Not selecting components when its layer is not active? ("Clarifying Selection box")

One aspect of KiCad that is slowing me down is constantly having to confirm components in the “clarifying selection” pop-up box. If I’m working on top side of a PCB, and I have the Top layer active & the bottomside layer not visible (and in fact, all bottomside-related layers not visible), why does KiCad keep allowing me to select a now-hidden bottom side component? Is there some setting or configuration I’m not setting?

In other CAD tools I’ve used, typically if you make a layer not visible or not the ‘active’ layer, it won’t try to select those components or tracks.

In my particular design, it’s a very small PCB with a wearable that has a battery holder clip on the bottom side. Literally every time I click on a topside component, it’s making me confirm I meant the topside component, even though all bottom-side related layers are not visible.

thanks in advance,
Saket

You can use the high contrast mode (shortcut H) that one limits selection to the active layer.

Thanks, will try that.
I also just noticed the “Items” pane in the Layers Manager, and if i de-select “Footprints Back” option, it doesn’t make those selectable.

So likely a user error issue.

Not an error. You did what you expected and IMO it was reasonable to expect that. In 5.99 (development version leading to 6.0) it works as you expected.

2 Likes

Much appreciated for that update, @eelik.

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