Any ideas why I can’t connect the via to the target pad as shown here.?
It’s OK. Just figured it out.
I’m back.
Figured out what?
ERC is Electrical Rules Checker. Using this feature will show you where drawing mistakes are in your layout according to the rules ERC runs on.
eg. an unconnected Gnd or +ve, a missing or incomplete track. etc.
Yes.
Schematic and PCB must match exactly or ERC will spit the dummy.
This means for a jumper (or zero ohm res.) placed on the PCB a symbol for that jumper needs to be placed on the schematic.
Thanks for the education. I figured out why I could not make the via connection shown in the attachment… but too embarrassed to say how I figured it out,
1 Like
Ehh, pencil too blunt???
Wrong layer??? 
I CNC Mill my PCB’s and don’t make Schematics for 50% of projects (I have hand-drawn schematics that I doodle-up over coffee).
I try to make most of my PCB’s as Single-Sided thus, I use Jumper Wires.
I made several Jumper-Wire footprints and 3D-Models. Attached below.
Edit/Hack them as needed - perhaps some will be useful as-is…
FYI - If not wanting to fuss, you can simply place “Pad’s” on a PCB (knowing you’re going to use Wire’s for connections.)
This Post/Video may be of interest…
JumperWires.zip (141.7 KB)
You can make a Symbol and attach a Footprint, if desired…
Thank you for the tips, links and video. Very helpful. Making the PCB without the schematic is a good idea, I am trying to use 1mm + tracks hoping they will be suitable for CNC milling. Never tried it before and don’t yet know how to convert the PCB layout to CNC. I use stl files with deskProto to convert design files to CNC gerber. How do you convert your PCB’s to CNC files?
1mm tracks not a problem (mine are typically 0.7mm to as large as needed for the project)
Most often, I use 0.7mm EndMill bits for tracks/pads etc (sometimes 0.6mm bits) and 1.0mm for the PCB shape and cutouts…
Converting for CNC milling:
Export Gerbers from Kicad
Load the Gerbers into CopperCam. The full package is not free but, the download is usable for small projects.
Easy and never a problem (been using CopperCam perhaps 7 yrs).
I use a larger Mill than I show in this Video but, it will convey the idea…
Many thanks for the info and links.CopperCam looks ideal for conversion. Unfortunately it appears to be Windows only. I have a Mac. Do you know if there is any alternative software?
I use a Mac. I run CopperCam (and a few other Windows app’s) on it using
PlayOnMac - works perfect! I have used other app’s to run it but, when I upgraded to Monterey, at the time, only PlayOnMac and CodeWeaver’s were happy.
PlayOnMac is free…
My main computer is MacMini with Monterey and I was always too nervous to try Windows apps. However I am encouraged by your comments. Many of the youtube copperCam tutorials are difficult to follow. I don’t mind paying for the software but I have to be sure there are some good tutorials so I’ll keep searching.
Do you add a frontside ground plane on your KiCad layouts or is that done in CopperCad?
Thank you for your help. Very much appreciated.
CopperCam = CC (for typing brevity)
If I need a Ground/Power plane, then I use double-sided PCB stock. Otherwise, I use Single-Sided.
CC has useful PCB tweaking tools and can do Planes/add track/pads… but, I prefer doing all PCB design/tweaking in Kicad so it’s all together.
I don’t Horizontally ‘Flip’ the layout in Kicad. I Flip it in CC and reposition the Origin (personal preference).
Download PlayOnMac and CC… can’t hurt to try it out…
…After PlayOnMac is running (at least one time), by double-clicking CC’s setup file, it will Install (it should auto-boot PlayOnMac and be ready for the next step).
Double-Click CC’s setup file.
After you’ve run CC’s Setup file, you can place the CopperCam.exe (that was created by CC’s setup) in the Dock or on Desktop for convenience. It will boot CC as if it’s a Mac App.
CopperCam is simple to use once user has setup the Tool-Bits/Drills Library, Feeds, Speeds, Depth, Output_Format…etc. Very typical of CNC software…
Be sure to setup the Parameters> Selected Tools and Output Data Format
After the setup’s:
• File> Open> New_Circuit
Select file type (gerber…)
it might auto-populate. Un-check ‘Calc…immediately’
The files you load may all have the PCB Contour or, may not. That depends on your Kicad settings. To avoid layer-alignment trouble, best to have the Contour on all layers.
In this GIF vid, I did Not do my usual process/steps. Just did enough to give the idea of how to do it…
Thanks very much for your time spent in helping me get started with CNC routing of PCB’s. I have installed PlayOn Mac and tried to install CopperCam. I can’t find documentation for CopperCam and don’t want to clog this post with silly questions so I will send you a message off line.
CopperCam includes a Help section contiaining User Manual (containing good info…). See the main Menubar’s ‘Help’
I responded to your message…
Thanks. I’ll continue here. I am missing something because I can’t open CopperCam. I got copsetup.exe after opening the dmg file. I then double clicked and got the setup options which I ignored as you suggested but couldn’t find the CopperCam app. I tried again and got this, which suggests the app is somewhere. Spotlight search for “CopperCam” only found “copsetup.exe”. Is that the app? Should it be displayed in PlayOn Mac? Is there a virtual drive somewhere?
It can be very confusing…
In General:
See screenshot below. It’s my setup and I hope your’s will be similar (it’s in the user’s Dir…)
POM (PlayOnMac) will create the “drive_c” with shown contents.
Once installed, make a shortcut to CC.exe (mine has custom Icon I made)
Did you get the big CC install window?
I finally opened CopperCam. I did not initially create the short cut. After I made the short cut, the app showed up in POM. However, I must have done something wrong because there is no drive_c and the app is on the desktop, no nesting like yours and not in a folder. Maybe I should manually create a drive_c folder and place it anywhere or should it be in a special place? Many thanks again for you valuable help.
The final CC ‘pompt’d option’ is to create shortcuts. I don’t do it. I do it manually.
My CC is tree’d from perhaps a dozen CC installs over past 7 yrs and I manually place in residual Dir’s from those CC installs (via; Wine/Bottler and several other’s, leading up to POM).
Thus, you may not have very similar locations. As long as you have CC.exe where it makes sense for you… 
Don’t manually create the drive! Look for it, I can’t imagine it not having been created but, that too, my be left-over from other installs… .Important files are in the CC Dir and you’ll want to know that your Tools, Settings and Post-Processor files and License are there (I make backups of these…)
Once I located drive_c, I put its Parent (wineprefix) and CC in my Finder’ Tree and CC in the Dock
I have searched with spotlight and manually but can’t find drive_c. I haven’t yet finished my PCB so I will try re-installing when I am ready to use CC. You have been a great help and hopefully I will get the opportunity of reporting my first CNC routed PCB. Thank you for the “good info” link.