[Kicad7] How to assign netclasses without a label?

[crgarcia]

I want to add clearance restrictions in Kicad7 for specific nets.
In Kicad6, I simply assigned the netclases to each net.
I don’t want to add labels because I have several nets where components are just connected to each other:

so adding classes it would look like this:

What is the best way to do that in Kicad7?

[mf_ibfeew]

I think there is no best way currently, all options have pros and cons.

Currently I switch between two solutions (and have not really settled for a favorite solution):

1. use normal labels (local/global), set the netclass with “assign netclass” from RMB-context menu and set label-textsize to some very small value
2. use the new introduced netclass directive labels with the following settings:

• set pin length to 0.01
• set “Show netclass” to off
• so only the netclass directive shape is drawn, and it is drawn directly on the wire. This reduces the schematic-clutter.
• As 4 netclass-shapes are available this method allows for four differnet netclasses
• to later search&find (and maybe replace/rename) the netclasses the “hidden field” checkbox in the search&find dialog must be checked

See picture:

Maik

[crgarcia]

Thank you very much mf_ibfeew!!

That works perfectly for me (for now), as I only need 4 netclasses.

[Naib]

The way i manage this is via heirachical sheet and then apply classes based upon the sheet wildcard

[scandey]

Can you expand on what you mean? That sounds like a really handy system, but I’m not sure how you set a net class by a sheet instance variable.

(Edit: I think I understand immediately after posting. This is a way of using the net “path” with a given sheet in it for the net pass assignments?
So class x = /sheet1/* would grab all the nets in sheet instance sheet1?

[crgarcia]

I don’t get it
Not a big expert on hierarchical sheets

[scandey]

If you aren’t already using multiple sheets, this isn’t a good option. But if you are doing many instances of a filter (or similar), this is a clean way of collecting all nets on a given sheet into one net class.

[mf_ibfeew]

@Naib : for me the netclass-assignment based on sheet wildcards works only if I add labels to all nets in this subsheet.

Have I overlooked something?
could you attach a simple example to learn from?

Maik