About V7 (6.99) features

Software
1

Hello!

Is there a list of the coming features in the next versions? I have tried to look for Kicad7,
kicad roadmap, kicad 6.99, but found nothing about Kicad’s near future. Any hint?

Thanks,

2

Have a look here

Unlike the previous similar summary for 5.99, you can’t reply to this thread. You need to make a new post to discuss any features.

1 Like
3

Hello!

Thanks for your reply. In fact, I’ve seen this thread recently, but the problem is that all the items
I’ve seen are related to tiny details. What I would like to know is what “big” feature will be added.
So here we come to the definition of what is a big feature. For instance, this could consist in
adding a sub-pcb capability. A module defined either as a single PCB or as a specific submodule
format, and that could be added to a project, both schematic and layout at once, with the whole
layout movable at once (i.e. by simple drag, not by rectangle-select and drag).
Another example, some people were asking for a powerful autorouter (NB: I don’t). This also
could be called a feature.
The examples in the link you posted are certainly interesting. Ok, there will be a possibility of
adding radial dimension (the feature I’m looking at while writing), and that’s good, but it’s more
of an implementation detail than a feature. I guess the development team did not discuss - What do
we do in V7? -Let’s implement radial dimensions, that would be great. They probably first had some
major improvement ideas.

Thanks,

4

The mentioned thread Post-v6 new features and development news lists (until now) only features which are already merged into the code. There is work in progress for many more features, a list of all desired features for v7.0 can be viewed on gitlab. Just filter for milestone==7.0 and label==feature and you get Issues · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab

It’s not garantied that all the requests are worked on nor that the work gets ready for v7-release, but a look at the individual threads gives a clue what to expect. From this list I personally would like to see:

  • script-API for scripts in eeschema
  • property inspector
  • multi-layer snapping

Your “sunmodule”-feature is also somwhere registered in a gitlab-issue, but it seems not tagged for v7.

Some personal words: I like more “polished” software with fewer features but 110%reliable,with consistent user-interface. Feature-packed software mostly has a difficult learning-curve and for a part-time-user (I have to switch between schematic-design / pcb-layout / mechanical cad prototype production and small series production) it’s often hard to remember the ways to efficiently use the advanced tools.

4 Likes
5

We add features as we feel like. We are all volunteer developers so it’s really what interests us which we discuss amongst ourselves. We take community upvotes on Gitlab issues as guidance and individuals are also free to propose work they want to contribute.

2 Likes
6

Yes, it would be very interesting to see some preliminary plans or informative opinions about the probable features. The shorter schedule for v7 means it’s necessary(for the developers) to know earlier what will be included and what not, compared to v6.

There are some candidates which have already been worked on, even for a long time, and have been postponed at least once.

Custom fonts is a long time wish which have now been added, it may not be important for all users, but is certainly high in the “coolness” meter, and isn’t a trivial change.

You can see other good candidates in Issues · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab (feature requests tagged for v7, sorted by votes).

To pick up a few:

  • CAM manager (managing export and other output settings)
  • Finite Element Simulation
  • Assembly variants
  • “Channels” or “Rooms”, i.e. a native implementation for functionality similar to Replicate Layout plugin
  • Better net ties
  • Teardrops (beginning of this is already in the master code)
  • Grid customization (e.g. context specific grids)
  • Gate swap (the oldest wish, 14 years!)
  • Big changes to library system (maybe some kind of database integration; a combined “part” file format; hopefully chained library tables or several tables)

I’m pretty sure not all of these be implemented in v7 but probably at least some will be.

Go through the issue list and add a thumb up for your favorites.

3 Likes
7

It’s easy to build a list of priorities; it’s harder to predict what will get done by V7 feature freeze.

It’s better in my opinion to think about “what KiCad team thinks is important to add in the future” rather than “what KiCad team is committing to add to a specific version”. Unless someone is paying a developer who has committed to a particular timeline (which does happen sometimes), it’s much harder to guarantee that a certain thing will be in V7.

8

So, what it is? :slight_smile:

2 Likes
9
  • Every feature request that has a developer assigned
  • Most of the feature requests that are highly-upvoted but unassigned
  • Feature requests that aren’t captured in GitLab yet but come in from professional users looking to move to KiCad
3 Likes
10

From the list of wishlist items which have a devoper assigned… (Issues · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab)

  • IPC-2581 export (http://www.ipc2581.com/)
  • better (easier to use) BOM generator
  • first class board outline (not just a bunch of graphics in Edge.Cuts)
  • “Outline editor and simple geometric constraint solver for pcbnew” or improved drawing tools (old, something like this was already introduced in “v6” fundraising video in 2018 but was postponed) (EDIT: oops, I mentioned this one already above)
1 Like
11

The big thing I’d like , is to be able to apply changes to multiple symbols /footprints in one go. This is an area coming from DipTrace I find lacking in Kicad. Methodology are either multiple select and get a common properties dislog or tools to push changes from one symbol to others.

2 Likes
12

This is probably related to “Object inspector” - one of the WiP features.

13

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.