Setting symbol pin color

[FredP]

There are pins in library parts that are designated as type “unconnected” which are shown as an aqua blue.

When I am creating a footprint and set a pin to “unconnected”, the color just stays the normal black. If I open “properties” for the pin, there is no place to set color. I have selected an aqua blue pin and pasted it into a text editor along with a normal (e.g. input type) pin, and I don’t see any place in the text that tells KiCad to render the unconnected pin as aqua blue, yet it does.

Here’s the copied text, with an unconnected pin at the top, and a power input pin at the bottom. I see nothing to suggest why the unconnected pin is rendered with a different color:

(symbol "ADL5304" (in_bom yes) (on_board yes)
  (property "Reference" "U" (at -2.54 7.62 0)
    (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27)))
  )
  (property "Value" "" (at -2.54 7.62 0)
    (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27)))
  )
  (property "Footprint" "" (at -2.54 7.62 0)
    (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27)) hide)
  )
  (property "Datasheet" "" (at -2.54 7.62 0)
    (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27)) hide)
  )
  (symbol "ADL5304_1_1"
    (pin no_connect line (at 22.86 -5.08 90) (length 2.54) hide
      (name "NC" (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27))))
      (number "7" (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27))))
    )
  )
)

(symbol "ADL5304" (in_bom yes) (on_board yes)
  (property "Reference" "U" (at -2.54 7.62 0)
    (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27)))
  )
  (property "Value" "" (at -2.54 7.62 0)
    (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27)))
  )
  (property "Footprint" "" (at -2.54 7.62 0)
    (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27)) hide)
  )
  (property "Datasheet" "" (at -2.54 7.62 0)
    (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27)) hide)
  )
  (symbol "ADL5304_1_1"
    (pin power_in line (at 20.32 -7.62 90) (length 2.54)
      (name "GND" (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27))))
      (number "2" (effects (font (size 1.27 1.27))))
    )
  )
)

While I can copy/paste/edit aqua blue unconnected pins and use them in my footprints, I would like to know how these pins are getting their color in the first place, and how I can set the color.

I am currently working in the current 6.99 nightly if that affects the answer:

Application: KiCad Symbol Editor (64-bit)

Version: (6.99.0-4686-gbba8a0826e), release build

Libraries:
	wxWidgets 3.2.1
	FreeType 2.12.1
	HarfBuzz 5.0.1
	FontConfig 2.14.1
	libcurl/7.86.0-DEV Schannel zlib/1.2.13

Platform: Windows 11 (build 22621), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW

Build Info:
	Date: Dec  2 2022 14:46:50
	wxWidgets: 3.2.1 (wchar_t,wx containers)
	Boost: 1.80.0
	OCC: 7.6.2
	Curl: 7.86.0-DEV
	ngspice: 37
	Compiler: Visual C++ 1929 without C++ ABI

Build settings:
	KICAD_SPICE=ON

[paulvdh]

Those are “hidden” pins, and normally you do not see them in the schematic. There is a toggle checkbox for these in: Schematic Editor / View / Show Hidden Pins.

You can set this property of a pin in the Symbol Editor. Just load a symbol in the symbol editor, hover over a pin and press e to edit it’s properties and then toggle the Visible checkbox.

[jmk]

Hi @FredP
It is a bit confusing when you use the term “footprint” with respect to symbol pins.
Perhaps you would edit your thread and its contents to “symbol”?

[FredP]

@jmk Oops. Done.

<20 character minimum post filler>

[FredP]

@paulvdh I missed the “Visible” checkbox. That was the difference I was looking for.

Thanks!

[Russ]

@paulvdh, thanks so much for reminding me how to toggle the visibility of the hidden Power/Ground pins. You’re a big help!