Irregular selection - possible?

[jurek]

Is it possible to perform irregular symbol selection as it is possible in Eagle? KiCad selects objects using a rectangular selection, which becomes difficult for densely packed schematics.

Thanks Jurek

[Piotr]

You can select:

• elements wholly contained in rectangle (driwing it to the right)
• elements only touched by rectangle (drawing it to the left).

Then you can:

• add to selection with Shift + click or Shift + rectangle,
• toggle selection with Ctrl + click.

I have also tried Ctrl+ rectangle and it behaves surprisingly - I could toggle selection of graphic elements that way but I couldn’t toggle selection of tracks. Bug ?

[jmk]

There is also “Grouping”

Make a selection and Group it.
With that group open, hold Shift key down and make another selection and Group again
The two (or more) are added.

To remove items in the group, LMB click until item in group is highlighted then “Group > Remove Items”

[mf_ibfeew]

Is it possible to perform irregular symbol selection as it is possible in Eagle?

Currently not.

regarding grouping: this works only in the pcb-editor.

[jmk]

@mf_ibfeew

regarding grouping: this works only in the pcb-editor.

Thanks for the polite correction.

I failed to notice:

@jurek

densely packed schematics.

[RobertoGatti]

Grouping is very useful, but eagle-like selection would be a plus.

[jurek]

Yes, this is quite nice option. Anyhow, I’ve quit Eagle after many years - love KiCad

[jurek]

@mf_ibfeew

regarding grouping: this works only in the pcb-editor.

Thanks, still learning KiCad.

[Docara]

Hi @jmk,
Would you be kind enough to explain the purpose or perceived workflow for grouping in KiCAD. I have grouped items but couldn’t see the benefit for doing so.
Thanks

[jurek]

@Docara

the purpose or perceived workflow for grouping in KiCAD

As an Eagle owner, I can say that grouping is very useful. You can group a “design blocks” that can be moved, rotated and so on. These could be a PSU part of your schematic or others. You can group symbols in Eagle as well.

[mf_ibfeew]

@jurek: I think there is a misunderstanding.
The eagle-grouping != kicad grouping.
The eagle-grouping is comparable with a selection in kicad (but the eagle-group survives until the next group is drawn). There is only one eagle group at a moment, and on closing eagle the group is lost. (all valid until eagle v7.7). This is partly comparable with selecting multiple items in kicad (with use of box-selection, Shift + CTRL-key → see piotr above) and than use commands on this selection.

Additionally kicad allows to really group items. This feature is only implemented in the pcb-editor. It allows to permanently stick some items together. It’s possible to define many groups in parallel, it’s also possible to define nested groups. The groups are permanent and saved together with the board-files.

As a previously eagle user this feature was also new for me and I still don’t use it regularly. But a good usecase (@Docara ) for instance is the mechanical placement of connectors: if some connectors must have a defined distance than:

• you place all connectors
• you move them so the distance is correct
• now group them → from now on you can only move all connectors together → this retains the correct distance through movement/rotation

[jurek]

@mf_ibfeew

There is only one eagle group at a moment, and on closing eagle the group is lost.

Not at all I have been grouping objects in Eagle every time to keep them as a “parts” of the design. So you can make as many groups you want just by dropdown menu “Add to the group” and you have a group. Look at my schematic - it’s a group and when you select an outline, then Eagle move, copy, delete a whole group.

@mf_ibfeew

The groups are permanent and saved together with the board-files.

The same with Eagle - you can group objects in the Eagle schematic window as well.

[jmk]

@Docara

Hi @jmk,
Would you be kind enough to explain the purpose or perceived workflow for grouping in KiCAD. I have grouped items but couldn’t see the benefit for doing so.
Thanks

I think @mf_ibfeew supplied a satisfactory explanation while I slept. (time zone differences )

I’d basically call Grouping a more permanent Selection. It would be used mainly where certain footprints must remain in certain positions with respect to each other during initial board layout.

[RobertoGatti]

It’s easier and faster to move around already routed sections. You just don’t worry about selection.

[Docara]

Thank you

I incorrectly assumed actions on the group as a whole not literal ‘locking’ together

[mf_ibfeew]

@jurek: thanks for explanation. Which eagle-version do you work with?
I’m only able to create one group at a time (eagle v7.7).

[jurek]

@mf_ibfeew

Which eagle-version do you work with?

The latest, which is 9.xx