My routing process: I route on the top layer, then hit key 4 to get to the bottom layer with the help of a Via. This works good, but then when I should get back up to the top layer again, by hitting key 1. it doesn’t make a new via, instead it just changes the already routed track back to the top layer! I hope the movie (made in 2 parts as the size for movies here is max 4MB!) makes this more clear. Anyone can say what I do wrong here?
My shortcut key to change to the bottom layer: 4
My shortcut key to change to the top layer: 1
It’s about to get a working flow = routing without to have to stop and think what to do every time it’s time to move to another layer – flow.
which hotkeys exactly? (copy the name from preferences–>hotkey section. There is no hotkey “change to the bottom layer”. The closest is “Switch to copper F.Cu / B.Cu Layer”, bt explicit information is better than guess something.)
ok, investigating your video regarding the right toolbar → it’s kicad v8.0.x
regardings layer hotkeys: your “4” and “1” is really “Switch to Copper / Component layer”
regarding your “V” hotkey: this is not the same hotkey as @RobK and @RaptorUK are talking about. You have redefined your hotkeys. They are talking about the “Place Through via” hotkey (not seen in your pictures - determine which key you have assigned for this command and test again).
regarding your described behaviour:
I think this is currently intended
from my guessing (lloking at how the routing behaves) the algorithm seems to follow these steps:
if the current active routing segment can not be changed to the destination (top/bottom) layer without breaking the track connection: set via, continue from there with changed layer. This affects your first started track segment in the video.
But if the current active routing segment can be changed to the destination (top/bottom) layer without breaking the track connection: don’t set via, just switch the track layer. This affects your second track which starts at the via.
With this in mind:
try the “Place Through Via” command as suggested above
or: after a via always set and fixate a small track-segment - from this track-segment on the option 1) will take effect and you get a via.
Wow, thanks for many details, yes the Place Through via was the thing! And yes I have changed many hotkeys and yes I run v 8.0.7rc1. Now the routing has a flow.
