Joining pads that are separated by a gap in a footprint

[kuro68k]

I am trying to create a footprint that will allow me to have a bottom-entry SMD connector for a 2.54mm pin header, or simply pass the pins through and solder them to the board permanently.

This requires a rectangular SMD pad and a rectangular TH pad, with only the SMD pad getting solder paste and a small gap between the two to prevent the solder flowing over it.

I created this:

The issue is that the two pads available for each pin are not connected. So I tried connecting them with pads that have no solder mask:

Then I read that Kicad considers pads connected when their centres overlap, and sure enough they show as unconnected in the PCB editor. Running the DRC function did not resolve the issue.

How can I join these footprints and keep them separated enough to prevent the solder paste flowing into the holes?

[paulvdh]

I have not done this, but what probably works:

1. Make the SMT pad so big that it overlaps with the center of the THT pad.
2. Use only the copper layer of the SMT pad. Untick other layers of the pad.
3. Use separate aperture pads for both solder mask and paste stencil.

Aperture pads are pads that are not on the copper layer. These pads should also have no pin number.