Run trace in new component

Nick_Marsh · June 23, 2018, 1:09pm

How can I run a track inside a component ?
Like an Antenna, ?

Rene_Poschl · June 23, 2018, 1:32pm

What do you mean a track within a component?
Do you by chance mean “track inside a footprint”?

If this is your question then you can use graphical lines on the copper layer. (The footprint editor will complain as DRC can not handle it correctly. At least this is the reason given by the devs of why it is not allowed.)

How do you want your antenna to look like? (there might be better tools out there then manually drawing on the copper layer but for us to suggest something here, we would need more details.)

Nick_Marsh · June 23, 2018, 3:00pm

Yes, sorry, a track inside a footprint.
Actually it is for the Touch Sensing circuit.
it is a capacitively coupled antenna, so to speak.
but I need a few copies on my board
hence the need to make a footprint,
but I cannot select the routing layers.

eelik · June 23, 2018, 3:13pm

Can you show a picture of an example?

Nick_Marsh · June 23, 2018, 3:15pm

eelik · June 23, 2018, 3:15pm

And what KiCad version you are using? Version pre-5 (nightly build) may have more possibilities.

eelik · June 23, 2018, 3:16pm

I meant an example of a physical footprint

Rene_Poschl · June 23, 2018, 3:16pm

without more knowlege i can only point you to similar discussions:

Nick_Marsh · June 23, 2018, 3:18pm

Rene_Poschl · June 23, 2018, 3:19pm

The last link i posted above should be about exactly what you show here

Nick_Marsh · June 23, 2018, 3:19pm

ver 4.05, should I upgrade it, seems to work very well… till now.

Nick_Marsh · June 23, 2018, 3:20pm

thanks, I will check it out

Nick_Marsh · June 23, 2018, 3:26pm

Yes, at the end, make it with pads
works for me, thanks.

eelik · June 23, 2018, 3:28pm

In the upcoming v5 it can be made with graphic lines which are turned into pads, no need to use bitmaps or external vector graphic programs. Ask if you’re interested.

Rene_Poschl · June 23, 2018, 3:35pm

Even better. You can use kicad stepup and design such complicated footpirnts completely in a powerful parametric CAD tool. More details about that: Kicad StepUp: The Sketcher for Footprint generation

General warnings for using development versions apply: Is it a good idea to use a nightly build version?

Nick_Marsh · June 24, 2018, 2:26am

here is the issue now;

Nick_Marsh · June 24, 2018, 2:30am

Do you think it is safe to upgrade to 5 ?
Will that over write the 4.0.5 version I have ?

1.21Gigawatts · June 24, 2018, 2:42am

Read the second link @Rene_Poschl posted above.