We think any angle wires can be supported in KiCad layout editor. Please teach us how to do that.
Thanks,
Please educate yourself using the documentation. In particular look at the section Left Toolbar Display Controls at
Also you should call them tracks or traces. Wires are for schematics.
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But - it appears that setting the preferences to âany angleâ only works when dragging an endpoint, not when routing a trace.
Which may be obvious, when one thinks about it, but this behavior makes it seem like the preference doesnât do anything.
For me that Free Angle button works for graphics, but not for tracks.
Wire you saying that? (kidding)
I agree that sticking to the correct term can help us to understand each other. KiCad schematics have wires, and KiCad pcb layouts have tracks. âTracesâ is a term used by other EDA software.
When I place tracks, they go at any angle. But when I edit them with CTRL-D I get 45 and 90 degrees. If I edit them with CTRL-G I get any angle. I think my default (for placing tracks) is a default set somewhere but I cannot find it at the moment. ??
Screenshot and video below if for Track on PCB⌠(Holding R key is for continuous rotation. Shift-Key with R reverses direction. Set increments as desiredâŚ
I think the question is about routing tracks, not about rotating existing ones.
Well, OP did Not indicate existing-track or new-track (except in the Title âlayout editingâ). Either way, not a problem with New Track, tooâŚ
This is not a trace but a graphics line I suppose?
If referring to my response, Itâs a Trace/Track, Not a graphic line.
The reason it works the way I show it, is because of my settings. Settings is up to a User to investigate and learn⌠My point is/was, that Rotating a New or Existing Trace/Trace is Not a problem.
How do you enter into âfree angle modeâ ? I do âright click, router settings, enable free angle, acceptâ but it is really cumbersome.
Between the Screenshot in my first post and the Router Setting I set, I get the Results I show in video⌠Not at all cumbersome⌠I just create a Track and rotate it as I show in one-fell-swoop.
ADDED: Additionally, if wanting to specify an Angle, Put Cursor over the Track (no need to actually select it) and Shift-M, then enter Angle.
All these workarounds are just fine for a few track segments, but I have not seen a method to just disable orthogonal mode and just draw a bunch of tracks with ârandomâ angles in the same way as graphic lines.
What you can do is draw graphic lines on a copper layer, and then:
- Select them. (U helps just as with tracks)
- Do a right mouse click and from the context menu select: Create from Selection / Create tracks form selection
This is also not really mandatory in KiCad V8. Graphics can be used for copper connections and can also have a net name now. The distiction between graphics (on a copper layer) and tracks and copper zones is slowly getting smaller.