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Graphical Eeschema Complements
Jim Hughen
¿ªÔÆÌåÓýI am trying to add a graphic object to an Eeschema
which would be similar to a Comment Text fields (see
Eeschema.pdf?? "5.6 - Complements")
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The object now, is to add arrowheads on RS232 nets
showning the direction of control.
I have tried making a pseudo component, but that
doesn't seem to work out.
Even if it could be prepared outside of Eeschema
and added with text editing to AProjectFile.sch, that would be
fine.
?
Any ideas????? Might be a nice
new feature.
?
...Jim Hughen
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using WinXp and KiCad (2010-12-23 BZR
2684)-stable |
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Something that was good and now is not (in RC4), can you please fix?
I used to me able to right-click on a reference, then move the mouse just slightly down-right until the first line of thecontext menu (Reference) is highlighted, and press "M" (or whatever) on the Keyboard for that action.
Now the keyboard shortcut doesn't work, I have to move the mouse all the way and click. This is very inconvenient when moving references to good locations for silkscreen. Can you please fix? Thank you, Cat |
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Re: Route track between two PTH pads
dennevi
--- In kicad-users@..., Robert <birmingham_spider@...> wrote:
Placing a zone the same size as the pad on top and bottom layer solved the issues with kicad reporting pads to be unconnected! This is actually a fully functional workaround for me! All I have to do now is to draw 25 or 50 zones... I'll be even more suspicious when I look at the board in a gerber viewer next time before ordering though. Thanks guys! /Albin |
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Re: Route track between two PTH pads
There is one little problem with this technique though. The DRCThat's what I warned you about. Kicad doesn't assume that two pads with the same pad number are connected (even if they overlap) unless you connect them with a track or zone. I don't think you could do it with a track, but maybe if you placed a tiny zone over the two pads that share the same centre that would do the trick. Regards, Robert. -- () Plain text email - safe, readable, inclusive. /\ |
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Re: Library problem , need help.
Jos
Guys,
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I listened to all your comments and decided to delete the big Library form the Programs/Kicad directory on C: I made a new directory on another disk and added the path under Preferences >> User defined search path. I will piut my stuff there. Thanks for your help, Jos --- In kicad-users@..., "JorgeF_Tech" <jorgef.tech@...> wrote:
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Re: Route track between two PTH pads
dennevi
Thank to all for the great answers and innovative ideas!
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Cat: I somewhat like the idea! I guess the problem would be that I don't get any capture pads on top and bottom layers. And if I create them manually with traces, I won't get any opening in the soldermask. Brian: Thank you for the link and the clarifications! How great it would be if KiCad created pads only on top, bottom and when needed in inner layers! I tried creating the holes with almost no annular ring as Cat suggested, then I placed a round SMD pad on top and bottom layer with the same pin number. This seems to work fine. I can draw traces as normal in top and bottom layers, and if I need to connect the hole to an inner layer, I do it with a trace as wide as the pads on top and bottom layers. There is one little problem with this technique though. The DRC passes OK, but "unconnected pads" complain about the pads not being connected. Twice for every pin-number. The component which made me try all this is a pin-array (or bard stacker) with 1,27 mm pitch (50 mils). It has 2x25 pins so it's not a great idea to route all traces around the connector. I could use normal holes in one row (pads in all layers), and only have pads in top and bottom layer in the second row. In the first row, all connections would then be made in the inner layers, and in the second row all connections would be made in top or bottom layer. I can't find a combination for the second layer that works though. I've tried two standard pads on top of each other (one in top and one in bottom layer), like I first suggested, but I seem to get "ErrType(3)- Track near thru-hole" when I connect traces to ether layer. If I put a standard pad in top layer, and a SMT pad in bottom layer, I get the same error when I connect a trace to the SMT pad. The only combination I find that works with DRC is the one I described above, SMD pad in top layer, SMD pad in bottom layer, standard pad in all layers but with no annular ring. All three in the same position and the same number. It does however give the "unconnected pads" complaints for some reason. This seems to be the best option right now if I want to use PTH. If I changed the connector to SMT I wouldn't have the problem of course, but that's not preferred either. Thanks again for all the help you guys! Kind regards Albin Dennevi, Sweden --- In kicad-users@..., Brian Sidebotham <brian.sidebotham@...> wrote:
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Re: Library problem , need help.
JorgeF_Tech
Jos, guys
I'm a recent user also, but I'm using past experience from other software tools in my Kicad usage. I never use "standard libraries" for my projects. My first move is to set up my own libraries on my own folders (several guys have mentioned this already) and then collect what I need from the available libs. At beginning might look a bit awkward, but after a few projects I have all of my most frequently used stuff organized in my own way, and from time to time, less and less often, need to look for something elsewhere. It also makes it easier to ship a project to someone else, I know exactly what libs to send along. On the other hand, loading dozens of libs is also prone to put an unnecessary burden on the software and on the PC with costs on performance. I still remember, several years ago, when a friend decided to dump a full Corel collection of true type fonts on is PC with M$-Windows, the machine never rebooted until I managed to erase the 900+ TTFs. Regards Jorge -----Mensagem original----- De: kicad-users@... [mailto:kicad-users@...] Em nome de Andy Eskelson Enviada: quinta-feira, 27 de Janeiro de 2011 19:06 Para: kicad-users@... Assunto: Re: [kicad-users] Re: Library problem , need help. I'll add one other warning to this. DO NOT add things to the standard libs. When you upgrade kicad the standard libs get overwritten. Always set up your own lib and mod directories for things that you add and modify. Andy On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:11:32 -0800 (PST) Jeff Kaskey <jkaskey@...> wrote: Yeah, about that...tool. 1wire happens to be a bunch of components from the Dallas one-wire series.The truth is that there are 1000's of libraries because there are millions oftheir libraries built in different ways (custom fields, text arrangements, etc.)The directory you are referring to is a contributed set. If you did a standard install you should also have the 'standard' libraries at Program_Files ->KiCad -> share -> librarymight need and consider some of these downloaded libraries as a starting point.It has been said by others and I'll just repeat it: as with any CAD tool, it maybe tempting to use out-of-the-box libraries, but in the end almost everyoneends up customizing their own. So consider the downloaded files as a startingpoint. you will probably want to add and possibly tune as you move along.need to roll your own on this.power points to suit our conventions, but you'll still want to use this as abase. Power stuff can get slightly tricky, so using this template will help alot. Conn - yep, connectors. You'll need 'em and this is a very basic libraryof reasonably useful stuff.seductively easy to edit on the fly. Use a little caution, but generally you can workon a library faster in <favorite_editor_name> than in the graphical libraryeditor. This includes combining libraries. To any of you code slingers out thereforgotten thread, but could they be collected somewhere for us mere users to find?with KiCad. The learning curve seems fairly gentle and functionality comesquickly, but I'm still probably wrong on a lot of details.outside the show inKiCad path, some place you keep data that you may want to backup. the Kicad Library folder. ------------------------------------ Please read the Kicad FAQ in the group files section before posting your question. Please post your bug reports here. They will be picked up by the creator of Kicad. Please visit for details of how to contribute your symbols/modules to the kicad library. For building Kicad from source and other development questions visit the kicad-devel group at ! Groups Links |
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Re: Route track between two PTH pads
Brian Sidebotham
On 27 January 2011 15:31, dennevi <dennevi@...> wrote:
Hi Albin, In KiCad it is impossible to connect to a TH plating that doesn't have a pad on the same layer as the trace as the pads are present on all copper layers; Actually, even though KiCad does not offer the best solution - which is to support pad stacks, connecting a track to a TH plating without a copper pad is something that CAD software should prevent anyway. You would never be able to have a reliable connection to a TH plating without a pad on the layer you want to connect. One of the main reasons is drilling accuracy, but there are other factors involved too. Here is some quick info that is worth a quick scan read at least: Normal operation for the CAD software supporting a full pad stack would be to have no pad present on the inner layers of the TH plating (Front and Back layers MUST have pads on to support the plating), then when a track is connected to the TH plating, a pad is added to the same layer as the track. I hope this makes sense for you. Best Regards, Brian. |
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Re: Library problem , need help.
Andy Eskelson
I'll add one other warning to this. DO NOT add things to the standard
libs. When you upgrade kicad the standard libs get overwritten. Always set up your own lib and mod directories for things that you add and modify. Andy On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:11:32 -0800 (PST) Jeff Kaskey <jkaskey@...> wrote: Yeah, about that... |
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KiCAD Library Editor/Merge Tool
Hi,
I ran into the problem of having different versions of libraries (*.lib and *.mod) created by me. So I decided to write me a simple GUI application which has the ability to load, save and merge *.lib and *.mod files. The application is not really well tested and also it is a little bit ugly. But it seems to work and I could merge my different library files into one with a few simple clicks. The full description and download link is on Nils |
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Re: Library problem , need help.
Yeah, about that... What you are looking at is a series of components converted from Eagle cad tool. 1wire happens to be a bunch of components from the Dallas one-wire series. The truth is that there are 1000's of libraries because there are millions of different components out there, and in addition, different users like their libraries built in different ways (custom fields, text arrangements, etc.) The directory you are referring to is a contributed set. If you did a standard install you should also have the 'standard' libraries at Program_Files -> KiCad -> share -> library DON'T add all those libraries to your schematic! Do think about what you might need and consider some of these downloaded libraries as a starting point. It has been said
by others and I'll just repeat it: as with any CAD tool, it may be tempting to use out-of-the-box libraries, but in the end almost everyone ends up customizing their own. So consider the downloaded files as a starting point. In particular, there are some libraries that are pretty commonly used that you will probably want to add and possibly tune as you move along. Devices - a bunch of discretes like transistors, resistors, diodes. No need to roll your own on this. Power - another good starting point. I changed the names of almost all the power points to suit our conventions, but you'll still want to use this as a base. Power stuff can get slightly tricky, so using this template will help a lot. Conn - yep, connectors. You'll need 'em and this is a very basic library of reasonably useful stuff. Moreover, you'll find that the ascii format of the .lib files is
seductively easy to edit on the fly. Use a little caution, but generally you can work on a library faster in than in the graphical library editor. This includes combining libraries. To any of you code slingers out there listening, I KNOW you have little scripts that make updating these ascii libraries much easier. You may have even shared them somewhere in a forgotten thread, but could they be collected somewhere for us mere users to find? Final caveat: I'm a new user myself, working only on my second schematic with KiCad. The learning curve seems fairly gentle and functionality comes quickly, but I'm still probably wrong on a lot of details. From: Jos To: kicad-users@... Sent: Thu, January 27, 2011 7:41:07 AM Subject: [kicad-users] Re: Library problem , need help. ? OK, |
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Re: Route track between two PTH pads
How about you make the module pads barely bigger than the hole and then add thick trace sections where you actually need to connect to them on any layer?
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Cat ---------------------------------------- To: kicad-users@... |
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Re: Route track between two PTH pads
On 27/01/2011 15:31, dennevi wrote:
If there's no pad to connect to you might be able to find some workaround that by chance gives you connectivity, but I doubt very much kicad will recognise it as being connected. I expect that kicad wont recognise the two pads on L1 and L6 as being connected unless they are connected externally (with a via). You are heading into potentially very deep water here. Is there really no other way of solving the problem of getting this track through that doesn't require bodges? Regards, Robert -- () Plain text email - safe, readable, inclusive. /\ |
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Re: Library problem , need help.
Jos
OK,
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I have a folder called "Library" in the Kicad program folder. It is full off .LIB files. If I add for instance, 1wire.lib it will show up in the list. But I thing adding some 1000 .LIB files here is over the top. I want to put some in the Device library, some in the Valves library. I am really puzzled by this. Jos --- In kicad-users@..., Cat C <catalin_cluj@...> wrote:
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Re: Route track between two PTH pads
dennevi
Thank you both for the quick and helpful answers!
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I'll try my workaround and have a look in a gerber viewer tomorrow. Do you believe it will work if I have pads only in L1 and L6 and connect a trace to the plated hole in L3, even if there is no pad present in that layer? Or do I need to make all connections to the plated hole in L1 or L6? Kind regards Albin, Sweden --- In kicad-users@..., Robert <birmingham_spider@...> wrote:
I also believe I could get around this by creating one round drilledBrian has answered the rest of the question, but I think your suggested |
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Re: Library problem , need help.
Andy Eskelson
Kicad only works with libs that it is told about.
Use the preferences > library menu option, then use the add library button. Point it to your new libs and then OK. That should be enough. Kicad only remembers added libs on a project by project basis, so these libs will vanish when you start a new project. Either add them again, or if this gets to be annoying you can modify the default template, after which the libs will be included with any new project. You can also define library paths as well I must admit that I've never used this option, I think it enables you to pick up all libs in a directory, but best to check the help on that point. Andy On Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:55:59 -0000 "Jos" <jos.raven@...> wrote:
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Re: Library problem , need help.
You need to ADD them to the "known" libraries by going into the "Preferences/Libraries" menu.
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ALSO, I would keep any "new" library in a separate folder, totally outside the KiCad path, some place you keep data that you may want to backup. Cat ---------------------------------------- To: kicad-users@... |
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Library problem , need help.
Jos
I'm sorry.
In EEschema library browser I find some 30 libraries. However in the windows Program Folder there is a folder Library with 2293 files. I downloaded Zip files and added the in this folder but they do not show in the Kicad Library folder. I do not often use Kicad so my "expertise" is minimal. What am I doing wrong??? Please help, Jos Holland |
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Re: Route track between two PTH pads
I also believe I could get around this by creating one round drilledBrian has answered the rest of the question, but I think your suggested workaround might work. You do need to check the result with a gerber viewer, however. Regards, Robert. -- () Plain text email - safe, readable, inclusive. /\ |
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