Pcbnew failing to load components unless I start a new board

Hello. I have done some searching but have not found anybody with a similar problem.

I mad some changes to my schematic, then regenerated the netlist, but now I get about 50 errors that state something like “Error: Component “U1” pad “10” not found in footprint “LED_SMD:2PLCC_flipped_noHole”. What is happening is that my micro controller and power supply chips are no longer showing up on the layout.

I have verified that the packages are still correct in the Assign Footprints section, and they are present in the .net file itself. The strange thing though is that if I delete the .brd file and start over the missing components show up just fine.

I am using KiCad 5.0.2. Does anybody know what is going on here?

I was planning on starting over on the layout anyway as I am just learning this software after using Eagle for years, so I am not broken hearted over the layout, but I wouldn’t want this to happen when I am putting the final touches on the project in the future. I will be creating a backup of the failing layout though if anybody thinks they might need to take a look. Thanks.

The error seems to suggest that the footprint you assigned has some pads missing or named differently when compared to the symbol. (In more detail: your symbol has a pin with number 10 while this does not exist in the footprint assigned to it.)

Do you get any error or warnings in the update pcb from schematic report?
(Or in the old netlist import dialog.)
It could be that you have changed the reference designators and now kicad tries to connect the wrong footprint to the wrong symbol. In such a case using “import by timestamp” with “exchange footprints” activated could fix your problem. (Names of these options can be slightly different. I write this from memory as i do not have access to kicad right now.)
The exact course of action is hard to tell as you did not provide the full error log of the netlist import.


And something else: Current versions of KiCad do not generate .brd files. KiCads file format for the pcb side is .kicad_pcb.

The netlist does not contain the footprints themselves. Only the connectivity information and pointers to footprints.

I will fire up that version of my project tomorrow and try what you have suggested.

The errors were coming up when hitting Import Netlist because the entire chip was missing, so the LEDs had nothing to connect to. I did try the different options in the netlist import tool.

Thanks for the response.

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