How to create a footprint that has short circuted pins? (ratsnest visible, but shouldn't)

Hi,

I needed to create a button footprint which I have and used it in the PCB. Problem is, there is 1 unconnected net is marked. Actually, this net is being completed over internal short circuit of the button’s pins. How can I make a footprint that will tell the design rule checker that the pads are internally connected?

Do you need to?
Can you draw the component as a 4 pin switch with lines on the symbol showing the switch internal connections?

That won’t help, as the symbols are ‘just’ pins… eeschema/netlist don’t care what else you draw there, unless those are wires (the green ones) within eeschema.

@ceremcem
I can’t see how it’s done, if it’s possible at all. Would definitely like to know as well. Good question :slight_smile:

PS: I took the liberty to add some info to the title of your thread, as it’s easier to understand then.

I’ve run into the same problem; Only 2 workarounds I know of are to represent the 4 pins on the schematic, and then wire the schematic to reflect the desired layout; or to use an extra copper layer to join the pins - and remember not to generate gerber file from the extra layer…

Or of course ignore the DRC warnings.

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I second the motion. Just make a schematic symbol with 4 pins marked 1 through 4 and when you do your layout each pin will have its own net. As far as board layout is concerned it doesn’t care of any external connections you make via components.

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I’m new to KiCAD so I’m definitely still learning (and really liking it!), but it seems that this would be a useful feature. My example is a busbar connector that has four legs, all of which are connected internally on the device, so having KiCAD aware that there is only one connection would be useful. In Eagle I guess this would be handled by “Append” when joining the symbol to the footprint, which is obviously not something that KiCAD can do, given the separation of symbols and footprints until they’re combined when used. So I guess the most useful thing would be to be able to create nets within the footprint and join pins to them, and then the nets would be visible for connections rather than the pins directly.

In “Pad Properties” there is a “Net name” box but it’s greyed out.

In order to request new features or different behaviour (or at least put them forward for review by the Elders of KiCAD), is https://bugs.launchpad.net/kicad the place to post? It doesn’t seem set up for feature requests.

Creating nets is what eeschema is for :smile:

You can add feature requests to the bug tracker, just use the keyword “wishlist”. I can’t see this being a high priority though, it adds a lot of complexity for something that is quite easy to work around.