Repeat layout fails

Layout
1

Hi all, I am currently designing an LED ring/encoder test board. I made three identical channels, but unfortunately repeat layout fails.

image
image1512×1288 186 KB

Before: Three rule areas, configured as described in the manual. Channel 1 mostly routed, channels 2 and 3 with previous placement, moved out of the way.

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image502×443 8.54 KB

Tools Multichannel repeat layout seems OK

But there are a number of bugs:

image
image1513×1277 223 KB

  • (some stray track segments remain in the wrong position) EDIT those were in the initial layout so would be a duplicate - disregard
  • Mounting holes are not replicated
  • Rule area 1 is deleted
  • Vias and bottom layer tracks are removed from channel 1, but present on 2
  • image
    image2375×594 96.8 KB

Any idea?

I attached the project.

Steps to reproduce:

Open the project with KiCad 9.0.6

Open the PCB

Select Tools Multichannel Repeat layout

Select Rule area 1 (the leftmost which is somewhat routed already)

press OK (leave at default setting)

Application: KiCad PCB Editor x64 on x64

Version: 9.0.6, release build (also tried on current nightly, no change)

Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.2.8
FreeType 2.13.3
HarfBuzz 10.2.0
FontConfig 2.15.0
libcurl/8.13.0-DEV Schannel zlib/1.3.1

Platform: Windows 11 (build 26100), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
OpenGL: ATI Technologies Inc., AMD Radeon RX 6600, 4.6.0 Compatibility Profile Context 25.3.1.250220

Build Info:
Date: Oct 30 2025 19:36:12
wxWidgets: 3.2.8 (wchar_t,wx containers)
Boost: 1.88.0
OCC: 7.9.1
Curl: 8.13.0-DEV
ngspice: 45.2
Compiler: Visual C++ 1944 without C++ ABI
KICAD_IPC_API=ON

Locale:
Lang: en_GB
Enc: UTF-8
Num: 1,234.5
Encoded кΩ丈: D0BACEA9E4B888 (sys), D0BACEA9E4B888 (utf8)

EncLED.zip (323.9 KB)

2

Nobody?

Looks like I have to find out how to file a bug report myself…

3

What error are you talking about? You have a ton of errors both in the board and in the schematic.

4

Layout is unfinished, that was just a test run.

As I wrote, the repeat layout process deletes some of the rule areas and the bottom layer/vias of the original, which is not the correct/expected behaviour.

Whatever the state before was, repeat layout should just do that - repeat.

5

First, you need to complete the circuit. If you make a stupid duplication without reference to the circuit, then Kiсad will not know where to connect them.

6

I can replicate your issue entirely with v9.0.6 and a decently recent v9.99. There definitely shouldn’t be things getting deleted, and I have no idea why the mounting holes aren’t getting moved.

To report this as a bug, open KiCad > About KiCad > Report a Bug (or KiCad > Help > Report a bug). Either will open a Gitlab issue page with part of the template already filled out. If you don’t already have one, you’ll need to make a Gitlab account. Make sure to include everything you’ve included here, including the example project.

7

I downloaded your project with the intention of having a look, I need to get familiar with Multichannel for a work project . . . I just didn’t find time so far.

8

Well, that’s a case that does not work (although I believe it should). The docs mention a sample project included in the distribution, maybe have a better look at that.

I know the multi channel stuff from Altium, where it is pretty powerful:

Good to see this makes it into core KiCad. There used to be (and I think still is) a plugin for doing that I have used in the past. Maybe I could try that.

9

That would be the Replicate Layout plugin, and as far as I know, it still works in KiCad.

10

Filed a bug: Multi channel repeat layout fails (#22280) · Issues · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab