Create pad from selected shapes [solved]

[Richard_Holmes]

I’ve seen multiple references to using a “Create pad from selected shapes” menu item to create custom shape pads. For instance:

Layout Design in KiCad, How to create the circular ring in Kicad?

Footprint editor Make shape(s) with the drawing tools on the right hand side. Line, circle, arc, graphic polygon. It does not matter. Use whatever constitutes the shape you need. Place a pad (circular or rectangle) inside it. (Used as anchor for the combined pad -> defines the place where you can later connect traces to the pad.) Select the lot with the mouse Right click, select ‘Create pad from selected shapes’ Now you have a custom shaped pad. Pretty much any shape is possible. You need t…

But I can’t figure out how to do it — nothing I’ve done makes that menu item appear. I can’t tell if it’s because it’s different in KiCad 6 (I just upgraded) or because I’m following a wrong procedure. You do this in the footprint editor? You create a shape on a copper layer and include a circular or rectangular pad? You select all and do right click? I’ve done that and I have no such menu item.

[jos]

Oh yes, it is somewhat different now

• footprint editor
• throw a pad on
• hit e for edit that pad
• General tab
• Pad shape:
• select some custom shape setting
• Custom Shape Primitives tab
• Add Primitive and so on

Then it gets kind of tedious. That’s it
Good luck and cheers

[Richard_Holmes]

I had the impression that was the older way of doing it and the “Create pad from selected shapes” method was added to make it (much) easier. Was it really the other way around?

[jos]

@Richard_Holmes

“Create pad from selected shapes”

seems to have vanished or perhaps ‘temporary’ hidden away.
I do a daily compile from the master branch.
Have not found that feature yet.
Will have a look through the source code.
Chees for now

[Richard_Holmes]

Supposedly it was in 5.0.2

Creating a complex pad shape that includes arcs?

I do not understand why the shape mentioned would need complex pads, and It’s already resolved. As addition, anyone stumbling into this thread and wanting “complex pads with arcs”, have a look at: /usr/share/kicad/demos/custom_pads_test [image] Edit: 24 days after the text above I accidentally bumped into a simple method to create complex footprint pads in KiCad V5.0.2 as in the screenshot above. You can draw lines, arcs and polygons on any layer, then drag a selection box around it , pr…

Added: Yeah, looks like it was in 5.1.12 but not in 6.0.0. There was a PCB_ACTIONS::createPadFromShapes, now there isn’t.

[jos]

confirmed as of today’s pull
it’s gone, bummer

[Richard_Holmes]

I guess maybe the replacement is “Edit Pad as Graphic Shapes” in the contextual menu for pads. That seems to do what I need.

[gkeeth]

“Edit pads as graphic shapes” does the same thing.

• add a normal pad
• right click pad → edit as graphic shapes (Ctrl+E)
• draw whatever graphic shapes you want
• right click again → Finish Pad Edit (Ctrl+E)

Any shapes that were touching the original pad are merged with it.