it would be great and streamlined if when we right click on a symbol in schematic that if there is no footprint it says select footprint and create footprint instead of edit footprint.
this will reduce clicks, reduce misinformation (edit vs select) and give a direct ability to create custom footprints stored in local project library
How much experience do you have with KiCad?
My counter argument is that there are already plenty of ways to add and modifify footprint links to schematic symbols.
There also has to be some kind of compromise. You can’t put every possible function anywhere, as the menu’s would get so crowded they will get unmanageable.
KiCad also makes use of lots of hotkeys, (I’ve heard some 450+ possible assignments) and over half of them do not have a key combination assigned by default. If you go to Schematic Editor / Preferences / Preferences/ Hotkeys and then do a search for “footprint”, you get a list of some 40 possible hotkeys, and among them there are two for the schematic editor that do not have a key combination assigned by default.
One of the things I usually do is to assign an appropriate footprint to the first resistor and capacitor I use in a new project, and then make copies of it with *[Ctrl + d]**. Making a duplicate is quicker then getting a new one from the library, and it already has a footprint assigned so I don’t have to do that later anymore.
Schematic Editor / Tools / Assign Footprints while handy does not display the footprint.
nor does it give you the ability to create a footprint just for this item independent of libraries
ctrl d is handy but ONLY if you are building it from known plan and not developing as you go. if you are developing you would end up doing alot of delete then duplicate and not all components of the same type are the same scheamtic or footprint
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Schematic Editor / Tools / Assign Footprints** while handy does not display the footprint
third icon in top toolbar opens footprint-viewer - this window stays open along the footprint assignment dialog.
create a footprint just for this item independent of libraries
A footprint is always connected to a library. Even if you modify a footprint (from editor site) it retains the original library-name and footprint-name.
Your suggestions sound like you have a workflow in mind which is different from kicads workflow. Usually it it’s not a good idea to ignore the suggested/original workflow of a program.
Try to utilize the existing tools instead of proposing a completely new system.
if you are developing you would end up doing alot of delete then duplicate and not all components of the same type are the same scheamtic or footprint
The example was especially for a resistor (and works also well for capacitors). For these generic symbols pauls approach works very well (most pcbs I have seen exhibit the same footprint for resistor - mixing footprint-types is an exception for few occasions: special needs for volatge/power-rating or such).
Also I see no benefit in your proposal:
Both versions show 2 clicks → not that much difference
the third icon is handy thank you. though why doesn’t it always show like the other footprint dialogs??
yes you can make a footprint just in the pcb program. kicad added that feature. you do not need to have a library footprint.
the point of the change i thought of is to have the program do the work. not to do less clicking but to see right away “oh, i don’t need to modify it, it doesn’t have a footprint to modify.” instead of going a few clicks and dialog boxes in before you figure this out. because on that relization the direction you are going changes. so best to go the correct direction from the start. and it’s SUPER easy to add.
if(footprint=="")
make menu this way
else
make menu that way.
it’s done in lots of places in menus. all the items that appear with context do it.
which is why i started with “it would be great and streamlined” instead of “this is broke”
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