I want to make Hierarchical Labels that look like power and ground symbols, I can rename them dynamically like I can with power symbols in Altium, and use them locally so that I can have a strict hierarchical design. Is there a way to make an import custom hierarchical labels?
Then we have a local symbol that looks right but has no links beyond the sheet that it is on, and I can bring out my power connections to my top sheet so that I can see them all at a glance.
I do not want to make a custom power net and pretend to use it locally, I know that this is the regularly posted solution, but it is not what I want to do.
I like this idea (I’m currently working on something that would also benefit from this), but I don’t think there’s any way to do it in KiCad at the moment. You should write up a feature request on Gitlab and then post a link back here for people to go “thumbs up” it. Screenshots of how Altium does it might be helpful to explain what you’re looking for.
At the moment the implementation of power symbols uses global label which are ignorant of the hierarchy, and I understand your wish for using hierarchical labels.
But there is a problem. A schematic does not only have to “work internally”, it also has to be unambiguous when printed on paper. People working with KiCad will know how Hierarchical labels work (after some learning curve of course), but if you redraw them as something else, then the schematic becomes ambiguous.
At the moment KiCad does not have a proper solution for this. The only “workaround” is to just use hierarchical labels for your power connections too. I am willing to support a feature request for this, but do not know how the final solution should work or look like. I have also not used that other program you mention. First, I like to support Open Source software (and KiCad is a wonderful example of Open Source “working”). Second, that program won’t run on my linux box. Third, that program is horribly expensive. I will never get myself to cough up several thousands of dollars each year to “rent” some software. Fourth: I also vehemently oppose to the whole renting idea of software in the first place.
I’ve never printed a schematic, but the ambiguity should be solved by also printing the top sheet. Unless people are somehow using heirachys without top sheets.
If I have local ground symbols on a sheet using hierarchical labels, that sheet is unambiguous so long as the labels are named properly. If I then connect those sheet pins to a PGND, AGND, or GND on the top sheet, I can tell from a glance which sheet uses which power and which ground.
I can then duplicate the sheet to be used in different parts of the circuit with different power and ground nets, and only make changes to the top sheet.
You can dislike Altium for whatever reasons you want, but they have a working solution for this, may as well copy it.