Hi there, I know that in KiCad 6 the recommended way to update the layout from a schematic is by using the “Update PCB from Schematic…” button, however in my use case I would like to generate the netlist from a personal project (simple HDL tool) and be able to load it directly without using eeschema.
In an attempt to understand the new s-expr netlist file format (which I haven’t found documentation for) I created a simple schematic with some connections and exported it as a .net file. When importing this netlist into pcbnew, it looks like all the connections were lost even though they are present in the .net file. Furthermore, when I use the “Update PCB from Schematic…” button, I do see all the correct connections.
Here is a simple example schematic:
The result of updating the PCB from the schematic:
The result of importing the corresponding netlist file:
I tried with different schematics, components, footprints and netlist import options and I never get the connections, here is the netlist if it helps:
(export (version "E")
(design
(source "C:\\Users\\Nathan\\Desktop\\Lab\\lab\\lab.kicad_sch")
(date "14/05/2022 10:38:56")
(tool "Eeschema (6.0.4)")
(sheet (number "1") (name "/") (tstamps "/")
(title_block
(title)
(company)
(rev)
(date)
(source "lab.kicad_sch")
(comment (number "1") (value ""))
(comment (number "2") (value ""))
(comment (number "3") (value ""))
(comment (number "4") (value ""))
(comment (number "5") (value ""))
(comment (number "6") (value ""))
(comment (number "7") (value ""))
(comment (number "8") (value ""))
(comment (number "9") (value "")))))
(components
(comp (ref "D1")
(value "LED")
(footprint "LED_THT:LED_D4.0mm")
(libsource (lib "Device") (part "LED") (description "Light emitting diode"))
(property (name "Sheetname") (value ""))
(property (name "Sheetfile") (value "lab.kicad_sch"))
(sheetpath (names "/") (tstamps "/"))
(tstamps "85e9d98c-58e1-4f28-8c17-acf434e6ec93"))
(comp (ref "R1")
(value "R1k")
(footprint "Resistor_THT:R_Axial_DIN0414_L11.9mm_D4.5mm_P15.24mm_Horizontal")
(libsource (lib "Device") (part "R") (description "Resistor"))
(property (name "Sheetname") (value ""))
(property (name "Sheetfile") (value "lab.kicad_sch"))
(sheetpath (names "/") (tstamps "/"))
(tstamps "61d500a1-1002-4639-8fcd-443ce517485c")))
(libparts
(libpart (lib "Device") (part "LED")
(description "Light emitting diode")
(docs "~")
(footprints
(fp "LED*")
(fp "LED_SMD:*")
(fp "LED_THT:*"))
(fields
(field (name "Reference") "D")
(field (name "Value") "LED")
(field (name "Datasheet") "~"))
(pins
(pin (num "1") (name "K") (type "passive"))
(pin (num "2") (name "A") (type "passive"))))
(libpart (lib "Device") (part "R")
(description "Resistor")
(docs "~")
(footprints
(fp "R_*"))
(fields
(field (name "Reference") "R")
(field (name "Value") "R")
(field (name "Datasheet") "~"))
(pins
(pin (num "1") (name "") (type "passive"))
(pin (num "2") (name "") (type "passive")))))
(libraries
(library (logical "Device")
(uri "C:\\Program Files\\KiCad\\6.0\\share\\kicad\\symbols\\/Device.kicad_sym")))
(nets
(net (code "1") (name "+3V3")
(node (ref "R1") (pin "1") (pintype "passive")))
(net (code "2") (name "GND")
(node (ref "D1") (pin "1") (pinfunction "K") (pintype "passive")))
(net (code "3") (name "Net-(D1-Pad2)")
(node (ref "D1") (pin "2") (pinfunction "A") (pintype "passive"))
(node (ref "R1") (pin "2") (pintype "passive")))))
Am I missing something or doing something wrong?
Thanks for your help!