After first 'Update PCB with …" I have a mess with footprints.
I select a block at schematic and I want to move corresponding footprints.
And I’m sure it worked that way previously, but today I couldn’t find how to do it.
When I press M the block at schematic is moved even I point one of selected footprints at PCB window.
When I click at PCB window the selection is lost and I can’t do what I want.
At last I found how to do it. After selecting a block at schematic I have to click at PCB window but not at the working area but at the top window line.
If I didn’t remembered that it worked that way I would never find it. I’m sure that previously I had no problem to find that functionality even I didn’t know about its existence. It was probably when I updated from V5 to V6. I just noticed that when I select a group at schematic I can easily move them at PCB.
I think such way of distributing footprints is very good feature and user should notice it even he don’t knows of it. What have changed that it is (in my opinion) very well hidden now.
May be when I updated from V6 to V7 some new configuration setting is set that makes difficult to use this feature.
I think first click at PCB window should move focus to it but not clear the selection at PCB window (the selection at schematic is not cleared).
Do you agree with me or what configuration setting I have set that I didn’t know it will have such effect?
Edit.
I found the other way.
When I move the cursor to PCB window and right click and select Move it works.
But for me right click and selecting Move should be exactly the same as pressing M having a cursor at the same place when I right click to find that in menu. But it is not the same.
I think @Piotr is working on 6 and I cannot remember how 6 worked with that selection and I don’t even remember what 6 Piotr is using
On 7.0.5 I don’t need to use “switch to …” or the associated hotkey.
Highlight selection or individual symbols shows as highlights in the PCB, then use a hotkey in the PCB eg. M OR hover mouse over selection and left click to attach to move those footprints.
Oh! I do not remember 6 either …
You’re right the hotkey is not needed in 7, but I prefer it to eventually longer mouse movements/additional clicks to bring up the PCB. Unless you have a GIANT monitor with schematic and PCB side-by-side with decent resolution.
Ok. It works. Probably it is the same way as my clicking at PCB window top line. During that task I open both (schematic and PCB) windows next to each other.
You missed:
and that I suppose that may be in V7 there are some new user interface settings that changed something what was working differently in V6.
I started from writing that I am at 7.0.5 and can’t find how to do what I want, and then while writing I got the idea to click not in working area but at window top line so I edited my post deleting something what became outdated and 7.0.5 fell into this bag
I need (Windows 7.0.5). And it is why I suppose that may be there is some setting I miss. I think that at V6 I didn’t need it but of course I’m not sure and I have done it only once or twice with V6.
What exactly “in the PCB” means?
When I only move cursor to PCB window and press M then selection at schematic is moved and not at PCB. But if I get 'M action not by hotkey but by right click (at PCB window) and selecting Move then it works for selection at PCB and not at Schematic.
When I switch to PCB (by clicking at top windows line, or by icon ‘Open PCB …’ (when already opened it switches to PCB) then hotkey ‘M’ works for PCB.
So I need to switch to PCB to get it working, but you write you need not to switch. So the question about settings come back.
It works. I didn’t found it yesterday.
I’m used to using hotkeys. So I pointed with mouse at one of selected footprints and pressed M and it make selection at schematic to move instead of selection at PCB as I wanted.
During first footprints distribution (and only during this) I always (V5 - I’m sure, V4 - I’m not sure) opened both windows even they were rather small. Now I work at 2 monitors.
I do not need to use the “Tool” “Switch to PCB Editor” or an assigned hotkey for this function. Clicking on the Icon to open the PCB Editor will allow me to use the M hotkey to move the selection (as you have now stated).
And it appears that I’m going blind as well as senile
I’m also working with Win and I switch the focus between schematic<–>pcb with the standard Alt+Tab hotkey. After that window-switch the “M” works correctly in the next kicad window (because that window got the official focus). Admittedly I have only a one-monitor setup, so the ALT+Tab switch is necessary.
Unrelated to the focus-thing: for the first footprint-distribution task try the new command “Pack&Move Footprint” (hotkey “P” I think).
Never used it. To switch to window I want I use program icons (typically at bottom of screen, but my brother have them at left and may be 5 at each row so lot of them there). I typically have one window opened per application so icon simply takes me there. And typically I have may be 3 applications opened at the same time. KiCad icon is worse for me as doesn’t take me directly but I have to select from opened KiCad windows.
Didn’t know that.
Tried.
I like it much.
Like with M hotkey I have to someway switch focus to P being not Power symbol to be added at schematic
Right-click and then Esc can be used as switch focus to PCB.
In my opinion normal clicking at PCB when window has no focus should switch focus and not clear the selection.
Long click at one of selected footprints allow to Move them. I have no time now to search but may be there is a way to link long click at one of selected footprints to Pack&Move.
Mine is ticked.
I probably ticked it when I was experimenting with all the new functions in 7.0.0 release. I must have liked this, so I kept it ticked, then promptly forgot all about it.
Sorry for the confusion Piotr.
Absolutely no problem. I’m happy to see the solution, but I still don’t know my settings. I will see them tomorrow.
I expected from the beginning that some settings may be. But at the minute I have written the first post the other, very urgent task (problems with production) suddenly hit me. Since then I run KiCad only to check what people write and no second more. So I was not looking through settings yet. Those problems are not solved yet, but I had to go to other town for 2 days (personal affairs) - it is why I can’t check what are my settings.
Mine was un-ticked.
When ticked everything works as I’d like it.
But when un-ticked it looks that it is not consistent.
When after selecting part of schematic then:
M used at PCB don’t works - OK focus not follows mouse.
click at PCB clears selection - as focus not follows mouse then: Why. First click should move focus to PCB I think.
Edit. A few words of summary.
If with this check box un-ticked (as I had) it would work consistent I would not noticed any problem. As M didn’t worked for me than I would left click at PCB to move focus and then click M to move. The problem was that left-click not only moved focus but also cleared selection.
With this check-box ticked left-click works the same, but this time it is OK and consistent as I don’t need to use left-click to move focus as M works without it.
If I would not noticed any problem than I would not know about P hotkey yet
