Lock wires to component pads in pcbnew

kicad newb here. In Pcbnew I would like to lock wires in place once I have attached them to a component. As it is for me now, in Version: (5.1.10), if I adjust the position of a wired component the wires don’t follow… is there a way to lock wires to pads? altium did that by default I seem to recall, but it’s been years!

If you have an active selection, then use the right mouse button to get the popup menu there is: Locking / Lock, but I think this is not what you mean.

In KiCad Lock is used to fix certain items on their place so they can not get moved easily.

In KiCad-nightly V5.99 you can hover over a footprint and press g for drag. This moves a footprint and keeps tracks attached by stretching or shrinking them and I think this is what you mean. This function is not available though in KiCad V5.1.x or older.

Just a side note; ‘g’ is available in the very old Kicad which I still use (2010-05-05 BZR 2356) :slight_smile:

g can also grab tracks in KiCad V5.1.x / Pcbnew, but the function to move a footprint and keeping tracks attached at the same time is not available.

Are you really using an 11 year old KiCad version?
Is there any specific reason for doing so?
Updates are free :slight_smile:
… and there are many improvements in KiCad. From what I remember, library management does not even work properly in those old KiCad versions.

You are right being surprised.
Although we were born on the same planet, Earth, we had to live in two different worlds.
Yes, I used downloading the new versions of Kicad, the last one is V5.1.10.
But if the available service one can have is many decades old, even the oldest Kicad version would be great for it (1 layer, thick tracks… etc). Before Kicad, I used making my schematics and boards using EasyPC on DOS.
But this doesn’t prevent me to learn continuously whatever is added in the new versions, mainly in the coming one V6. Perhaps some day I can contact one of the advanced PCB manufacturers (I am 71 year old :slight_smile: ).

For instance, before 11 years, I simply drew my designs on Kicad as schematics only and sent them (with a few details) to a Chinese company whose engineers did all remaining tasks. Then it sent me the assembled boards, usually 2-layers (after being tested too). But these golden years are a thing of the past.

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