Is it possible to have a footprint with polygon and pads inside the polygon

I have a footprint with a polygon and multiple pads (same number) inside the polygon. It gives several design rule errors. It looks like it does not like the pads inside the polygon. (clearance violation pth pad / polygon)
Is this somehow possible or another way to achieve this ?

See attached example picture.
polyfootprint

Is this somehow possible?

Yes. You have to use the “Edit pad as graphic shape” option from the RMB-click context menu in the footprint editor.
The description for this is currently missing in the documentation, but you could search in this forum. (and get for instance: How do I create pads out of these polygons in KiCad 8?)

If you play with this feature start with an easy task: one central pad, one surrounding polygon. And increase difficulty slowly (multiple pads inside the polygon, multiple shapes, …) to get familiar with this feature.

There was a bug in DRC affecting polygons until recently

Thanks, it seems it will do the trick, although it’s a bit confusing, because It seems not to adhere to the layer colors.

I spent some more time with it. The “Edit pad as graphic shape” is somehow usable. It does have some limitations. It really defines a large THT pad, which means it is identical both bottom and top layer.

If you want different shapes on top and bottom and additionally a THT pad:

  • place one SMD-pad on top. Use this smd-pad as anchor pad for the arbitrary custom pad shape on top side (Edit pad as graphic shape command).
  • place a second SMD-pad, with same pad number, on bottom. Use this smd-pad as anchor pad for the arbitrary custom pad shape on bottom.
  • place a third pad, the wanted THT pad. Also with the same pad number. Leave this THT pad unmodified.

Kicad automatically wants to connect all pads with the same pad number, so placing multiple pads to form a pad shape is also a common technique.

If you experiment with this: examine the mask and paste layer closely and check if the result in this layers is to your liking.

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