in section 5) you could add PageUp/PageDown for changing layers?
Thanks for the suggestion Anders, I made a pull request and it should be merged soon. Otherwise it is also available as a PDF here : https://silica.io/static/downloads/kicad-cheatsheet-landscape.pdf.
nice work. I use it for my workshops all the time.
It would be cool to have this updated to KiCad 5.1.0 when the first release candidate appears. Library management changed a bit.
“Copy” is wrong word for that hotkey, it should be “Duplicate”. Copy and duplicate are two different actions (at least in 5.0 and forward).
Indeed, I definitely need to update it for Kicad 5. Lots of things have changed (for the best, I love this update) : the library editor has a different workflow, there is no need to generate netlists anymore, … I’m working on it, including your feedback @eelik.
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I look forward to an updated cheatsheet. I’m hoping to put together a class (or set of classes) for my local maker group. I’ve been holding off until KiCad 5.x gets complete and stable (now waiting for 5.1) so I don’t have to change the class outlines with new releases (and can target what will probably be stable for a year or two as v6 is developed).
An up to date cheatsheet targeted at 5.1 would be an invaluable handout resource.
First draft of a updated version for Kicad 5.0.1 available here :
https://silica.io/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/kicad-cheatsheet-landscape.pdf
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
I’m not sure I will keep maintaining both a portrait and landscape version, it feels a bit unnecessary and complex since there are already the versions in different languages that must be ported each time. What do you think? Is there one of the two versions that you strongly prefer?
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For creating new symbols i suggest left right clicking onto the target library name -> new component as the safest option. (less chance of putting it into the wrong library.)
Also under assign footprints maybe mention that there is the option to have footprints pre assigned in the library. (Your cheatsheet makes it look like the only option is cvpcb which is in my opinion only viable for a small number of components. The majority should really have their footprint assigned already in the library.)
And there is no library wizard in version 5. Everything is now done with the library manager.
Where are you located at? I’m just curious.
Most Maker Group members where I was at will not really care about PCB design; it is another layer above schematic design.
What you attempt to teach all depends upon the target audience you experience.
I’m in northern Delaware. I’ve done a couple community projects with the group designing boards for them, so I have live running examples of what can be done with custom PCB designing to help drive interest. We already have a class taking a schematic, bread boarding the circuit, and then building it on protoboard (we use AdaFruit’s perma-protos to help with the conceptual transfer from breadboard to protoboard). I’ll probably be using that class as a jumping off point showing how having boards made is easier for some cases than throwing together a protoboard.
Again, one of the community projects will help because it uses multiple copies of the same board (multiple mux/demux boards for expanding the project by 8 channels at a time, then each channel has it’s own LED driver and sensor board).
Yes, if it is a small circuit, it is really hard to beat OSHPark finished quality for the time and price. It is also fairly difficult to breadboard surface mount parts. And, the ERC and DRC in KiCad are good enough that they really help ensure the board will come back as something workable.
The only issue that is easy to get wrong is the pin numbers for transistors; as these can change based upon the Footprint that is selected.
Hi
Any update for the 5.1 release please ?
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That’s a really big help, Foally.
Just found this Feb 2017 post by Foalyy on his KiCAD cheatsheet. I really liked it and appreciate his summary of steps and his 5.01 update. I prefer the Portrait version btw.
I scanned through all the replies to this post down to those dated 2019 and did not see anyone remark on the fact that within the cheatsheet steps there is no mention of creating the Netlist after creating the schematic diagram. If I’m not mistaken, this is a critical step between schematic creation and association of component footprints to the components in the netlist and must be done before the creation of a KiCAD PCB layout and the resulting gerber files can be created.
If I’m being too granular, I offer my apologies in advance.
There is this on the cheatsheet:
Cheatsheet is not a tutorial, nor is it complete, it’s just a quick reference for some often used shortcuts, as the name implies. And that it does pretty well.
Generating the netlist is a bit old fashioned anyway. For a few years there has been [F8] to get schematic data into Pcbnew.
Good info, paul. Many thanks.
The primary suggested workflow for KiCad (not the only one) as suggested by the order of toolbar icons is this:
- Draw schematic.
- Annotate schematic.
- Run ERC (Electrical Rules Check).
- Assign footprints with either the Assign Footprints window (used to be called CvPCB in older versions) or the Edit Symbol Fields tool.
- Update PCB from Schematic (direct netlist information transfer w/o need of a netlist file).
- Define board design rules.
- Layout board.
- Run DRC (Design Rules Check).
- Prepare fabrication files.
Obviously, this quick and dirty workflow outline skips a lot. Symbol and footprint generation, BOM, iterations, etc. BTW, updating the PCB from the Schematic will automatically open PCBNew if it isn’t already open.
Er ah, your looking at a different cheatsheet than the one I’m looking at here:
kicad 5.1-cheatsheet-landscape.pdf (147.3 KB)
Edit: I see now, the landscape version is missing the Netlist icon you pointed out!
My point of observation on the “Netlist” stemmed from the fact that this “cheatsheet” showed the general procedural flow (along with shortcut tips) of the steps taken in creating the end product…being the gerber files needed for pcb fabrication.
Are you then saying that Netlists are now automatically created during the schematic drawing and are then easily accessed/ imported in the pcbnew step?
Bear in mind, I come from the old days, where the schematic was drawn based on components used, a connection list or “Netlist” was created that itemized component node’s connection to other component nodes. This netlist was used along with the schematic and the component footprint datasheets by the PCB artwork layout tech to double check that all schematic related traces/pads/vias were represented in the camera-ready PCB artwork. Having the Netlist was a major step.
- Schematic w/component spec datasheets
- Component Node Connection list created
- PCB Artwork Layers Layout (4:1 scale usually)
- HiRes Camera shoots Negative of Layers reduced to 1:1
- Photo Masks generated
- Layers Exposed and developed
- Layer Masks and Labeling Applied
- Layers laminated (for 4 layer boards)
- Boards drilled and outlines milled
It would seem that today the steps are greatly reduced to:
- Schematic w/component spec datasheets
- Component Node Connection list created
- PCB Layout done for all layers (tracks, vias, footprints, board profile, etc.)
- Connections checked against Netlist
- Gerber files generated.
Yes/No?
Update PCB causes an incremental update (including initial load) of the PCB from the schematic, combining the steps of generate netlist, go to pcbnew, import netlist. and giving more options for the update. Try it and you’ll understand.
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