Annotation Errors and Eeschema Error Message

[Sprig]

There was need to go back to an older project and tweak the schematic for the next spin. The project contained hierarchical sheets each with a different/seperate file for each sheet. The reason was so that U1, D1, DS1, C1, and R1 would all be associated with the same circuit and shown as such on the silkscreen of the board.

With the Annotate Tool:

There is no Order: Method for sorting by Page Numbers. In the current project, it does not make sense for the silkscreen to have the numbering as created by the current Annotation Tool; as there are only 15 outputs for each complex circuit (101,201, 301…etc. makes little sense for 15 parts that are expected to be numbered as R1, R2, …, R15).

The annotations were manually fixed on the hierarchical sheets before the additions/deletions were re-annotated on the top sheet.

The Scope: set to Use the current page only.
The Options: set to Reset existing annotations.
The Numbering: set to Use first free number after: 0.

This is a screen grab when running ERC:

This is after I have manually fixed many Multiple item messages. The ERC message, “Annotation required!” message threw me off into the wrong direction initially; as this is the same message seen when there are symbols on the schematic that are not annotated.

In this project, every symbol appears to be annotated, but it appears that there are now duplicate REFDES associations. This situation is not “Annotation Required”; instead it is “Annotation Errors/REFDES Duplicates”.

Thoughts or comments welcome.

[Rene_Poschl]

What do you discover if you search for U1? (Both from within kicad and in a text editor over all files.)

[Sprig]

@Rene_Poschl

What do you discover if you search for U1?

There are in fact multiples; and it is due to the method/sequence that I used to annotate the schematic sheets. U1 on the top sheet should be U16 in my project schematic. The question is, “Should KiCad ignore the annotation already done on hierarchical sheets?”

Also, every symbol is annotated, just that some of them have a duplicate REFDES. The next question is, “Should KiCad use the same error message in this case as it does when symbol/s are not annotated?”

[Rene_Poschl]

@Sprig

“Should KiCad use the same error message in this case as it does when symbol/s are not annotated?”

The error message is different. Your screenshot clearly shows that KiCad reports these as duplicates. The annotation required message is not the error message but a hint for the user. (It tells you what operation to do such that the schematic is valid)

@Sprig

The question is, “Should KiCad ignore the annotation already done on hierarchical sheets?”

It does not if you use kicad as intended. My guess is that you use the one project for many subproject method somebody suggested here a while back. When this was suggested i clearly warned about cases like this.