I’m new to KiCad, but have designed a pcb once before in Eagle, so I’m a little familiar with schematic view and pcb editor views, and routing etc…
I’m using KiCad 9.0.4 on OSX.
I want to design a basic two layer pcb with custom hexagonal copper pads that are routed to a single row of 2.54mm space headers in the top right corner…
If I understand well I think you should define your footprint containing one such shaped pad.
Then design PCB exactly the same way as you would do it with footprint having single standard shape pad.
In footprint editor when you place any shaped copper on the pad and then enter this pad edition and at once exit its edition than all copper connected with pad becomes a part of that pad.
You’ve got options here. You can either directly import your SVG file (easiest is to directly import it on a copper layer). Another option is as piotr mentioned. Create a footprint from either a single hexagon, or from all your hexagons.
Relatively new in KiCad is that graphical items can be a part of a net. But with a footprint you have more options. You can add your graphics to a custom pad, which adds the ability to also add the connection in the schematic.
I see on your profile that you’re on this forum for over 10 years, and have accumulated quite some “experience”. You should have a decent Idea of what you can do with KiCad, although I’m sometimes having a bit of trouble myself to keep up to date with the significant progress KiCad makes each year. (At the moment I’m still on V8 for “external reasons”).
