--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, kajdas <kaj...@...> wrote: > But you always need to have the vias/nodes connected with traces first.
Not with the most recent release. If a net is first selected when laying out a zone then the fill will add connections (using thermals) to pads that are part of that net. The resulting connections will (mostly) pass DRC so they are truly seen as "connected." Zone fill is not 100% perfect -- some pads that appear to be connected may still show on the DRC as unconnected (not sure why), and I've had some 1-pin mounting holes become overlaid with the zone -- but it's much "smarter" than it used to be. One footnote. If a pad needs very narrow traces, such as a connection to a fine-pitch QFP, one may still need to make a manual connection with an appropriate narrow track if the track width that the zone uses is so wide that it can't "get to" the pad.
