[Solved] How to draw a special "vintage" symbol?

This is the symbol I would like to create.
I’m wondering how to do it since I found that the available instruments are very small.

I thought to make it in SVG and import it, but it seems that the symbol editor doesn’t manage it.

Any hint please?

Use the “Switch” library and choose “SW_Rotary12” as template. Extend it to 15 positions.

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Thank you so much :ok_hand:

I was wondering if you wanted a schematic symbol with or without the included resistors…

But anyway you make it, make it as symmetrical as you can, so you only have to draw 1/4 of the thing and make good use of mirroring in x and Y axis. Temporarily draw a circle as a guide, or calculate a table with coordinates.

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I also played a bit around with KiCad’s image converter. It can directly convert an image to a schematic symbol, and the result looks plausible, but you would still have to add pins and such.

rotaswitch.kicad_sym (450.5 KB)

A long time ago I also wrote a python script once to generate a library of schematic symbols for connectors with different number of pins, and it was not very difficult. But in the mean time KiCad’s library format changed completely. Doing something like this easily takes a day out of your life.

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Hi all

thank you for your hint

With your guide, I was able to make this … so that when a resistor is added, it can be placed directly on the terminals. The pin 1: it has also an arrow, but it’s underneath the square. there is no way to bring the square 1 level below or the arrow 1 level up. And it doesn’t matter what I draw first. the square is always above the arrow.

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Please here once it is assigned to a schematic.

thank you so much to all of you

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You’ve got 10 10k resistors and terminate on pin 17 - the original had 9 and terminates on pin 16. This may be your intention but I just thought I’d point out it’s not exactly the same as the original design.

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Right, thank you for the correction. Although the resistors are not into the symbol, it’s better to correct the schematics indeed :blush:

I’m busy now to draw al the other switches.

It takes a while

If you’re lazy:

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Sure :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:however check the schematics by Heathkit from where I took (and want) that switch :slight_smile:

Note, being not able to set the graphical elements on different levels, I worked around by adding center points and moving them. So I was able to make the arrow visible.

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I explain myself better:

I got the schematics form HeathKit and it’s in bad conditions.
I’m trying to replicate it in a way that’s more readable and then study what the switches are doing (there are multiple sections connoted in different way, and only at that point: to introduce new symbols.
It’s a good exercise to use KiCAD with its symbols manager and to face out the limitations it has (for such purpose I mean), and to workaround and ogo ahead.

For instance:

  • Pins are not orientable on all degrees: only 0-90-180-275.No options to orient them in 1° step
  • Graphical elements are not switchable in layers. So that what is underneath, can’t be switched to be to upper level (so a graphical element can hide another one, no way to overcome this)

Hence: works around

Are there wishlist items created for those two limitations?
At least we could upvote them, in case they already exist…

I could see a challenge in keeping on a 50 mil grid at the same time as positioning the pins on a circle and in arbitrary angles (not limited to hor/vert)…

I think you can change the rotation angle in the settings? But I’m not sure this is a good idea. Might easily result in off-grid effects.

This is Support customizable Z order within a layer with GAL (#11934) · Issues · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab

I have not clue I have to check if possible

For the FR: I wee that " Jeff Young marked this issue as related to #14550 (closed) 1 month ago" not clue if dropped or ignored, or accepted for the version 8.0

I see one RF was opened about the Z order as linked by @Jonathan_Haas … the issue was closed as it’s stated here " Jeff Young marked this issue as related to #14550 (closed) 1 month ago" but I have not clue if it’s accepted.

For the orientation: the circle of the pin should be into the greed of course. I’m speaking about the stam

The issue #11934 linked by Jonathan_Haas is still open, only the three duplicates were closed.
Perhaps there is still a slight chance it will make it into 8.0…?

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Looks like the v8.0 milestone was removed from #11934 a few months back, so probably not coming for v8.

You’re right. I didn’t read properly and missed that the milestone 8.0 was not only set but also removed…