How do you lock PCB holes

[FrancescoC]

Hi all.
I am using V5.1.1. of Pcbnew.
I have made a PCB with some drill-holes.
Is it possible to lock in place drill-holes? (used to fix PCB)
Regards.

[PapaJ]

It’s been a while since I’ve used 5, but in 7 there is a lock button at the top of the screen. Select what you want to lock then push the button.

[straubm]

There are two padlock symbols. They signify quasi the inverse of the selected element’s lock state.
So if the locked padlock is highlighted, the element’s current state is UNlocked and you can lock it by clicking the locked padlock. Vice-versa with the unlock symbol.

[FrancescoC]

Hi.
This menu does not exist on my version 5.
Normally I can lock other footprint by right-clicking on them.
Then selecting lock, from pop-up menu.
But this does not work for PCB holes.

[PapaJ]

Here is a coupon to upgrade to version 7 at no charge. Just present it on the download screen of the KiCad website.

Donations welcome.

[jmk]

Please post your operating system before attempting to upgrade. Some OSs are unsuitable for upgrades to 7

[FrancescoC]

Hi jmk.
Thank you for the advice. Currently i am on Windows 10. I might be forced to update to windows11 later.
If i install KiCad 7, will I be able to import my current project (v5) without any problem?
Regards

[Piotr]

@PapaJ

Here is a coupon to upgrade to version 7 at no charge.

I write from Win7 PC. Do Microsoft accepts this coupon giving Win10 at no charge?

[Piotr]

@FrancescoC

I am using V5.1.1.

Not a good idea.
Between 5.1.1 and 5.1.12 lots bugs were fixed.

@FrancescoC

If i install KiCad 7, will I be able to import my current project (v5) without any problem?

I can only say that I imported all my V5 projects to V6 without any problems. You have to save some (not sure what) things with new format but had no problem with it.
I didn’t installed V7 yet.
I think more save is to move from V5 to V6 and then from V6 to V7 as this is the way most people go and if there are some problems than they probably will be detected, reported and fixed.

@FrancescoC

Normally I can lock other footprint by right-clicking on them.
Then selecting lock, from pop-up menu.
But this does not work for PCB holes.

Don’t remember any problems with locking mounting holes.
I have 5.1.12 installed here (Win7). I just opened one test PCB, added from standard Mounting Hole library MountingHole_2.5mm and when I enter its edit (key E on it) I have there “Lock footprint” radio-button like for any other footprint.

Edit.
I have just checked that with right-click it also works the same for that hole as for other footprints.

[FrancescoC]

Hi Piotr.
Indirectly, you have solved my problem.
The reason why i could not lock the mounting hole was because i defined them by using a circle from the
graphic icon. Sometimes is quick to do that.

So I have learned something new today: Use the Library.

Thank you to all for the help.
Regards

[paulvdh]

Both to @Piotr and @FrancescoC,

Updating your projects to V6 and V7 should work trouble free (especially if you still have the [Project]-cache.lib with the project). But there are a bunch of issues. Newer KiCad versions treat some things differently, and this may mean your PCB needs more refactoring and cleanup before it’s ready to create gerbers to be send to a fab.

• One thing that needs attention is the clearance on the edge of the PCB.
• Net ties are handled differently.
• ERC and DRC has new checks, they very likely will flag some things that the older version did not.

And this is not a complete list. There probably are more issues that need attention.

[FrancescoC]

Thank you paulvdh.
Once the current project is complete i will update to V7.
Regards

[paulvdh]

If you are halfway a project, then I do not see much reason for staying with the older version.

It’s only when you have a finished project, which is completely checked and verified to the point that PCB’s have already been made, that you have to be careful to check the project again after updating it to a newer KiCad Version.

[mdsaund]

On KiCad 5, components and footprints can have their lock toggled by pressing L when the component is selected. If this hotkey doesn’t work, go to Preferences → Preferences → Hotkeys and find the ‘Toggle Lock’ option. You may already have yours set to a different hotkey, or if you want you can change it here.

Not sure if KiCad 7 defaults to L, but you can set it the same way.

[johannespfister]

Normally I can lock other footprint by right-clicking on them.

I can do that in version 5. But i made a footprint for PCB holes, which you should do too (regardless which version you use). Why:

• You can place something on a drawing layer, so it can be seen in a mechanical output with dimensions added.
• You can define the hole size in a single location (DRY).
• You can define a F.CrtYd to check that no components are too close (you often need a bigger distance to other object since a screwhead is big).

[eelik]

@paulvdh

And this is not a complete list. There probably are more issues that need attention.

Zone filling works differently. They must be refilled and checked.

[Piotr]

@paulvdh

Newer KiCad versions treat some things differently, and this may mean your PCB needs more refactoring and cleanup before it’s ready to create gerbers to be send to a fab.

Right.
When opening all V5 PCBs and saving them as V6 I didn’t noticed any problems but I didn’t looked how they are.
Today I copied one of them (under V6) and started to modify. I noticed as an example that one short (3mm) dimension line I modified to not write mm (no place for it) but now I see that this one (and only this) is shown in mils and not mm. All others that I manually deleted all trailing zeroes now all have .0000. It looks that dimension line configuration bits got new meaning and it was ignored why opening V5 pcb.