Well, so it happened again, the schematics and PCB has become totally unordered, so the component numbers are really “wrong” after deleting some blocks in different places in the schematics, so when adding a new component in the schematics it get numbered (annotated) lower than the current highest one. How to automatically renumber the complete schematics (from number 1 and upwards) and get it synced into the PCB? (In Autodesk Eagle this was a very simple task )
In KiCad it’s probably more simpeler. Just run annotation again. The only extra thing that is important is to make sure that during Schematic Editor / Tools / Update PCB from Schematic [F8] the option: Re-link footprints to schematic symbols based on their reference designators is off. This checkbox should always be off, except in special situations where you explicitly want to use the RefDes to change how schematic symbols and footprints are linked.
Thanks paul, but no this does not work, the “gaps” between the component numbering remains.
Edit: it works if “reset existing annotations” is enabled in the schematics during annotation, so thanks again – it works very well this way!
… And, also again I guess, how to make the numbering placement on the PCB “logical” so the components physically are numbered from, let’s say, starting at the left bottom side, 1, 2, 3? (This was also a very simple task in Eagle, some years ago).
It seems there are only two choices in Kicad, and both start at the top LH corner.
how to make the numbering placement on the PCB “logical”
- first make sure schematic and pcb are in sync (run the “update pcb from schematic” command)
- if you want the ordering only for a subset of all footprints: select only those
- in pcb editor: Tools–>geographical reannotation. play with the options
- now you have to back-annotate these RefDes changes to the schematic. (this step was not necessary in eagle): run Tools–>Update schematic from pcb
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Thanks guys, this solved it good!