Updating PCB after changes made to schematics

Software
#1

I have a project where I updated wiring between a number of components. However 95% of the wiring remains unchanged. Now I’d like to update my PCB to reflect the changes. Is there an easy way to do it? Or rather, auto-update my PCB after I made changes to the schematics?

Thanks always

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#2

Generate another netlist in the schematic editor and then in PCB editor re-read the netlist again. That should do it.

Andy

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#3

If you changed or deleted parts in you schematic, please select Delete at Extra footprints when updating the netlist.

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#4

And more generally…check everything :slight_smile: That’s just hours spent over my bench, tearing my hair out talking though!

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#5

Wow all three comments were extremely helpful. 1st, I created a new netlist and re-read from PCBNew. At first I did not check off Delete at Extra footprints. And ended up with some old foot prints. Then while manually checking, I realized I assigned the wrong footprint to one of the components.

Thank you very much everyone :slight_smile:

#6

I agree with Oboema. If You Changed Parts in your Schematic, Select Delete at Extra Footprints.

#7

I have the same sort of question and have tried the suggested steps to no avail. I want to change pin headers to molex connectors after laying out the PCB - amount of pins and placements will stay the same. I went back to cvpcb and made the changes then generated a new netlist, then went back to pcbnew and read the netlist but no changes seem to occur!? Any advice would be great. Thanks.

#8

Apologies, just solved my own question (typical!). Select ‘change’ under exchange footprint when reading current netlist in pcbnew.

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#9

No apology needed - you get bonus points for researching, and answering your own question rather than waiting for somebody to rescue you! Stating the solution reinforces your own understanding and guides others who may stumble upon this topic in the future.

There is a lot of flexibility in the “Import Netlist” dialog. Not just the “Change” versus “Keep” option, but also “Import by Timestamp” versus “Import by Reference”. The “Dry Run” mode is great for those of us who aren’t quite sure we have our feces amalgamated as the cursor hovers over “Read Netlist”. Search this Forum for more discussion about this dialog.

Dale

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#10

I haven’t seen this behaviour before: I made two wrong connections that would connect two pins of the same IC (an atmega). This connection was done by label names. I changed the label names back to the correct names, updated netlist, rebuild connections, and the connection is still there, reflected on the pcbNew. Has anyone been through that?

Ok. Sorry for reviving the topic, plus the problem was caused by stupidity: I was saving the netlist with another name.
Every time I design circuits, is after some weeks of intense work. Perhaps it could help someone with the same “situation” in the future.