Database library - symbol relation not transferred to layout

[MerlinMalone]

I have started using Kicad 7 and have a database library system set up and working. I have noticed that the symbol definition is not associated with the footprint in PCBNew so if I add a footprint in the layout and do a back annotate, the EESchema gives an error “Warning: Footprint ‘REF**’ has no assigned symbol.”

How do I add a fully fledged component with its symbol association directly to the layout?

The reason I want to do this is to create ‘re-use blocks’ i.e. commonly used sections of schematic and layout that I can drop in to a design. I used to use Cadstar and this was an option. Maybe there’s another way of doing this? thanks

[RaptorUK]

@MerlinMalone

How do I add a fully fledged component with its symbol association directly to the layout?

Why wouldn’t you add the Symbol to the Schematic, assign the Footprint to it and then update the Layout ?

[MerlinMalone]

I normally do but I’m looking at creating re-use blocks. It doesn’t seem that Kicad has such a function.

[RaptorUK]

There have been some recent posts on this subject, they may help:

Reuse sections of Schematic+PCB

Hello, Is there an easy way to reuse a part of a project’s schematic and corresponding PCB layout? For example I wanted to reuse an LDO section of a previous board to a new project. I copied the schematic section and the PCB section to the new project. I made the references match between them (e.g. R17) but after I updated the PCB from the Schematic all the components got a copy of it, so I had to delete the copied ones and replace them with the ones added from the Schematic. At least I didn’…

Copy/paste multiple components in schematic and PCB

Yeah, hierarchical sheets are a great way how to make schematic modular. I use them a lot, however that is what I meant by " if I have the schematic prepared for copy/pasting that particular block". SO basically if you created the blocks somehow and then realize that you would need them differently, then it is not useful. For example I have and Flash for FPGA configuration. So it goes to FPGA sheet. Then I realize that the memory can be used also for storing some calibration data for the MCU. S…