Is there a mechanism provided in KiCAD to tag components on a schematic as included for “better understanding” only? I’d like to include the chassis mounted IGBTs and their associated drive cables & connectors to the gate drive PCB I’ve just drawn up.
BTW I’m using V (5.1.7)-1
Thanks
You can add text using the “T” in the right side bar.
Edit: Strange. The screen shot shows up in the preview but no showing up on the forum.
You can “label” connections for clarity.
Thanks for the prompt response. I’ve attached a capture of the schematic area of interest.
I was hoping to be able to show the two IGBTs, capacitor and connector, but not have to deal with them during error checking, the netlist, nor the PCB itself. Basically make them invisible to any activity other than viewing the schematic.
If I remember correctly this scenario has been discussed here before, with a description how the components can be excluded from the PCB and error checking.
Unfortunately I haven’t done this myself, and don’t remember the details.
Just wanted to say that it is probably possible, and either if you want to search in the older posts from last year or two, or wait if someone who has done it chimes in and can give you the details.
Thanks, and just found it in an old posting. Adding a hashtag (#) before the reference designators takes care of the problem. As an example #C31 renders the component inactive.
Oh, how the modern trends are bastardizing the language…
The symbol that you are referring to is (among other names) called a hashmark. A metadata search term tag in social media that is proceeded by a hashmark is a hashtag.
Yeah, I know the wikipedia article that I referenced contradicts me, but calling “#” and “#FOO” the same term is linguistically lazy and should be avoided.
Sorry… /me climbs off his soap box.
P.S. I just read the Wikipeida article on hashtag, and I found it to be a well written and interesting article on the origins and usage spread of hashtags. Good reading, there.
In the Wild-West, when I learned to type on a Typewriter (in the 1950’s), the “#” was called a “Number Sign”. At some point, folks started calling it a “Pound Sign” because Butchers used it in front of the Weight of Meat.
“Number Sign” was so well understood, it was used as the Defn for it in the ASCII Table, below…
When I started programming in 1979, there was a common term that was used for many years, “Initiate” (and “Initialize”), as in “Initialize the variable”.
In the 90’s, Mr.Jobs wanted his own programming language and bought NextStep, re-named it (to Cocoa) and no longer used the word “Initiate”; he invented a new, stupid word, “Instantiate” - I’ll never use that word!!!
I imagine young programmers have no idea there was a word “Initiate” associated with programming…
Call “#” what you like, IMHO
Black Coffee, you are right. I only call it “pound sign” because it is a standard ASCII keyboard key. I did not start typing on a typewriter until 1977. But I started programming in high school in fall 1977/spring 1978.
On a mainframe, of course. Good on you for citing the standard. ( On a sad note, I still buy my meat by the pound! )
An additional approach that avoids DRC errors:
Make your Reference schematic on a different Schematic, take a Screenshot of it, Place a Graphic (the screenshot) into the desired schematic (use the Camera looking icon).
For me # was “sharp” and not “flat” (♭).
Nice to see that there are “dinosaurs” other than myself here. 
I started laying out boards back in the mid-70s using a 2X footprint template on vellum, then matte Mylar, Bishop Graphics tape and pads (I still have a collection). Then off to the photographer for photo-reduction.
When AutoCAD appeared I built up schematic libraries of symbols and footprints, then fed the “artwork” into a Gerber converter.
I’ve just started a new company (sold my old one 5 years ago and retirement was a bore) and decided upon KiCAD after auditing a handful of packages. I AM impressed with what it can do. I spent a quiet weekend alone in the office learning the package and in the last three weeks have produced five PCB packages that are ready to be sent out.
Nice to see the activity in this forum to help new users like myself out.
Cheers and thanks, Mark
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.
