Help Lay track on kicad

Layout
1

Hi can anyone advise how to lay track, I have my IC and Connector symbols but if I lay track it goes to the first pad, then the second one the line/track disapears

2

Hi John,

Are you working with a schematic or laying tracks directly in the PCB layout editor (PCBNew)?

If you are working from a schematic, and the track you are trying to route is valid according to this schematic, the design rule checker might still refuse to accept the track if you have clearance issues, i.e. the track is too close to an unrelated pad.

Please tell us a little more! Perhaps post a screen shot of your layout so we have a clearer understanding of what youā€™re trying to do.

Regards,
Niels.

3

working direct in pcb layout, just making a simple pcb 4 connectors 1 IC and want to get track on the pcb

4


as shown just lay track down between pads

5

Click on ā€œDisable design rule checkingā€ (also in Preferences->General) and you can draw tracks where you like.

6

John,

I did a small test and I can lay down tracks without a problem in version 4.0.6 using the OpenGL canvas (press F11).

1305Ɨ801 72.2 KB

I see youā€™re using the older layout canvas (Legacy). Iā€™m not sure if that will make a difference. What version of KiCAD are you running?

/Niels.

7

many thanks I will try this

8

Hi bob,

I donā€™t seem to have a ā€˜Disable design rule checkingā€™ option in KiCAD 4.0.6 :slight_smile:

/Niels.

9

FYI iā€™m using 4.0.7 I seem to have track now, just need to play and see if I can set the width correctly

10

Top button of left toolbar or ā€œPreferencesā€ -> ā€œGeneralā€ -> ā€œEnforce design rules when routingā€.

1 Like
11

LOL, I can see it on your screenshot !

I didnā€™t realise OpenGL lets you draw tracks anyway, but most new users will be in legacy mode until they accidentally press F11.

12

thanks to all for the help, my problem is too long on Boardmaker and other pcb software

13

You mean the button to perform DRC?

14

just a software that seems to do all from schematic, old and retired now used to routing my own track in the very old days I used to lay all out x2 on flim for photo plots

15

ā€¦ nevermindā€¦ I never noticed the ā€˜bugā€™ button in the left-hand toolbar! I learned something today @bobc :slight_smile:

16

Hi, Sorry to trouble you again, does Kicad output a gerber file? thats what my pcb maker requires

17

Sure, in pcbnew goto File->Plot. http://docs.kicad.org/stable/en/getting_started_in_kicad.html#generate-gerber-files

18

Many thanks hopefully I can get this finished now :slight_smile:

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