Layer name "dot": -- are there semantics attached to it?

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All the provided layer names have a dot in them. Such as F dot Cu and Edge dot Cuts.

Does Kicad place any particular meaning on that dot, or to the parts of the name that are before and after? Or is the dot just a visual substitute for a space, though it seems like Kicad permits space in a layer name.

I had hoped, for example, that the “F.” and “B.” prefixes were what prompted Kicad to know what layers to change footprint graphics and text to when flipping a footprint, including handling text direction and justification properly.

But it seems that Kicad only applies that handling to specific hardcoded layers, and renaming User.n layers to F.XYZ and B.XYZ doesn’t extend that handling to footprint features associated with those layers.

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No special meaning there. You can name them anything you want but layer pairs are hardcoded. They also have fixed name that is used in file format. It’s slightly different from the names you see in UI.

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Thanks!

layer pairs are hardcoded. They also have fixed name
that is used in file format.

Yes, like “F.Silkscreen” appears elsewhere as “F_SilkS” as in the gerber output file name extensions. And then there are the API constants like “pcbnew.F_SIlkS”. (Just adding that in case other readers stumble in here with similar questions!)

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