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Hi Everybody, Welcome to the Kicad Users Group. I hope we have some lively and constructive discussions on this excellent EDA package. I'll start the ball rolling with a couple of questions of my own. 1. Why does cvpcb exit whenever you save netlist and cmp list? 2. The MOSFET_N component in Eeschema has pins labeled G,D and S rather than 1,2 and 3 as with regular transistors. If you select a TO220 package for it in cvpcb then an error occurs in pcbnew when the netlist is loaded. The error says the pins G,S and D cannot be found. There is a specific module for one specific component that has a TO220 shape but S,G and D pins. Whilst this works it is confusing. Ian

The document says little about routing. I got the autorouter to work but I cannot get pcbnew to tack only on the copper layer for a single sided PCB. Even if I set the number of layers to one the autorouter still uses two. And, anyone have an idea how to do manual routing? Clicking on rats nest tracks does not seem to work. Ian

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.

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: http://www.cs.manchester.ac.uk/apt/projects/tools/mucs-pcb/ The description of the various autotrouters is here: http://www.cs.manchester.ac.uk/apt/projects/tools/mucs-pcb/routers.php

Is there a faculty for import of schematics from LTspice E.Brown Designer Gamma Acoustics

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! http://www.reniemarquet.cjb.net []'s Renie S. Marquet

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

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).

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

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

Hi all, I'm a new Kicad user. It's a great effort by the designers- congratulations & thanks! Here are my observations/suggestions. 1. It seems Kicad needs all the projects to be in the kicad folder. I tried creating a folder outside kicad for projects, but kicad then cant find libraries etc, in spite of saving the settings, and I have to again add the libraries each time I start. Cant Kicad 'remember'the settings from the previous session? 2. While routing wires in schematic, when turning at 90 deg, the wire should change direction at where the wire is now. Presently, it abandons the route so far done & switches directions at the start of the route. This is irritating. Orcad users know what I'm talking about.The route must be smart enough to avoid running through schematic symbols. This is also intuitive. 3. I edited the 'DIODE' symbol in device.lib and saved in a new library device2.lib, did save to memory-save to disc etc. But in schematic, even after specifically selecting the device2.lib & selecting the modified component, Kicad insists in placing the component from the device.lib. How to solve this? Thanks! --Royce

I really feel the selectable grids(schematic capture) should be in proportion to each other. Presently it is 50, 20, 10,5 etc. So if one is using a grid of 20, and then switches to 50(which exists in most symbols ) the cursor now cannot snap to the items! The grid should be 50,25,12.5,6.25 etc. This may look ugly, but it can be shown as x(50), x/2, x/4, x/8, which makes sense since Kicad internally uses inches, for which this is the usual convention (1/4,1/8 etc). --Royce.

Hi, Some more on the grid.. 1. The snap to grid need only work when placing components or wiring, other wise the cursor may move & select items finely. For example, if I set a wire label text size to .040", and my grid is 0.050", I cant delete or edit the label! I have to reduce the grid to do anything with it, then set the grid back again to what i was using afterwards. 2. Is there a way to permanently set the wire label text size to anything? Even if I set one label size to 0.040", the next label is again 0.060". Kicad should hold the last set label size. Is there a way? Thanks, --Royce.

Hello all! Ive created gerber files for my board and found that the horizontal lines of the cotas are missing. Another thing i found is when printing that gerber it srhinks. When plotting to postcript i also found that the vias (30/16mills) are not draw. Je, just one more thing, when printing the board directly, if there are two tracks joining forming an angle, at the joining appears some chuncks missing, when looking in detail, i found that the tracks are printed as rectangles and the little curve in the angle formed is not printed. Besides this, i love kicad! ;) specially with gtk2. Thanks all. Saludos, Juan Pablo.

Does any one know how to renumber the sheets? I want them in a different order. Thanks! Saludos, Juan Pablo. -- Juan Pablo Daniel Borgna -- Tcnico Electrnico INTI-Electrnica e Informtica Direccin: Avenida General Paz 5445 entre Albarellos y Constituyentes CC157 (CP B1650KNA) San Martn, Bs. As., Argentina TE:+(5411)4724-6200

It would be nice to get rid of the bubbles at the end of the pins in the component symbol(schematic), once the connection has been made. The bubbles will then serve as an indication of an unconnected pin. This will also make the schematic diagram look uncluttered and professional. Thanks, --Royce.

Hi! I want to put a rectangular hole for soldering a the metallic case of a sliding switch to the board. How do you (any of you) would do this? Ive solved with overlapping some rectangular pads, but i dont know if my board manufacturer will complain... Attached is the module i created. Any comment is appreciated. Thanks. Saludos, Juan Pablo. -- Juan Pablo Daniel Borgna -- Tcnico Electrnico INTI-Electrnica e Informtica Direccin: Avenida General Paz 5445 entre Albarellos y Constituyentes CC157 (CP B1650KNA) San Martn, Bs. As., Argentina TE:+(5411)4724-6200

I created a module with some segments in the drawings layer. When tracing the gerber i found that the texts (of this module, T0 T1 fields) are put in this layer too! but the most strange thing is that in the .mod file the layer it is correctly indicated. Its just me or it happens to some one else? I try in the source code, but there is a lot of it.... does anyone have a clue on where to look for this? Saludos, Juan Pablo. -- Juan Pablo Daniel Borgna -- Tcnico Electrnico INTI-Electrnica e Informtica Direccin: Avenida General Paz 5445 entre Albarellos y Constituyentes CC157 (CP B1650KNA) San Martn, Bs. As., Argentina TE:+(5411)4724-6200

I have read the manual about building a part in eeschema but for some reason I cannot move multiple pins. Is there some way to move multiple pins or a group of pins at the same time? If not could somebody explain a good method to draft a part with a large number of pins?

I have uploaded a new version of kicad, on ftp servers, in Release_Candidate directory.. Because there are many changes, it is a release candidate only. See (in this directory) "new.txt" and "install.txt" ** Update 27 sept 2005 (release candidate): Distribution: Due to the large size of the archives, I have released kicad in 2 separate files: kicad.zip (or.tgz) (all files but schematic component docs :kicad/library/doc/*.pdf) doc_components.zip (or .tgz) (kicad/library/doc/*.pdf) Full install (see install.txt): install kicad.zip (or .tgz). install doc_components.zip (or.tgz) in kicad/library Update: Usually, only kicad.zip is needed. All: Build with wxWidgets-2.6.2 (Windows) and wxWidgets-2.6.1 (Linux) Italian GUI translation added eeschema Code cleaning. Change: The 20 mils grid selection is changed to 25 mils grid selection. This is more convenient because the 50 mils standard working grid cannot be reached on a 20 mils grid Added: very usefull block operations in Library Editor: Zoom (Drag mouse, middle button on) move (Drag mouse, left button on) or select items (choose from pop up menu) copy (Drag mouse, left button + shift key on) mirror (Drag mouse, left button + Control key on) delete (Drag mouse, left button + shiht key + control key on) Select (accessible by block popup menu): select items (pins) for selective global editing Some others enhancements. Added in Library editor only: True undo-redo command Added: - New hot key: F5 = Find next - Now, pin names can be partially overlined: Only letters between ~ are overlined. for a string like READ/WRITE, if you want have WRITE overlined enter the string READ/~WRITE~ pcbnew: fixed bugs: - pcbnew can crashes in autoplace command - pcbnew now saves module option "locked". - Plot: cotas are now correctly plotted ** -- Jean-Pierre CHARRAS Ma?tre de conférences Directeur d'études 2ieme année. Génie Electrique et Informatique Industrielle 2 Institut Universitaire de Technologie 1 de Grenoble BP 67, 38402 St Martin d'Heres Cedex Recherche : LIS - INPG 46, Avenue Félix Viallet 38031 Grenoble Cedex Web : http://www.lis.inpg.fr