This is my first time using a ground plane, the fill appears correct and all required connections have been made, but a small number show the original “rat’s nest” lines and show up as disconnected when the DRC is run. I can lay down an etch run using the ground layer and the rat’s nest line goes away. I’m using V5.1.7 I can just ignore the issue I guess, but . . .
Thanks, Mark
If you use and want to use V5 than you should use V5.1.12.
From 5.1.7 to 5.1.12 there were tons of bugs fixed.
I remember I was reporting some bug connected with rat lines shown when they should not be, but don’t remember details. It probably was when V5 was current.
If you can the better would be to use current 7.0.8 version. Then any problems could be checked by other users. Probably no one will now install 5.1.7 to have a chance to see the same.
Indeed.
KiCad V5 is so old that I’ve disremembered most of it’s details. I think that back then even a single thermal spoke was enough for a pad connection to a zone, and in later (KiCad V7) versions there is finer grained control over this. What happens if you set the zone connection to “solid” instead of thermal relief. Do the ratsnest lines go away then?
As a workaround, you can draw some tracks though the GND zone to make KiCad’s DRC happy. It’s not a “neat” solution, but it’s quick and effective. You can than also draw some of those tracks in 45 degrees and lock them, so they coincide with the thermal relief spokes.
Thanks, I think I’ll run with the generated Gerbers as they look OK, finish off this project, then upgrade to a current version.
Yes, ground layer connections made “manually” on top of the ground plane will cause the remaining GND rat’s nest line go away.
Thanks again, Mark
“Disremembered”
I think you mean “Forgotten” 
Upgrade to 5.1.12 is not risky. Change in last part of version number means only bug fixes, no file format changes, no user interface changes.
It’s not forgotten. I disremember quite well.
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