Have I missed something? (schematic copy/paste)

[badassloumd]

OK just downloaded the latest build. 5.1.xxx

Opened an old Kicad schematic. select-cut the part I wanted.
Opened a new instance of Kicad, made a new project, new schematic…

It seems that:

1. i am stupid. (not a stretch)
   –or–

2. I still cannot cut and paste from schematic to schematic.

   Someone PLEASE prove that by version 5.1.xxxxx
   #1 is true, and not #2

Thanks,

—Lou

[BobZ]

I fear that you are a smart person. I think that what you say is consistent with what I have heard. I would test it but I am running 5.99.

[der.ule]

@eelik

There’s also one not so visible but very concrete feature which was long waited for: you can open a schematic, copy there and paste it to another window. Earlier it was possible only to append a whole file or use a text editor if you wanted to reuse something from another project.

Unfortunately that is a new feature coming with V6 (present currently on the nightly builds aka. v5.99 used for testing). for the current stable release it is not possible to copy/paste between different instances.

[Meterman2026]

When I copy and paste, I work WITHIN the SAME instance of eeschema to do the copy / paste.

Open source diagram, copy, open other diagram in the SAME instance, then paste.

NEVER had any problem moving / duplicating items between schematics.

[eelik]

If I remember correctly the workaround is:

• The new project into which you want to paste is active
• Create a hierarchical sheet and go into it
• File -> Append Schematic
• Copy from there
• Go to the upper level and paste
• When you’re done, delete the temporary hierarchical sheet.

The workaround above by Meterman seems to work only if eeschema is in standalone mode, i.e. not opened through a project. It also works only if the libraries are common to the two schematics (projects).

---

Kicad (eeschema) has been started sometime in early 90’s. That history comes with a baggage, and this is part of it. In version 5.99 most of the history has been cleaned and eeschema behaves as a decent modern application.

[Meterman2026]

eelik: You are correct that eeschema has to be run in standalone mode to be able to do this. It was a good and easy way to ensure I got all the inter-board connectors in my project just right.

Once I was ready to start translating the schematics into actual PC board layouts, THEN I switched from standalone mode to individual projects.