Solid 3D model export improvements:
XAO defines pad surfaces as face groups and can be imported into SALOME or newer versions of Gmsh for FEM simulations:
Extended the physical_clearance rule to apply between copper fills & footprint courtyards.
(rule "No copper pours under Capacitors"
(constraint physical_clearance (min 0.1mm))
(condition "A.Type == 'Zone' && B.Reference == 'C*'")
)
will knock out the courtyard of any footprint whose reference starts with “C” from all copper fills.
@JamesJ added support for schematic rule areas that allow users to draw a shape to which net class directives can be attached.
Control over via tenting on top and bottom sides, at a board level and per-via overrides.
Note: this replaces the “tent vias” checkbox in the Plot dialog, which is now gone.
@JeffYoung added a feature that lets you create ERC/DRC errors and warnings from textboxes and fields:
New text variables:
${ERC_WARNING <custom title>}
${ERC_ERROR <custom title>}
${DRC_WARNING <custom title>}
${DRC_ERROR <custom title>}
Variables must be at the start of a field, text item or textbox to be recognised by ERC/DRC.
They resolve to the empty string on the canvas.
You can now embed various elements in your schematics, pcb layouts, footprints and symbols:
Worksheets
Datasheets:
3d Models:
Fonts:
New ERC check for local and global labels with the same name (from Wishlist: ERC local/global net name collisions (#9461) · Issues · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab)
Nets can now have multiple netclasses assigned. This can be used for fine-grained, modular, custom DRC rules. New functionality includes:
Note that we have also tidied up the case where previously the default netclass could have a schematic color assigned, but not a pcb color. Now, the default netclass can have neither color assigned. These should be set in the global color settings if customisation is required.
STEP export now supports exporting a subset of components based on what is selected in the PCB editor or a list of reference designators (supporting wildcards):
The latter is now supported in kicad-cli with the --component-filter option.
DRC skew rules now have an optional flag (within_diff_pairs). When set, the DRC rule is run independently for every identified differential pair in the traces which match the rule conditions. When left out, the current DRC behaviour remains whereby skew is run acros all matching nets (for example, for checking the skew of a bus). For example, for the following schematic:
With this board layout:
DRC with this rule:
(rule diff_skew
(constraint skew (max 3mil) (within_diff_pairs))
(condition "A.hasNetclass('DIFF_PAIR')"))
yields:
In addition, the router and DRC definition of skew have been unified to always be measured relative to the longest trace in the skew set (be that the longest in each diff pair, or the longest in all traces, depending on if (within_diff_pairs) is set).
The router will also pick up the correct constraint for skew tuning where skew is definied using a (within_diff_pairs) rule.
