Hello,
I’m started to use KiCad and FreeCad some days ago and this is my first post here.
I’m working in a board assembly with many parts and I got that error and I have no idea if the problem is in KiCad or in FreeCad, so I first posted this question in FreeCad forum and no solution so far, so I moved here, maybe someone already got this same situation.
The issue:
I’m trying to create a board in KiCad and check if all the components are ok in the final assembly using FreeCad. So I created the board in KiCad with all 3D models and exported them as a VRML model. I choose VRML model because I can get all the details like silkscreen, soldering points, copper, etc.
In FreeCad I’m importing that board and adding other STEP models to build a sub-assembly. With all parts selected I’m trying to save them as a new STEP model (yes, STEP, not VRML, this will be a new 3D model in KiCad library), but here I’m getting the error " ImportOCAF2.cpp(1159): Unnamed#TestBoard has null shape".
After some try and error, I figure out that the problem is the PCB that came from KiCad. As I’m new with these two software, I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong, or if my system is not properly configured, if the problem is in KiCad, in FreeCad or something else.
Here is the step-by-step to reproduce the problem, just the PCB is enough:
In KiCad
- Open KiCad and create a new project
- Open PCB Editor
- On PCB Editor:
- Select the layer “Edge.Cuts”
- Use the tool “Draw a rectangle” to draw the board
- Go to menu File → Export → VRML…
- Choose the path and click on OK
In FreeCad
- Open FreeCad and create a new document
- Go to menu File → Import… and select the previously saved file. Here we can see the board and the “Report view” is empty
- Select the board in the Model tab
- Go to menu File → Export…
- Type the file name, select STEP as file type and click on Save
- At this point I have this error in Report view: “22:55:28 ImportOCAF2.cpp(1159): Unnamed#TestBoard has null shape” and the file is not saved
My KiCad version:
Application: KiCad PCB Editor (64-bit)
Version: (6.0.2), release build
Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.1.5
libcurl/7.78.0-DEV Schannel zlib/1.2.11
Platform: Windows 10 (build 19044), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
Build Info:
Date: Feb 12 2022 14:32:09
wxWidgets: 3.1.5 (wchar_t,wx containers)
Boost: 1.76.0
OCC: 7.6.0
Curl: 7.78.0-DEV
ngspice: 36
Compiler: Visual C++ 1928 without C++ ABI
Build settings:
KICAD_USE_OCC=ON
KICAD_SPICE=ON
My FreeCad version:
OS: Windows 10 Version 2009
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.24267 +99 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: Branch_0.19.3
Hash: 6530e364184ce05ccff39501e175cf2237e6ee4b
Python version: 3.8.6+
Qt version: 5.15.2
Coin version: 4.0.1
OCC version: 7.5.3
Locale: English/Canada (en_CA)
Thanks in advance