Issues with routing inside Arc defined Edge.Cuts

[ddbusman]

Hi Guys,

I wrote a python program that generates a circular PCB and draws traces on it based on specific power requirements. Basically creating a PCB heater for a flange at a specified power draw.

My workflow in KiCad 4 involved generating the PCB, and then using PCBNew to make minor adjustments to the traces and to add some finishing touches.

In KiCad 5.1, however, when trying to fix some traces generated by the python script, I am getting the following error: “Cannot start routing inside keepout area or board outline”.

If I change routing preferences to highlight collisions, I get A LOT of lines showing after I set a starting point for the trace:

I would upload the kicad pcb file but currently I do not have permission to do so.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get rid of those? I cannot adjust the traces without having the endpoint snap to some seemingly randomly highlighted path.

Edit:
Kicad File heater_ring.kicad_pcb (27.6 KB)

EditEdit:
I uninstalled Kicad 5.1 on Ubuntu 18.04 and installed Kicad 5.0 from js-reynaud’s ppa and the issue has disappeared when trying to route a trace in Highlight Collisions mode. See screenshot below:

If anyone has any ideas why Kicad 5.1 seems to have introduced this issue, I’m definitely interested in knowing! In the meantime, I will be using Kicad 5.0

[eelik]

What’s the exact version info? Copy it from Help->About.

[ddbusman]

The version I had installed, according to apt-cache policy kicad was 5.1.2-f72e74a~84~ubuntu18.04.1
I have downgraded to 5.0.2-stable-bee76a0~70~ubuntu18.04.1 and that issue has disappeared.

[eelik]

If you want to help KiCad as a project you could test this with nightly builds, they should be available like the stable version in another ppa. I tested with a Windows nightly build and there seems to be no problem. I have reported at least one bug which looks similar and it was fixed, but I don’t remember for what version.

[ddbusman]

That’s a great suggestion, I will be looking into that. Thanks!
I have learned to love KiCad in these last 2 years I’ve been using it and helping it improve in any way would be awesome.

[Rene_Poschl]

Be careful with nightlies. The normal nightlies are from the development branch which you most likely do not want. Make sure you take a nightly from the stable branch. (We really should find a different name for these.)

[eelik]

Oh, that’s true. I’m already accustomed to installing a nightly build on Windows, then again a stable version, then nightly… At least at the moment it works. It should be safe on Ubuntu, too, if you only test. But there’s no guarantee. As Rene said, 5.1.x nightly builds are mostly safe if they are available for Ubuntu.

[Efcis]

Probably related to https://bugs.launchpad.net/kicad/+bug/1826014

[paulvdh]

I’m not sure if it is related, in another thread recently where I saw:

@ddbusman

“Cannot start routing inside keepout area or board outline”.

It was related to having graphics drawn on a coper layer instead of tracks.
KiCad used to completely ignore graphics on a copper layer, and lately it seems to treat grapichs on a copper layer as a “keep out zone”.

If you draw some tracks, save the file and look at it in a text editor, do you then see any differences between your script generated copper and the manually drawn tracks?

The other thread that reminded me of this was of a round PCB with a spiral antenna drawn near the outer edge and the antenna was drawn in another program and imported into KiCad.

[davidsrsb]

@eelik

As Rene said, 5.1.x nightly builds are mostly safe if they are available for Ubuntu.

I don’t think that there is a 5.1.x fork Nightly PPA. They are available for Windows and Mac:
https://kicad-downloads.s3.cern.ch/index.html?prefix=windows/testing/5.1/
https://kicad-downloads.s3.cern.ch/index.html?prefix=osx/testing/5.1/
Master Nightlies are very volatile right now and not for casual use.

[ddbusman]

Hi Paul,

I double checked the output of my script and the only items that are on a copper layer are “segment” items.

Script generated segments:

(gr_line (start 149.9 100) (end 150.1 100) (layer Eco1.User) (width 0.2))
(gr_line (start 150 100.1) (end 150 99.9) (layer Eco1.User) (width 0.2))
(segment (start 195.82 100) (end 200.2 100) (width 0.2) (layer F.Cu) (net 1))
(segment (start 200.14 102.43) (end 200.2 100) (width 0.2) (layer F.Cu) (net 1))
(segment (start 195.77 102.21) (end 200.14 102.43) (width 0.2) (layer F.Cu) (net 1))

Manually drawn segments in PCBNew shipped with Kicad 5.0.x:

(segment (start 146.43 101.66) (end 164.44 120.04) (width 0.25) (layer F.Cu) (net 0))
(segment (start 164.44 120.04) (end 172.23 105) (width 0.25) (layer F.Cu) (net 0))

I did not get the chance to re-install KiCad 5.1.x to do any additional testing.