What is the best way to show a schematic with a number of versions [currently 6]? The project is an Mppt charge controller but there are small circuit changes depending on components selected for PV and battery size.
It is drawn in EasyEDA but could be converted with https://wokwi.com/easyeda2kicad
Drawing: https://oshwlab.com/lazlo.lebrun/soft-power-universal-pcb-prototype
I deliberately didn’t mention I think overlays (blocks?) would be a good solution because I don’t have any experience using them with schematics, so I don’t understand the advantages and disadvantages, and there may be better ways.
I save different versions as different projects in KiCAD, having the version name/number in the project file name.
Sounds easy, but it’s not. It can only be done from the Eeschema editor.
Open the project and the schematic. In the schematic editor select “Save current sheet as…”
Save with new name.
Opening the new schematic file will generate a new project file.
I don’t have a f*cking clue what is going on looking at your drawing… I would say break it apart into modules and have a block diagram, don’t try to show this stuff on a schematic. Also consider if your circuit really NEEDS variants, can you just have some extra parts on there and configure by jumpers or software? If the selling price is high and volume low, it may make more sense than having a dozen different configurations…
I tend to agree with this. I understood you want to have several versions of a product, each one with different schematic and different board. That’s not supported by KiCad. In the future there may be design blocks which would probably help, but not in near future. Assembly variants could also help, and also board variants. These all are distant plans for KiCad which may or may not realize.
I didn’t draw the original schematics but I overlayed them to demonstrate it is confusing (it’s worse by overlaying different text), the options are substantially the same except for components, and I added the green to demonstrate the functional blocks (which I know has no place on a schematic diagram). It is very important to clearly communicate this is a low cost ($50) open source diy community project.
I have seen designs in other industries presented as overlays in pdf files. The user just turns on the parts (layers) they want and that becomes the design. Essentially one design but many versions. Is that sort of functionality possible? (Maybe tagging parts of the design with an attribute and displaying with a query.)
Soft-Power-MPPT - Click Block Diagram for code
There are a couple of similar feature requests. You could add your vote.
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