Updating PCB from Updated Schematic

Layout
1

I have updated my schematic and used the new netlist to update the PCB.
However, some of the old connections persist.
From reviewing a previous post, I have tried using “Delete Extra Footprints” (as well as NOT using this) and most of my problems go away.
However I am left with (in at least one case) connections which were established in the old version.
The netlist (as generated from the schematic) correctly shows only two connections. Yet the PCBNew picture shows the older ones as well.
Where am I going wrong??
- Matt

2

I solved my own problem!

In case it might help someone else -

  1. First, I saved a copy of my board to a junk file name.
  2. I re-loaded the netlist - telling it to “Re-build Rats Nest.”
    This was the critical element. I had been reluctant to use this feature before, not knowing what kind off trouble it might cause with a board that was 99% complete and OK.
  3. After I verified that all; as OK, I completed the layout and saved it under the original name.
2 Likes
3

Creating a Netlist, and loading that in Pcbnew was a thing from KiCad V4.
In KiCad V5 you can update the PCB from the schematic with:
Eeschema / Tools / Update PCB from Schematic
The options that work with the netlist interface asre mostly maintained to work with alternative workflows such as SKiDL.

Learn to make frequent backups.
I normally do that with my file manager, where I simply make a .zip file of the whole project directory, and attach a date in ISO8601 format:


I make such backups normally at least once each day I work on an important project (and save to external media) but also just before “possibly disastrous operations”. This gives a lot of piece of mind to do some experiments with a design. If your experiment does not work, then simply revert to the backup.
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Thanks very much for the hints, paulvdh.
I am new to KiCad, and Version 5 is the only one I’ve worked with.
It seems to have many great features - but I’m not always sure of what I’m doing, so frequent backups seems to be a good idea in general.
At any rate, my current problem is solved - and my board nearly complete.
Thanks again -
Matt

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