I started noticing this issue in v6 where I can’t see the status line data at the bottom (for all tools). It wasn’t a problem in the previous version I was using 5.1.12 but it still exists in the current version I use 8.0.5. Although it’s certainly not a deal-breaker it would be nice to see how many nets are left to route, information about the part in schematics, etc. Just wondering if there is an easy fix for this? In case it’s relevant I run KiCad on Windows 10 using a 46" 4k HD monitor (3840x2160). I can view the data line when I drag and maximize KiCad to a smaller monitor but it’s really not usable on the tiny screen.
I couldn’t find a way to paste an image of it here so this is a link to the screen shot of what it looks like in Footprint Editor:
I highlighted the status line at the bottom of the page with a red box. This also shows another issue that has come up about 3-4 times where no parts are shown to select in Footprint Editor but I found a way to fix that. If you pick a part on your PCB and open that part in Footprint Editor from PCB Editor, then close it out, the next time you run Footprint Editor everything is back to normal and you can see the parts again. So a bit of annoyance, but there’s a workaround for it when it happens.
Some of them are not backported to 8.0 to avoid regressions.
You can install nightly (8.99) builds alongside 8.0, but make sure to not open and save your 8.0 projects in 8.99, otherwise you won’t be able to open them in 8.0.
Not sure what happened to your library tree. Are you using latest GPU drivers, and is KiCad using the correct GPU (OpenGL driver info is shown in Help → About → Version)?
You should be able to just press Ctrl-V to paste an image from clipboard, or drag it into the message box (use PNG for screenshots because JPG is lossy).
If that doesn’t work, I think you have to promote yourself by reading some topics.
I use a smaller second monitor as well for other apps. On the large monitor I use for KiCad I am using the Windows 10-recommended settings: Scale & Layout = 300% (recommended) and Display Resolution: 3840x2160 (recommended). I had a previous monitor that died under warranty but they didn’t have the same model, but both the status line was cut off on both monitors and has been since version 6 of KiCad. Although I didn’t see a status line in 5.1.12’s Footprint Editor, it does have one for Symbol Editor and it works fine on the same display (didn’t know you could just paste here directly or forgot):
I don’t think it’s the OpenGL driver for the library tree problem because Symbol Editor seems to use the same scheme and I’ve never seen this problem with it; the parts library always shows. But since I have a workaround for this issue, I don’t consider it to be much of an annoyance. Even the cut off status line at the bottom is more of an inconvenience than anything else since I can simply eyeball the rats nest and do more DRCs while I work to get the information (or drag the editor onto the small monitor and maximizing it). I just completed a board yesterday and will be working to panelize it today so it’s not holding up progress. But it would be nice to get that status line to be viewable if there’s a quick fix… The full build info is
Wow . . . if I’m reading that right, you have a “large” monitor that you are running at an effective resolution of 1280 x 720 and that resolution is below the min needed for KiCad . . . if I’m reading it correctly. “Screen resolution of 1280x1024 works . . .”
What size is your monitor ? if at or above 24" I’d be running it at 100% and taking full advantage of all the pixels on offer . . .
I am using Windows 10 recommended settings. I did try changing the zoom and at 125% or 100% I can see the status line fully, but the text is so tiny KiCad and pretty much every other app is not usable anymore, so I’ll keep the 300% recommended setting and live without the status line being visible.
My personal Dell Laptop 14" screen has the same physical resolution as your large screen . . . I run it at 200% scaling. I’d happily run it at 100% on a larger screen and I have old eyes . . . so have to use glasses for reading.
Maybe I’m weird . . . I like as much resolution as I can get, my work laptop has a 1920 x 1080 screen and I hate it . . . easy to see but not enough resolution. I need to spend some time tidying/rearranging my work desk so I have room for a monitor with more resolution . . .
I discovered that I can see the status line in PCB editor while panelizing the board on Friday. At first I thought maybe it was because I started with an old 5.1.12 panelized board using it as a template. But after panelizing it I did a test and converted a blank 5.1.12 schematic and pc board to 8.0.5 and the status line is still cutoff. Then I realized that while I am panelizing the board I’m working in standalone mode and not launching the board from project manager. So sure enough if I create a schematic or pc board and view them in standalone mode, the status line is intact (assuming the same with symbol editor and footprint editor but not sure if or how they can be launched without the project manager). Here are the views for a very simple schematic with one component to see the difference; the first is the view when launched from project manager and the second is with the same schematic launched standalone:
Note that the text in KiCad is not blurry as shown but is caused from pasting the images into Paint and having to shrink down the images so it can be fully copied and pasted here.
Seems to me like a bug in KiCad where the window scale value is applied on padding, while windows itself already handles the scaling resulting in the scale factor being applied twice.
Thanks, I didn’t know about the Win-Shift-S keys, I always used Print Screen then Paint.
KiCad 8.0.5 launches in the small screen where I click one of the tools and each tool pops up in the large 300% screen. This is the way I prefer it to work so the project manager is always on the small screen to view simultaneously while all the tools pop up on the large screen. This is also the way I have KiCad 5.1.12 configured but none of those tools cut off the bottom status line.
I have almost exactly the same issue as the OP. Using Win11 and three screens. Dell laptop, Samsung 40” 4K monitor, and a third smaller monitor. KiCad goes on the 40”. Status line is 60% cut off and component windows sometimes open empty. I thought it was just my buggy PC.
