KiCAD Copy/Pasting and Hotkey Inconsistencies
Summary Of my post:
Just started using KiCad, Its great. I thought I would point out the inconsistencies of the UI for newbies so it would make it easier for people learn (I am writing this now before I get well accustomed to the UI and don’t notice it anymore).
It comes down to this:
- Use the same hotkeys for manipulations on single items vs selecting multiple items.
- Use the same hotkeys through out the different parts of the program, to unify the interface.
Longer Version
Hi,
So I am working on my first KiCAD project, it is really great, there are some amazing features. It is a great app and I hope to contribute and work on the code too or submit better libraries (that are IPC-SM-782A compliant). I am however surprised at how the ABCs are so clunky or over looked.
So it seems everytime I use a different part of KiCad, the hotkey/method for copying is different. Likewise for other tasks.
The COPY -> PASTE is very clunky. Seems like it needs to be overhauled before any advanced features are added.
Sometimes you need to copy something from a few undo levels back, then redo a few times then paste. Also appending a whole sheet to another just to copy paste is less than ideal, but is something. The hotkey/method for copying and what can be copy varies greatly across the program.
WORKSHEET LAYOUT EDITOR :
No copy, okay.
EESCHEMA:
Hover mouse over anything and press C, great. I like it, good job guys!
But for multiple components its different? The hot key for copy no longer works, you have to right click and select Copy Block… Okay. Why not have “C” to copy as before? Why do the hot keys have to change whether you selected one thing or multiple? Mirror X/Y works the same with one item as on a block.
DEL for single, right click select Delete for block. So many times I select a group and press delete and nothing…
Why G/TAB to drag single/block? Why not just G or TAB? When you get into a groove of shifting things about, have to keep being mindful of how I selected the item(s) to drag.
When moving a single component, if you press R to rotate, it continues in move mode, I think this is natural. When moving a block and you press R, it rotates one step, and exits move mode, and places it where ever you are. Where this position is a a surprise after its rotated. One will want to continue moving after rotating.
SHIFT+R (or something similar) for rotate counter clockwise set by default would be pretty cool.
PART LIBRARY EDITOR
Is the hokey for copy “C”… No! Now its CTRL+D!
Can you copy a block by selecting it then right click copy block… nope!
Hover over a pin or text and press R… it rotates like EESCHEMA, great. Hover over anything shape and press R… nothing. X/Y for Mirror no longer are available.
T for text in EESCHEMA, no hotkey for adding text here.
To Draw an Arc one clicks the start of the arc, then the end point, then the centre. Okay Cool (this is different to Footprint editor where one click the centre, then the distance you move the mouse away from the it becomes the radius, and where you click becomes the end, and it adds 90 degrees clockwise from where you clicked). I don’t understand why its so different to draw an arc between the two? You can create an oval using 4 arcs in PART LIBRARY EDITOR, however in FOOT PRINT EDITOR it is not nearly as usable.
Additionally one can’t copy elements from one component to another.
So how does one rotate, copy, mirror elements? Well if you right click on an element, the options arent there… Hmm. Press “?” <— GOOD CONSISTENT HOTKEY, VERY NICE!
The list of hotkeys doesn’t mentioned anything about copy or rotate or mirror. Okay I think this functionality has sadly been left out.
Ive just comes from EESCHEMA so Im applying the same methods.
When moving a block i happen to right click, and there’s suddenly many more options:
COPY: Shift + drag
MIRROR: ALT + drag
ROTATE: CTRL + drag
DELETE: SHIFT + CTRL + drag
This is entirely new. So after selecting the block (that the only time the menu comes up) I try holding all sorts of combos of the modifier, and nothing happens. Only when writing this did I eventually figure out you have to hold the modifiers before selecting the block, but the tip that you can do such things only appear after you select the block.
This is nothing like EESCHEMA, which way is better? Why not use the better way for all EDITORS and make it easy to discover? I can’t see one being more suitable than another for a certain task, because at the end of the day one is selecting things, moving them about, rotating, and mirroring them.
PCB NEW:
Have not used it much.
In EESCHEMA “A” is to add a item (great!).
In PCB NEW “O” is to add a item. “A” does not seem to be taken, so why is it “O”?
I see the following works (but is not listed anywhere):
COPY: Shift + drag
MIRROR: ALT + drag
ROTATE: CTRL + drag
DELETE: SHIFT + CTRL + drag
I have a list of other improvement which would be simple to implement and really enhance the use for new people.
I only took the time to write this because I think addressing the above will make the UI very slick. At the moment the UI is quite fast to use. It feels like its been made by the people who use it, so there’s not much unnecessary clicking about, which I love! Well done team!
Kind Regards