I am new to KiCad (seems much better that Fritzing for sure), but I started creating a schematic using a custom symbol for a dual coil latching DPDT relay (FRT3-SL2). I added a new library for this symbol and created this with the symbol editor and it appears correct when adding it to my schematic, but when I print the schematic a large solid red circle appears in addition to the custom symbol. I have “gone around in circles” trying to find the cause. I am using an HP Elite G9 notebook with near terabyte of RAM and much disk space and the monitor resolution is set to 1920x1200 using Windows10. The circle appears when printing out to an HP 8710 and also when printing to Microsoft Print to PDF. Using KiCad V7.0.8.
SWMEM01-9.pdf (51.8 KB)
Peachy.kicad_sym (8.2 KB)
Hello and welcome @LogicWilly
It’s a bit hard to identify a problem without seeing it.
If you have a problem posting an image, self promote yourself by following the instructions in this link.
I have raised you a level, so you can post your symbol
I have uploaded a PDF to the original post. hope this better shows my problem. Thanks for your prompt replies.
P.S. I have also uploaded the symbol library containing the custom symbol.
Thanks. I can replicate this problem on 7.0.8-56
edit also happens with plot
There is a stray zero size rectangle object at -10.1600, 31.750
If you drag it upwards, it becomes visible in the symbol editor
)
(rectangle (start -10.16 -31.75) (end -10.16 -31.75)
(stroke (width 20) (type default))
(fill (type none))
)
Why are rectangles with coincident start and finish permitted and not detected by Inspect?
I raised an issue.
There are a few other zero sized rectangles in that symbol, but zero stroke width, so not showing. They shouldn’t be allowed.
Glad you were able to find those funny rectangles. I did have a problem initially creating a rectangle for some unknown reason. When I created a rectangle I clicked the left mouse button and then dragged the cursor and a rectangle appeared, but when I released the mouse button, the rectangle disappeared. I will attempt to find these unwanted beasts and delete them. Many thanks for your efforts.
When I created a rectangle I clicked the left mouse button and then dragged the cursor and a rectangle appeared, but when I released the mouse button, the rectangle disappeared.
I think you have seen the selection box, not your wanted rectangle.
To draw a rectangle (line, arc, circle, textbox): LMB(left mouse button)-click at starting point, release mouse button, now you are in drawing mode and draw the rectangle. Second LMB-click commits the endpoint of the rectangle.
@mf_ibfeew
Very subtle difference - I did not release the LMB after selecting the start point.
I was able to clean up the design by manually removing the null rectangles with a text editor.
At the beginning I was using V6 as I already had downloaded it weeks ago. As such, the symbol I added, MC14049, was in the V6 library 4xxx. Since I am using KiCad V7, I was missing this, so I manually extracted the symbol from the 4xxx V6 library and added it to the 4xxx V7 library. (I did try the import symbol, but it tries to import a whole library, not just a symbol)
Many thanks again for those that replied to my topic, it gives me much confidence that KiCad is the right choice.
My issue has already been closed and a commit made to 7.99 to prevent zero size rectangles and circles. I don’t know if there will be a backport for what will be 7.0.9
KiCad using text files makes it much easier to find these errors
edit cherry pick, not backport
Good to know the problem is resolved with a soon to be released version. I will look forward to the update. 
Just downloaded and checked the recent nightly v7.99-version.
a commit made to 7.99 to prevent zero size rectangles and circles
No, the bugfix works the other way around. It makes these rectangles visible in the symbol editor and in the schematic editor.
Ok, it looks like we need another issue to stop the plotting
I think the bugfixed solution is usable. It displays the “zero sized rectangle” in symbol editor and schematic editor as a dot with the assigned linewidth. This is the original kicad behaviour (you can see it if you switch back to the old fallback graphics in teh preferences). So the user can see and manipulate (delete) the rectangles/circles.
The subsequent printing now exactly prints the dot and therefore printout==eeschema display.
Only remaining bug is inconsistency in the different plot-output formats (SVG files contain already the dot/circle, pdf and dxf don’t). For this I have opened Zero size rectangles in symbols are not plotted to pdf+svg (#15862) · Issues · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab
Can you think of a valid use case for a zero size rectangle or circle being allowed in the first place?
Not really (apart from that dot. And that could be created as circle instead).
But I also see no real harm in the current (bugfixed) solution: the zero sized rectangle is there as a result from the user action. If the user is not satisfied with this dot he can delete it.
And a behaviour-change (disallow zero sized rectangles) would require work for loading/importing older schematics/symbols.
But I’m not against a feature to disallow zero sized rectangles at all (directly during creation stage in the editor), if you want to open such a request. I just don’t see a real benefit.
Good conversation here. To be clear, the null objects were not intentionally created - they were created by a misunderstanding of the method of mouse movement during creation. Now that I understand the correct procedure I do not expect to do that in the future. Others may have this problem so a rule not to allow creation of null objects may be beneficial.
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