Questions from a newbie

[paulvdh]

1). There are several ways.
You can have a partial project, which just has the PCB outline, and some connectors, and then use that project as a template.
Template projects can be cloned from in KiCad’s project manager. with:
KiCad / File / New / Project from Template

You can set the location of your custom templates with:
KiCad / Preferences / Configure Paths
and then modify the “KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR” environment variable.

Another way is to draw your PCB outline in a CAD program and import into Pcbnew.
I think both .dwg and .svg should work.

2). Dragging from left to right needs full encapture to select.
Dragging from right to left also selcts stuff that is partially in the rectangle.
When you zoom in a lot, on for example a corner of the PCB, the lines on Edge.Cuts get fat and can be easily selected by clicking on them, then you also have small rectangles to manipulate the ends.
Ends of lines on Edge.Cuts snap together, or often easier, use a coarse grid, such as for example whole mm.

3), 4). Read Rene’s FAQ articles about footprint management.

Library management in KiCad version 5

Disclaimer: screenshots taken in nightly from between version 5.0 and 5.1. Version 5.0.x looks slightly different. Version 5.1.x will look like the screenshots show. This is a detailed lecture. If you want to know how to simply add some assets you downloaded to KiCad then you can read the shorter tutorial How to get a downloaded symbol, footprint or full library into KiCad version 5? Summary KiCad does not automatically detect libraries! There is no special library location (you might still ca…

4). Be careful where you grab components. If you start moving from a component pad, then the center of the pad is placed on the grid. If you move the whole component, then the center of the component is placed on the grid.
Snapping to grid can be set with Pcbnew / Preferences / Preferences / Pcbnew / Magnetic Points

If you have multiple footprints selected you can also Right click and use the popup menu with “alignment” funtions.

6). You can change (remove stuff from) the page layout with the page layout editor:

7). At the moment KiCad’s coordinate system is a bit limited. (0,0) is in the left top corner of a PCB.
You can use the mouse cursor for measurement. When you hit the spacebar the “relative coordinates” are set to (0,0) and these change when you move the mouse over the screen. It’s “dx” and “dy” and “dist” in the bottom status area of Pcbnew.
There is a red markers for “axillary axis” (which I’ve never used myself) and
there is a grey marker for the grid origin.
Are these big enough for you?

These markers stay the same size on the monitor when you zoom in or out.