacing to simulation tools, the
user can "Tab" a new field for dielectric constant, permeability,
conductivity, roughness, etc, in the layer definition. For DRC,
users could check for trace-to-trace or net-to-net spacing for
sensitive signals(if they cared to understand the format of the
layout file). Another possibility is that the user can check for
blind vias that are coaxial (overlapping) as this might be an
EMC/coupling problem in some designs.
4.1 User-assignable hotkeys or macros. Many software packages
have the hotkeys, and DDE Supermax has macros (either assignable to
keys, or the user can type the name of the macro into a pop-up
box). The macros or hotkey definitions can be kept in a text file
for editing, or just to bring the macros with you to a different
setup/computer. Kicad menu would allow selection of either the
Default macro file from the installation or browse for a user file.
4.2 The routing and allowing a selection of track widths is a
good feature, however, if macros are allowed, it would be faster to
make use of the keyboard. Keyboard "V" key could place a via(as it
already does in Kicad), but a pop-up window would request the via
from the padstack definition and also request the layer to continue
routing on (Tab key could select the desired values). Perhaps
the "T" or "W" key could also be used to change the trace width
(possible widths based on trace definition file) while routing.
Clicking the mouse key OR "Return" affirms the choice. I do like
how +/- changes layers and changes the layer the trace segment is
routed on; user must go back later to add a via--maybe the via box
could pop up automatically in this case.
Main thrust is to enable rapid maual routing. I know that
there are drop down boxes for trace width, but you cannot change
these while actually routing a track (the view moves and does not
allow mouse access to the menus when autopan is selected).
Even as it is, the routing is pretty good compared to
commercial packages.
4.3 Undo/redo history. I suggest to use F1 and F2 for undo and
redo the last few commands, instead of zoom in and out(layer
top/bottom is done by either PageUp/Down or +/-, so one of these
pairs could be reassiged to zoom). For instance, if I place a via
with keyboard "V", or even a few segments of a trace, I have
to "Esc" if I change my mind, and the whole trace is lost instead of
the last segment. "F1" could step back and F2 step forward through
the history. I suggest the history be recorded and stored in a text
file for the complete session the file is open, and appended to
prior session histories for that same design. The text file would
allow easy creation of macros (like in DDE Supermax). Additionally,
if a design has hibernated for awhile, or if more than one person
works on the design/review, the user could "replay" or "step
through" the selected history commands to see what was changed--I
think this is very powerful.
5. The coordinate display at the bootom of the window should
also indicate the "delta" change(deltaX, deltaY, distance) from the
last mouseclick.
6. The info/status window pane at the bottom could show info on
the object the mouse arrow is hovering over, while not actually
requiring the mouse click. If more than one object is hovered over,
the "Tab" key(or page down key) could be used to review the info.
First tab is net info, next tab segment info, next tab trace info.
Each possible trace endpoint could be tabbed through.
7. "Measure" command for traces. Could instead be part of
the "status" window when a segment/trace/net is selected. Actually,
I think if the user clicks OR hovers over a segment, the netname,
netlength, segment length, and trace length should all be displayed
in the status window/pane. Additionally, I think the object should
be higlighted in the "higlight" colour--this aids the user in
determining rough signal integrity/crossover with other signals and
I use this all the time when reviewing layouts in some commercial
packages.
Maybe trace lengths should be dependent on multiple segment
selections (groups of segments) which would require mouse clicks, or
instead "Tab" would cycle through the segment and net highlight.
Traces are tricky in deciding what to use for highlight: I guess
Tab could cycle through all the possible trace endpoints, from the
last mouse click. The alternative is to use the mouse to click the
start and end point of a trace. I like the "Tab" idea myself.
8.1 When I "List nets", I would like to double-click on one of
the nets and have it highlighted and centred on the display.
Similarly, if I "List BOM", I would like to double-click a ref-
designator and then the component highlighted and centred. I think
these two windows ("List nets" and "List BOM") should stay open
until closed by user.
8.2 Similar feature for the DRC would be nice. It would be good
to allow the window to stay open while investigating the coordinates
for each DRC error.
9. "Move node" should be renamed "Drag node" when editing
tracks.
10. How can I drag a via or track that are under a module or
under text? I think the selection filter using the Tab key might be
faster than changing modes, although there probably is no reason why
both methods couldn't be used.
11. 3D display: would be nice if user could select which layers
are shown (it might be nice to not show components, or to not show
innner layers). 3D display not not show zones, such as metal fill,
at present time.
12. Microwave toolbar is a good idea. I think it might have a
bug: when I cretaed a line of specified length, the center button
zoom on the mouse stopped working, although it could be my graphics
driver/win64 problem?
Do the stubs have a reference designator for back-annotation?
It would be good to allow user custom shapes in that
toolbar, I will try the stub customizer file to see what can be
done, for instance to make an embedded spiral inductor, that has
selectable length, separation, layer(s) etc. The history file
suggestion would be helpful here if one wanted to create a
macro/custom footprint.


Again, excellent SW. I believe the most important point of the SW
is usability and bugs. The easier/faster it is to use, the faster
it probably will proliferate.



EEschema
1. A lot of the above suggestions for layot could apply. Most
notably is the Copy a component feature(or other objects such as
text or a bus or a graphic symbol not in the netlist, etc), with
optional real-time annotate. See sugg#3 for PCB layout.
2. When placing a compoennet, such as a capacitor of about
0.1uF, it would be good if that component stayed active and was
placed each time you clicked on the schematic. Presently, each time
you need to go through the add component procedure. A copy/paste
would also be sufficient workaround.

Thanks to everyone for responding to my questions

Regards, Eric

hi,

I just starting using kicad about a week ago. a few questions:

1. in eeschema lib editor, is it possible to make some letters of a
pin name overlined (active low) and some not? for example
microcontroller pins that have multiple uses.

2. pcbnew: I am a bit confused about the gerber/nc drill outputs. I
noticed that if the pcb design is on the page shown in the lower right
hand quadrant of pcbnew then the gerber files will have negative y
values. also the nc drill file seems to be mirrored around the x
axis, y values have to be multiplied by negative 1 to line up with the
gerber outputs when viewing the gerber files from a normal gerber
viewer (gc-prevue or viewmate). Maybe I am doing something wrong but
I could not get pcbnew to output files that will be acceptable for the
CNC mill machine I use, or PCB manufacturer I'm using. I wrote a
small program that processes the files and negates nc drill y-values
and adds an offset to both gerber and nc-drill but I'm thinking I
shoudln't have to do this. either I'm doing something wrong or
something is wrong.

any ideas?

-ryan

Hello Ambrosio!

-- In kicad-users@..., "ambroise_1999"
<ambroise_1999@y...> wrote:

Hi
Who's anyone knows how build round or spiral track in copper with

Kicad?

Or changing drawing design (arc circle) in copper track?
Thanks

A trick?

- set grid to very small.
- in General Options unselec the check box tracks 45 only and
segments 45 only.
- construct your spiral with small steeps.

[]'s
Renie

Hello Eric! I'll try help more a bit..

1. In NEWPCB Module Editor, the rotate 90 degrees checkbox does
not seem to work while initially placing a pad it does however work
for editing an existing pad.

not need edit the pad, right click the new pad and select New Pad
Settings in pop-up menu.

6. In EESchema I created save it to an new library I created
and placed in the schematic only to realize that it has an error.

I

edited the part and resaved the corrected part the same new
library. But when I try to place it on the schematic the version
before the fix keeps showing up. How do I fix this?

the steeps after changes are (in order):
- save the part into current loaded library (in memory)
- save current loaded library into disk (file update)



Excuse my poor english.

[]'s
Renie

Hi Eric, I'll try to help a bit

3. How would I use a smt part on the bottom side of the board?
Would I need to new module for bottom side parts?

With right button on the component, select Invert Module.

4. In EESchema the some of the help file text is too small a
font to read and the help file reader has no zoom function that I
have been able to find.

Display options dialog lets you change font, size... Right hand icon
on the toolbar

5. In EESchema what is a convert file when creating a part?

Boolean law /(A+B) = /A*/B or /(AB) = /A + /B

Same function, two symbols

6. In EESchema I created save it to an new library I created
and placed in the schematic only to realize that it has an error.

I

edited the part and resaved the corrected part the same new
library. But when I try to place it on the schematic the version
before the fix keeps showing up. How do I fix this?

I had the same problem and I fixed it but I do not know how I did it.
Maybe after quitting the program and running it again, maybe after
reboot, sorry I cannot help too much. I use Linux.

7. It seems that it would be nice to auto increment the each
pin number when placing it on a new schematic symbol like NEW PCB
does for the pads in new modules.

When I create a module in pcbnew I like it; but not with eeschema: my
experience is that I never create a symbol by pin number but by pin
position.


Pedro.

Hi
Who's anyone knows how build round or spiral track in copper with Kicad?

Or changing drawing design (arc circle) in copper track?
Thanks

First, let me reiterate this is a powerful and apparently very
usable package and for free it is amazingly capable. I am not
trying to discourage anyone from trying it. I have been playing
with Eagle for a while and found it unnatural to use because it does
not follow the windows user interface. Kicad seemed more intuitive
and does not have the limitations imposed on the free Eagle
version. I did however see some potential bugs or perhaps I missed
some documentation. Note that my comments are specifically for the
Windows English version (August 27).

1. In NEWPCB Module Editor, the rotate 90 degrees checkbox does
not seem to work while initially placing a pad it does however work
for editing an existing pad.

2. Having a dropdown menu of standard drill sizes seem like it
would be helpful on the pad window to aid a speedy drill selection.

3. How would I use a smt part on the bottom side of the board?
Would I need to new module for bottom side parts?

4. In EESchema the some of the help file text is too small a
font to read and the help file reader has no zoom function that I
have been able to find.

5. In EESchema what is a convert file when creating a part?

6. In EESchema I created save it to an new library I created
and placed in the schematic only to realize that it has an error. I
edited the part and resaved the corrected part the same new
library. But when I try to place it on the schematic the version
before the fix keeps showing up. How do I fix this?

7. It seems that it would be nice to auto increment the each
pin number when placing it on a new schematic symbol like NEW PCB
does for the pads in new modules.

8. In symbol editor, I click on the pin tool and drag a pin to
the location desired. I edit the pin parameters and expect to move
on the next pin. The software is still waiting for me to finalize
the location of the current pin. This behavior seen a little
unnatural to me but perhaps that is just me.

9. I would like to see a mitered 90 degree bend as a standard
block in the microvave tool bar.

Thanks to Jean-Pierre Charras every one supporting him for making
this fine tool and forem available. And thanks for the responses to
my previous thoughts. Please don't take these comments as whining.

Regards,
Eric Haskell
KC4YOE

--- In kicad-users@..., jean-pierre charras - INPG <jean-
pierre.charras@i...> wrote:

Hello Jean!

All "&#92;" changed to "/"!

Enjoy!

[]'s
Renie

开云体育

Renie a écrit?:

Hello ALL!

I created a page in my site about kicad in portuguese Brazil (sorry! 
my english is poor!) named Espa?o Kicad!

Have tricks in use of Kicad and many components:

 - 162 new 3D components

 - 21 new modules (footprint)

 - 8 new components for eeschema.

Yours visits will are wellcome!



[]'s
Renie S. Marquet


  

Very interessant! and a lot of work.

But unfortunately many links use "\" like? <P align=center><IMG src="kicad\capa_gerbview.jpg">P>TD>
and the site works fine only with internet explorer

Please, Renie change all the "\" to "/"

开云体育

开云体育

Ian bell a écrit?:

costasloop wrote:
  

There may be some useful code in this tool.  The website indicates most 
of the code is GPL2.


Source code for layout and autorouters download is here:



The description of the various autotrouters is here:


    

I know this autorouter, and I have written an implementation for pcbnew, but i do not released it.
This is because unfortunately, there are some problems:
- Some (many?) bugs.
- The *main* problem is the router do no know the 45° for tracks and pcb edges. This is very hard to change because the code
is *very* optimized to handle only 90° tracks and edges.

I believe DJ Delories has solved some of theses problems ( mainly for the free software "PCB"), but I do not know this patched version.

开云体育

Pedro Martín del Valle a écrit?:

I think I would prefer to specifiy a standard default footprint
attached to each part instead of having to specifing a footprint for
each item in the netlist. ?
    

You can, if you want.

You can edit the component in Eeschema and fill the field "pcb" with the name 
of the desired module/footprint.

Pedro.


  

A more convenient method is to create .equ files and use the automatic association command, with cvpcb.

This is because for many components, the "standard default footprint" depend on the value.
Diodes, Polarised Condensators are an example.
And for most of components, you can use a SMD version for a project, and later the "standard" version for an other project.


With a .equ file you can have a "standard default footprint" which solve this, because the .equ files can be spécific to a project.

here is an example ( seen kicad/modules/devices.equ)
'680K'??? ? 'R4'
'1M'??? 'R4'
'2,2PF'??? ? 'C1'
'3,3PF'??? ? 'C1'
'74HC00'??? ??? '14DIP300'
'74LS00'??? ??? '14DIP300'
'74HCT00'??? ??? ?'14DIP300'


* .equ file gives the standard default footprint from the component value, and can be created by your favorite editor.
And the editor replace command can very fastly change the 14DIP300 to SO14E for a SMD based project...

in kicad/modules/ you can find some? .equ files.

Do not forget to configure cvpcb, to select the .equ files you want.

Hello ALL!

I created a page in my site about kicad in portuguese Brazil (sorry!
my english is poor!) named Espa?o Kicad!

Have tricks in use of Kicad and many components:

- 162 new 3D components

- 21 new modules (footprint)

- 8 new components for eeschema.

Yours visits will are wellcome!



[]'s
Renie S. Marquet

I think I would prefer to specifiy a standard default footprint
attached to each part instead of having to specifing a footprint for
each item in the netlist. ?

You can, if you want.

You can edit the component in Eeschema and fill the field "pcb" with the name
of the desired module/footprint.

Pedro.

kc4yoe wrote:

This package looks very capable and seems easier to learn than Eagle and with out those pesky limitations. I like the idea of the microwave tool bar. I think I would prefer to specifiy a standard default footprint attached to each part instead of having to specifing a footprint for each item in the netlist. I plan to make up some parts this weekend. I dont see foot print for several of te parts I need such as 48-TQFP, 20-PLCC, SOT23, SOT89 Micro-X, SOT323 etc.

Libraries always seem to be a big issue with EDA. One of the things I like about Kicad is it separates schematic component libraries from footprint ones. Like you I already had to create a part, a relay.

The Kicad site has a contrib library so perhaps we could use the group files section for the same sort of thing.

Ian

--
Ian T-Bell
aka RuffRecords
aka RedTommo
www.geocities.com/ruffrecords