Though I’m new to KiCAD, I have extensive experience with traditional non-EDA CAD tools like AutoCAD and almost a full decade with DipTrace. I’ve figured out relatively quickly many aspects of the schematic capture side of things with a combination of Googling, YouTube, and KiCAD documentation. However, I’m stuck into what I have to assume is just a functional misunderstanding of how KiCAD needs me to deal with schematic traces when a component is moved on the sheet. Example: I have two components connected via a schematic trace that is horizontal. A change order comes in and I need to move one of those components up some amount on the sheet to make way for other components below. I do so with the “g” key and the wire/trace is now at an angle. No matter what I do, I can’t seem to find a way to even create grab points on that now angeled trace to a more rational right-angle path. “Drag wire” from either end of the wire disconnects the trace from the components, so that feels like a bad idea. I have to be missing something here.
Schematic editing capabilities of v5.1 aren’t so advanced, they are from 90’s or so. Editing in the unstable developement version 5.99 is much better but unfortunately… https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/1956
It’s a limitation of the current KiCad V5.1. It’s quite well known that wires only make electrical connections sith schematic symbols if the endpoints meet perfectly, which makes working on a grid mandatory.
The limitation to selecting wires is very similar. The point where you grab a wire mus also align with the grid, and for slanted wires this pretty much means you can only grab them by their end points, because those usually align on the grid.
You can also select slanted lines by dragging a box over it. It only has to be a small box.
That’s unfortunate, really hopeful I would be making a KiCAD donation rather than a subscription fee to a corporate over-lord. I’ll keep an eye on the KiCAD release notes. Thanks all!
