Hi guys. Brand new to KiCad so hopefully this is just a pilot error, but I am making a breakout board for a certain component. I made a custom plated through-hole footprint and utilized/associated it in my schematic, no problem. When I import the netlist into Pcbnew, it places all 30 something through holes in the exact same spot by default. So naturally I have to move them. The only way I can figure out how to move them is to right click on them, in which the “Selection Clarification” menu pops up. For about 10 through-holes, I could click “Pad …” and then “Drag Pad,” and this worked fine.
But now, with about 20 through holes still stacked on top of one another, the “Selection Clarification” menu shows ONLY a list of “Footprint …” of things that aren’t even close to my through-holes. In fact it’s selecting things that are on the opposite end of the PCB, even if I zoom way in on the pile of through-holes, with nothing else on the screen, I still get “Footprint …” of things not even close.
I’m assuming your Kicad version is 4 point something? The nightlies won’t have this overlap problem. I’m not sure I understand the problem fully. In this case I think Pad and footprint might be the same though. Just continue to move things off of the pile and see what happens.
Are you saying things already moved off of the pile still show up in this selection?
No, I am saying that I can’t move things off of the pile because there is no choice in “Selection Clarification” that targets the pile. Instead, it is targeting other components that are on the opposite side of the board, even though I am clearly right clicking directly on the pile, and these other components are nowhere near the pile.
KiCad lets you do that, but it changes your footprint. Move footprint, not pad.
But there is an easier way to initially place components. Draw the board outline, click on “Mode:footprint” toolbutton, then right click and do “Spread out all footprints”
So i assume you are using kicad 4.0.x (as kicad nightly already spreads footprints on import)
In that version of kicad there is a global spread and place tool available in the default (= legacy) canvas. Canvas switching is done using the view menu or shortcuts (F9 => default , F11 => open-gl)
The tool is in the context menu (= right click menu) if the legacy canvas is switched to “Footprint mode” (button in the top toolbar )
Ah, okay. I think this is what is causing the issue. I was only moving pads, and not footprints, so when I right click on the pile, the footprint origins technically still exist on the pile, even though it looks like the pad is far away. That is why they were appearing in the “Selection Clarification” menu. Thanks.
Kicad 4 has broken selection of some footprints. I’ve done some testing regarding this issue, confirmed by a fellow Forum user. Reported a bug which was fixed in the nightlies, waiting for Kicad5 to bring the goodies.
BTW, legacy canvas worked without issues with the selection.
)