MCAD like quality of life improvements

Most of what I want improved in kicad and EDA in general involves adding MCAD like features that would greatly improve quality of life. For me, the improved object snapping in v6 was a game changer. Some feature requests I have found need for in the last week alone include the following.

While drawing a line, taking a measurement, or similar, holding shift/ctrl/alt/tab or another key should constrain the movement to 90 or 45 degree axis. Another key should lock the axis to it’s current position.

While drawing a line, making a shape, or similar, I should be able to start at a point and key in the distance to the next point leaving me to select the orientation of the feature I am adding but not it’s length.

More options for making circles, squares, and similar. Start at one corner, start in the center etc.

When mirroring I should be able to select the axis to mirror across. And when rotating, I should be able to select the axis to rotate around.

I should be able to change the grid origin point. I know the upper right corner being 0,0 is more or less universal. But I often wish I could change that. If people want to stick with the norm, then they do not have to change it.

That’s already a feature for a long time.
Also you can change axes direction in Preferences separate from the grid origin.

Hey would you look at that! I guess the info I was reading was outdated. Thanks.

… holding shift/ctrl/alt/tab or another key should constrain the movement to 90 or 45 degree axis.

Not quite the same as a modifier key, but maybe helps: Shift+Space changes between free angle mode and 90° restricted mode. Works in board and schematic editor.

And yes, I would also like the modifier key switching ebtween 90°/free angle and the current grid-snapping modifier (current: CTRfL) as a standard hotkey grid snapping on/off. Because that’s more common with other CAD (and drawing) programs I know of.

And when rotating, I should be able to select the axis to rotate around.

You may try the “Move exactly” command.
Either assign a hotkey or use RMB-click-_>context menu–>positioning tools–>Move exactly. The rotation center can be selected.

if you want to give it a try, you could have a look at kicadStepUp MCAD collaboration:

I’m aware of how good the integration is getting. It almost has me wanting to switch from solidworks to freecad. freecad is just not there yet.

That does go along way actually. Thanks.

I’ll add a trim tool and offset function to the list of things I want or maybe just don’t know how to do.

Wait a second. I don’t think set grid origin point does what I was asking for. If I set the origin to 100mm,100mm it does not change 0,0 to that point. It just aligns the grid with that point. What I am trying to accomplish is making it easier to add dimensions by coordinate which I wouldn’t need to do much if I could just enter the length of a line that I want to make.

2 Likes

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.