[kicad-users] Re: default libraries
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, Andy Eskelson andyya...@... wrote: Modify kicad.pro see my post to philip on the 26th aug Andy Oh, shoot, not sure how I missed that post. Ok thanks, that looks like just what I need.
[kicad-users] default libraries
Can somebody tell me how to set what libraries are added by default to a new project? Maybe this is obvious but I haven't figured out how to do it.
[kicad-users] vias in a pad?
A number of components I've come across lately (DC motor controller chips, ESD protection devices, for example) have a thermal or ground pad underneath the chip. This requires that a large pad be included in the footprint, and the usual recommendation is that several vias are used in this pad to connect it to the ground layer. This is also part of the thermal management scheme. For example, if you look at page 10 of the datasheet for the Allegro A4983, it describes how to lay out the board. It shows 9 vias in the under-chip pad used to aid in solder flow and heat transfer. My first thought for how to do this in KiCad was to define a bunch of vias on the board. My second thought was to change the module so that the large pad was actually several small pads butt up against each other, tiled together to make one large pad, and have each pad be a through-hole style pad with a very narrow drill. Is there a better approach or feature I've missed? Thanks. --Jim
Re: [kicad-users] vias in a pad?
Thanks, this was indeed helpful. Also the Yahoo Groups via Google search method. --Jim On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 9:16 AM, Robert birmingham_spi...@gmx.net wrote: This has been discussed previously. The Yahoo Groups search tool is pretty hopeless so I used Google to search for the relevant thread for you, which it found first in mail-archive starting at: http://www.mail-archive.com/kicad-users@yahoogroups.com/msg06539.html Does that help? Regards, Robert. On 24/08/2010 13:33, James Moody wrote: A number of components I've come across lately (DC motor controller chips, ESD protection devices, for example) have a thermal or ground pad underneath the chip. This requires that a large pad be included in the footprint, and the usual recommendation is that several vias are used in this pad to connect it to the ground layer. This is also part of the thermal management scheme. For example, if you look at page 10 of the datasheet for the Allegro A4983, it describes how to lay out the board. It shows 9 vias in the under-chip pad used to aid in solder flow and heat transfer. My first thought for how to do this in KiCad was to define a bunch of vias on the board. My second thought was to change the module so that the large pad was actually several small pads butt up against each other, tiled together to make one large pad, and have each pad be a through-hole style pad with a very narrow drill. Is there a better approach or feature I've missed? Thanks. --Jim
Re: [kicad-users] graphics differences in multi-part components
Not so hidden when you know where it is. Thanks, that was perfect. --Jim On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 5:12 PM, Andy Eskelson andyya...@g0poy.co.ukwrote: On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:59:47 - It's a rather hidden function :-) When you draw the graphic line, if you right click on it and select properties there is a tick box - common to units Untick this and the graphic will appear only on the current part selected. Andy bbt5001 mo...@bluebelttech.com moody%40bluebelttech.com wrote: The library editor in eeschema permits the creation of multi-part devices. So, if I have quad pack of NAND gates I can draw one and have the graphic to be the same for all parts. But what if the parts are not identical? I know I can have unique text and pin numbers, but I can not figure out how to have the Part A graphics differ from the Part B graphics. Any line I modify on A is modified on B (and C) as well. The part I'm trying to create is the Avago HCNR200 optocoupler. This consists of one internal LED and two photo diodes (PD1 and PD2). I *could* create the eeschemea model as one library part with all the components in one box, but that forces my schematics to conform to the physical package constraints. The correct approach is to have these as 3 independent parts so that they can be placed in the schematic according to the functional flow. For example, I should be able to place PD2, the isolated photo diode, on the sheet for the isolation circuits, while LED and PD1 are on a different sheet. This could be extended to something like a relay: schematically, the coil should be separable from the contacts. Can this be done KiCad?
[kicad-users] augmenting default locations for libraries
Library locations can be added via the Preferences-Library menu option (in eeschema, for example). This pops up a nice GUI which has a User Defined Search Path box and the Current Search Path List. The search paths list includes the current project directory, the use defined search paths (if any), and a couple of default paths: - C:\\Program Files\KiCad\share\library - C:\\Program Files\KiCad\share\library\doc - C:\\Program Files\KiCad\share\template Where are these values defined, and how can I add to them? Are they hard-coded into the program or is there a configuration file hidden somewhere? In my situation I have projects, libraries, and modules on a cloud drive. The absolute path to the drive depends on the computer being used and the user name. Therefore, defining the library and module directories through the user-defined path only works for one user The best approach is to add a specific path to the default path list on a per-machine (and per-user) basis, and have this path be picked up in the default list. Another question: Can environment variables be used in these path definitions? The %USERNAME% var would be helpful under Windows, but I can see this would be real management mess for a cross-platform system. Thanks, --Jim
[kicad-users] Re: zone won't fill
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, wacwursev2 nmh+ya...@... wrote: --- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, James jamesrsweet@ wrote: I'm running up against a wall here in PCBnew. I've created a number of zones in order to have thick traces between some points and some of them fill ok, but others I select Fill Zone and nothing happens. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? They're set to the correct net, I thought maybe they just weren't visually filling but I did a print preview and only the little trace I laid down first to satisfy the DRC shows up. Why are you using zones for this and not wide tracks? (how wide are you aiming for?) If you run DRC, does it fill them? Can you create a small layout that demonstrates this problem and post that? I got it figured out, for some reason if I made the zones slightly larger they would fill. I use zones so I can get different shapes. I'm doing some high frequency switchmode converter work where wide traces are necessary to carry high peak currents and reduce stray inductance, but these are joining SSOP ICs and 603 SMT parts. If I use a wide trace I can't taper it to connect to something smaller, I get a big rounded end that overlaps a pad or ends with a small trace coming out. Zones are a much more attractive way of doing this and produce a much more professional looking layout.
[kicad-users] zone won't fill
I'm running up against a wall here in PCBnew. I've created a number of zones in order to have thick traces between some points and some of them fill ok, but others I select Fill Zone and nothing happens. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? They're set to the correct net, I thought maybe they just weren't visually filling but I did a print preview and only the little trace I laid down first to satisfy the DRC shows up.
[kicad-users] Re: Images and logo inside PCB
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, ferraro.giuse...@... ferraro.giuse...@... wrote: Hi, I'm trying to insert an image in PCB. How can I do? I'm using WINDOWS VERSION, last version. Bye G I have run into this same problem. It seems there is no direct way to do this, it would certainly be a very nice feature to have.
[kicad-users] Grid visibility
Is there any way to make the points of the grid more than one pixel? I use KiCad on a high resolution CRT which in most ways is superb, but the grid dots are so small that they are nearly invisible. Please don't tell me just upgrade to LCD, I have several nice big LCD monitors too and still very much prefer the CRT, although the grid shows up better on them.
[kicad-users] Re: Heterogenous multi-part components
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, ne562 ne...@... wrote: I think it is done not very friendly for newbies... requires many extra clicks... There's a number of things like this, although in all fairness the vast majority of PCB CAD packages are not friendly to newbies, in fact most are downright horrid from a usability standpoint. You find one that is capable of doing what you want and stick with it, eventually you'll learn workarounds for the quirks. If you want an easy one to learn, I recommend ExpressPCB, it's free and a very easy way to get introduced to the concepts. PCB Wizard is decent as well, but only for through-hole parts and the full version is not free. Once you learn one program, learning others comes much more easily.
[kicad-users] Re: Momentary Push Button?
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, acidblue sunblast...@... wrote: Is there a footprint (lib and mod) for a momentary push button switch? I've looked under 'Devices' but only found the push and small push buttons. I suppose I could just use those but would like to know if there is a dedicated one for a momentary one. Like the small tactile ones you find at sparkfun. http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=97 Those are precisely what the pushbutton in the devices library are, I I just recently built a board with some identical buttons and that's the device I used.
[kicad-users] Module editor
I've been running into a couple issues with the module editor. Firstly, is there a way to edit the length of a line that has been drawn? I can't seem to find one, say for example I draw something and then wish to move the end point to extend the line a bit. Second, every time I select a line in the module editor and select Translate in attempt to rotate it, pcbnew crashes. This is 20100314 on WinXP. There are a lot of things I really like about KiCad but the module editor feels very cumbersome and limited, I can't help thinking I must be doing something wrong.
[kicad-users] Re: Feedback
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, Andy Eskelson andyya...@... wrote: I find that the problem with 0 ohm R and such like is that they are a fixed width, I also find it rather awkward to add them to a board, then to the sch and so on. I also prefer to have a sch. to work with. What I do for single sided boards is set the via size to the same as what I use for a normal through hole component Then I just route the board as normaly on the copper side, and where needed I switch to the component side and run tracks as if they were my jumper wires. The component side copper print becomes my jumper layout (if it ever gets that complex) For small home projects this works very nicely for me. Andy That's what I've been doing, and I've found it to be a usable workaround but it sure would be nice if there was a proper solution for this. Another program I tried at one point let me place standard pads anywhere, including the rectangular IC type pads that are nice if space is tight and then connect them with wires, it worked really well.
[kicad-users] Re: Feedback
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, Robert birmingham_spi...@... wrote: I just wanted to feed back some comments from a major appliance manufacturer who recently received some PCBs created by me using Kicad. They described the prototypes as being of excellent quality. The two boards, which are a mixture of digital and analogue circuitry, both worked first time. The quality of the Kicad software played a significant part in that, so I would like to pass on that praise to the Kicad authors, and thank them for producing an excellent suite of software. Previously I used commercial PCB software. It was a nightmare to use and most boards would have problems requiring revisions. Regards, Robert. Seems the places offering PCB packages costing thousands should be worried. I've tried demos of practically every package I could find and settled on KiCad. It's not perfect, but none of them are, some of the expensive stuff is downright lousy. The main gripes I have about it so far are these: No easy way to designate jumpers for single sided boards. I've been using enlarged vias but this is not ideal. It would be really great if I could just plunk down a couple of standard pads of the desired size/shape and designate them as connected. I've seen products that have a wire component that can be used to connect between points. Similarly, I can't just plunk down pads arbitrarily in the layout. I like to use pads to designate mounting screw holes and such, or for test points, flying leads, etc. It really ought to be possible to place pads without them being part of a package. Trace width selection is cumbersome, rather than a dropdown list of common widths with the option to enter an arbitrary list, it seems one has to create a list of trace sizes otherwise by default there is only one available, and there is a limit of 7(?) custom sizes. Some operations automatically place the mouse cursor near where it thinks you want to be working, but I find this really annoying because I'll click something in the toolbar and then suddenly the cursor pops up somewhere else. The mouse pointer should never move unless the mouse is moved. There is no default package-symbol assignment, one has to assign a package to each symbol separately. It would be really convenient if components in the schematic editor were already associated with a package for the layout which could then be changed if desired. Other than that, great software and the price is right.
[kicad-users] Re: Has anyone used the autorouters in GEDA to route their kicad design?
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, Alain Mouette ala...@... wrote: Autorouter is the top most misunderstood piece of software. Most peole just think that it will make the boar for them. That is not the way to go. Freeroute is great for complex boards, but it usualy makes a mess of the conections and you will not be able to change much afterwards. The internal router o Kicad is good and very effective for smaler/simpler boards. It doesn't generate such complex traces, but it easyer to work on the board aftewards. I personaly have developped a very interesting technique: I run repeatedly an autorouter just to evaluate my placement, then I discard and try a better placement. This is very effective... Alain I've never had much luck with autorouters, every time I've tried to use one it just makes a huge mess of the boards, I can do a much nicer layout manually. It would be nice to have the option to click on a single net or two points on a net and have them autoroute, but the autorouters I've tried always attempt to route an entire net or the entire board. Having played with them, I can spot all sorts of commercial PCBs that were autorouted, and it's easy to see the difference between grid and ripup routers.
[kicad-users] Re: pcb without schema
--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, gjdb gjdbx...@... wrote: Hi I'm new to the group. I built a 70 foot long signal cable with temperature sensors and switches arrayed along it. I use past tense because 23 June of last year a lightning strike came through and knocked the whole thing out. Nice big rip full length on a tree in front of the house. So instead of doing functional circuitry I have decided to use pcb's and put lightning protection devices on the boards. Need about 10-14 boards. The board is very simple and all the driving signals are at the computer end of the signal line. Is this all beginning to sound like 1-wire? So how do I build this board in pcbnew without a schema? I looked at the pdf for pcbnew but it assumes schema? Can I just make a 2 X 8 inch pcb outline and go from there? Has anybody done this before? Thanks George Dalla Betta Why not draw the schematic? If the board is that simple, it will only add 5-10 minutes to the process. Alternately you could use something like FreePCB for a quick little board, it's designed for this sort of thing, but I find that trying to cut corners and skip the schematic is a false economy, you will usually spend more time in the long run.
Re: [kicad-users] removing a module from a library
How embarrassing! - that is SO obvious. Thanks, --Jim (with a sheepish grin) On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 9:14 AM, Robert birmingham_spi...@gmx.net wrote: Select the library in the module editor using the left-most button on the toolbar, and then click the bin icon (fourth from left). Regards, Robert. On 08/03/2010 14:04, bbt5001 wrote: While learning how to work with the module editor I created a library with a few modules that ought not to be there. Is the only method to delete a module simply to edit the .mod file? Thanks, --Jim
Re: [kicad-users] Doubling up for power traces
I knew there had to be a good answer. - Many thanks! --Jim On Mon, Mar 8, 2010 at 9:18 AM, Robert birmingham_spi...@gmx.net wrote: Before creating the second set of tracks, Select Preferences...General, and then unselect Tracks Auto Del. Regards, Robert. On 08/03/2010 13:50, bbt5001 wrote: I made a relatively simple board consisting of two through-hole connectors and one or two surface mount devices. Since I had double-sided available I thought I'd use it to provide extra current capability, so after making my point-to-point connections on one side (satisfying the DRC with no unrouted nets) I switched to the other layer and repeated the connections. But when I generated the gerber files only the traces for one side appeared. Everything else was correct: all the through holes had both copper and component layer annuli, and the one SMD component had the correct component layer traces. But the additional (redundant) traces on the copper side were removed. Is this an intentional feature of the program? Is there a way to disable it? Thanks, --Jim
