I have Values and References centered at footprints. That way before preparing documentation of my PCB I need only some of them to move a little.
While positioning and routing I have them hidden.
But whenever I move a footprint these texts are shown which is very disturbing and annoying as for small elements (0402) these texts obscure their outline and I have to position the element several times to assess after placing it (when the texts disappear) whether I put it where I wanted.
Such positioning of the element âin the darkâ does not entertain me too much.
Do you know the way to have these texts hidden while moving the element?
What stays behind the idea to show them?
Who cares during routing what is the element number or value?
Edit.
May be important. I have them at Courtyard layer. Do if I had them at another layer they will be not shown?
Well, not as a function of it being Moved. However, I donât like the Refs (F & B) to be shown so I created a Preset to Hide/Show them.
Example:
First - I moved the Refâs to the Fab layers (could have done with with Silk, CourtyardâŚetc) but, I want to keep the Silk outlines/etc visible)
Now, click the Show/Hide Iconâs for the F and B Fab layers then, click the Presets and create a New preset. That will make a Preset of the current displayed (Hidden) Fab layers.
Now, simply use the Preset as neededâŚ
ADDED: Oh, I did this for the Template I most often use. Thus, itâs there when creating new projectsâŚ
I have the problem with it âsince alwaysâ means from 4.0.7 till 7.0.6.
If you (and others) donât have a problem with it than I suppose the reason is (as I have added in the first post) that I have reference and value at Courtyard layer. I have done my footprints that way because I didnât found the other way to be able to get pictures for documentation I want.
Pictures: one should have element rectangles (like at CrtYd) with references and second element rectangles with values.
Now, even there were added so many extra layers to be used no layer pair were added (pair meaning that the picture I add to footprint will flip with it from top to bottom.
I could use Adhesive layers for it as I have never used them but I didnât wanted to block that feature as who knows - I canât rule out that someday I wonât need it.
At my beginnings with KiCad (2017âŚ2018) I have changed my mind about layers using in footprints 3 times and it seems for me the only logical solution. If there will be one extra layer pair I would certainly move there with my documentation needs.
I supposed that the problem I describe not depends on layers at which you have references and values. If it depends (I will check) that it is argument for using adhesive layers. As always I expect that when I make such decision then after updating all my footprints a week or two later I will find that I need adhesive layers
What if you hide values and references in the Objects panel?
This way you can move components without interference.
You can do the same by enabling References/Values only to improve Reference/Values positioning if needed
Here, I moved both Value and References to the F.Coutyard.
I donât know the other way to hide them then in Objects panel.
That is the problem that for small parts (0402) while moving I donât se its borders and if I want to position it touching the other part it happens frequently that I have to move that part 2âŚ3 times before I place it where I want it to be because I see how I placed it only after finishing moving it.
So when the footprint border is most needed KiCad kindly hides it from me
I suppose that if there would be in objects panel the transparency setting for texts (there are only for Tracks, Vias, Pads, Zones, Images but not for texts) then probably even these texts are shown when not needed I would be able to make them enough transparent to not disturb me.
I really donât understand that idea. Who needs to see the value and reference when moving. If you want to know what it is the element you are moving you see it at schematic (it is selected there) what is much more informative that texts themselves.
Hiding Value & Ref in Objects only works if you do not highlight the footprint. As soon as the footprint is highlighted to move, the Ref & Value are shown, which is a bit pointless.
The only way I have found to keep Ref & Value hidden is to disable the Layers in which they are placed.
For Kicad Library footprints these are F.Silk & F.Fab. In your case @Piotr, this would mean disabling F.Courtyard.
The question is: are you able to position footprints accurately with F.Courtyard disabled?
Iâd thought about the âshowâ boxes for the text items in footprint properties, but that is a lot of clicking for what may be ,many footprints.
I understand Piotr wants to be able to temporarily remove all text so he can make final small adjustments to footprint locations. As far as I know, hiding layers is the only way that does not require huge amounts of mouse clicking.
For most footprints I have the same rectangle at silk layer so I could potentially hide Courtyard and show silk. But at silk I use thicker lines which gives the impression of not being so precise. But the problem I describe I really have only with 0402 (for 0603 texts are inside not hiding the rectangle lines) and I use mainly 0603. In most my PCBs only blocking 100nF are 0402. There is not a lot of them comparing with others so there is no idea to match up working to these few components.
The only thing missing for me is that these texts do not show up.
I like in KiCad that in most cases it is not the program that âknows better then meâ what I want. But in this case it looks that âit knows betterâ. I have set in Object tab that I donât want to see the Values and References but KiCad wonât respect it.
I would not say that. Thanks to this setting the PCB view is much clear. When placing and routing I am focused only on connections to be done and texts donât distract me. Until not moving 0402 I can also ignore unwanted texts shown up during moving footprints.
I still feel that deliberately turning off Objects Ref. & Value would be done for a reason. ie. I did not want to see them.
To then be confronted by them as soon as I try to move an object is silly.
If I wanted to see those objects, I would leave them turned on.
Me too.
I suppose that I misunderstood your âpointless settingâ. I understood it as âthis setting that have no senseâ and I think setting do have some sense, only showing texts when I set I donât want them have no sense.
Maybe it is a bug or a minor thing that developers forgot to check. I recommend you file an issue saying that hidden References/Values are being shown when the footprint is being moved. No matter which layers they are, if they are hidden they should remain hidden. I also donât like the current behavior too, and it looks like many others here donât like it as well. If you do, share the link here with us so we can discuss it there.
I want to point out that there are also people who like the current solution (at least one - me). The display of reference+value of the currently selected footprint gives me a way for overview.
Surely I can look at the statusbar+properties editor (if this panel is displayed), but there the reference get lost between many different strings.
Just enabling/disabling the reference in the appearance-panel is also no solution. For me the display of ref+value for the selected elements is quite a comfort-function.
bug
I donât think so. Displaying ref+value for selected footprints is there a long time (v6-v7-v799), so I think itâs the current intended behaviour. And during movement the footprints are naturally selected.
It could be discussed if the ref+value display should be disabled during the movement/dragging action (directly after moving/dragging has started) - but I would classify that as a new feature (ok, nitpicking).
If you click on a footprint that has Ref/Value hidden. The Ref and the Value is going to appear in the status bar. Also, if you have the schematics open, you can click the Symbol there, to have the exact footprint selected, or you can also do the other way which is to click on a footprint and check which parts is in the schematic if the status bar is not enough. Otherwise, you can set Ref/Vaue to visible too since you donât care with these things in front of you.
Here is the status bar, the first column shows what you want.
