Hello. I have a circuit where I have a limit switch connected to a PCB with a d-sub connector. I’d like to represent this in schematic with hierarchical sheets, where one sheet has a limit switch and a d-sub plug, while the other sheet has a d-sub socket and the rest of the PCB circuit. However there’s no way to connect the two sheets as there are no hierarchical pins. I don’t want to attach these pins to the symbol pins, as it kind of signifies that there is something else attached to it on it’s side of the circuit (for ex. attaching hierarchical pins to the pins of a socket, parallel with actual connections on the PCB, kind of looks like there are other things on the pcb that connect with the socket, not that another sheet connects with it). Maybe this is actually the preferred KiCad way and I’m wrong. I also don’t want to make three sheets - first with the limit switch, second with the plug and the socket, third with the PCB. So what would be a good solution to this?
KiCad schematic is a single PCB schematic but you are trying to have there more then PCB. As I know (never tried it) one thing can be helpful to you - symbols can get “Exclude from board” flag so their footprints will be not placed at PCB. This allows to show at schematic elements that are out of PCB.
I didn’t realise it’s only for one PCB. I wanted to put those limit switches in for clarity. I know about “Exclude from board” flag. Thanks for the reply.
KiCad is indeed One project, one PCB only at the moment. As a result, a PCB to connect a limit switch to it’s own connector (and probably some mounting holes too) would be a separate project.
One way to prevent wiring errors in such a case is to create a custom symbol for the connector, and put in the pin names in the same manner as for IC’s. Maybe this is a bit too elaborate for just a limit switch, but it works nicely with bigger connectors. (I have this on a backplane with 40 pin connectors and lots of different pin functions). I re-use the connector symbol for each plugin board, and I’ve got all names for the signal immediately in the project for a new plugin board.
This is not what hierarchical sheets are for. They are to structure schematics but all the sheets contribute towards one PCB.
If you want to just document that there’s an external limit switch with plug connector, draw a graphics box on the schematic with depictions of those two parts. The graphics will not be part of the circuit or the resulting PCB.
I’ve read some rumors that whole sheets can be easily excluded from the PCB in the next KiCad version, so you can use them for documentation purposes such as this switch and/or wiring diagrams, etc.
While I changed my schematic to only be for one PCB, my problem can be solved by editing a sybol and adding a pin to the connector for the purpose of attaching a hierarchical sheet, like in the picture.
Several years ago I experimented with the datasheet link in schematic symbols. For KiCad it’s just a string that it throws towards your OS, so you can do things like:
- If it’s a PDF, your OS opens a PDF viewer.
- If it’s a jpg. you OS opens a picture viewer.
- If it’s a test file, your OS opens it with a text editor (may be handy for project notes).
- If it’s a kicad project, your OS opens a new KiCad instance
