How to create Pictures for a report

Software
1

Hi guys,

first of all: if I ask again a common question, I’m sorry. I used the search function before but didn’t find an answer.

My question: I want to write a longer report and need some schematics for it. I have made the schematics with KiCad. Now I want to export the schematics, ideally as a PDF.

But the plot function always plots an enormous amount of white space around a rather small circuit. It seems like KiCad always draws the whole sheet. Is there a better way?

Many greetings and thanks for your help.

2

How about plot to SVG without the drawing sheet at the bottom right, then you can scale and export it however you want for your report.

3

It’s the same. A small schematic and large white canvas. I use Windows 11, can it be that there is a bug?

4

How about choosing a small sheet template？

5

If the schematic is small enough just zoom in and take a screenshot.

6

When I open the SVG in Inkscape I can select just the drawing without the frame and then render it in any resolution as SVG is a vector format. So maybe you need the tools to deal with SVG.

7

I agree with retiredfeline here. First plot the whole thing to a vector fromat from KiCad, and then use some drawing editor to beautify the output.

8

Well, I found another issue. I can plot a SVG but the SVG plots each text more than one time. It seems there is no pattern. Sometimes I get the same text three or four times, plottet on top of each other but with a slight offset.

So I’m going to use screenshots for now and write some bug tickets for the future.

@gmc I prefer PDFs or SVGs. These formats scale better.

Thanks you for your help.

9

tried but I just learned that I already used a small template. :slight_smile:

10

Verify first that the text is only present once in the schematic itself.
Some time ago there was a user here who had trouble with duplicated parts on the PCB, and I discovered the cause was that a hierarchical sheet was inserted twice in the schematic, but with the same coordinates, and this was hard to see in the schematic.

11

@paulvdh Good advice. I double checked: The text appears two times in the SVG. Even for a new symbol. But I will enrich the bug ticket. :slight_smile:

13

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