KiCad8: Multi-unit symbols on different sheets

Schematic Library Symbols
1

Hello,
In ERC I just encountered this problem:
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I set the annotation to have the first number as the sheetpage (4 and 5 in this case).
How can I tell KiCad to use the same Designator for that part (apart from manually renaming 7 subparts)?

Cheers,
Hannes

2

All parts of each chip need to have the same Designator, otherwise Kicad thinks you have placed 2 IC;s in this case.

3

How can I tell KiCad to use the same Designator for that part (apart from manually renaming 7 subparts)?

You have to do it manually, the automatic annotation is not suited for corner cases like multiunit symbols on different sheets.

sidenote: you should always mention the used kicad version, as sometimes the answer is different for different versions.
For the upcoming kicad v9 (current status: release candidate) there is this workaround if you planning ahead during placement of the symbol:

  • add the multi-unit symbol to the first desired sheet (sheet 4 in your case). Use “place all units” checkbox in the “symbol chooser” dialog
  • place all needed units in the same first sheet (sheet 4)
  • then select all the units you want on sheet 5. CTRL+X to cut them from sheet 4.
  • and paste the cutted units into sheet 5. Since v9 the cut-paste combination retains the original reference designator and therefore all units belong to the same symbol
4

Multiunit symbols use A,B,C… suffix to identify which unit it is.
That you invent your own numbering system is just too bad. How is KiCAD supposed to know?

5

What 636Steve said. You can manually renumber the IC to have the same refdes number as the sheet, but if another unit of the IC ends up in another sheet, the refdes number still has to be the same and then won’t match the sheet number.

I can see that attraction of matching the sheet number and the IC refdes, but this self-imposed condition could be limiting. Besides having to make an exception for units that end up on a different sheet, you can’t have more than one IC on the sheet that follows this rule. And if you renumber the sheet then you have to go renumber the ICs. Oh well, have fun.

6

I know, but internally in the schematic, KiCad still applies that “A-Z” scheme to the subparts. To be able to rename the parts is helpful when placing the symbol to easier identify their respective functionality:
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