I always run pcbnew with the F/B fab layers disabled because… reasons (I always had to turn it off, never had need for it and)
But doing so result in an occasional popup warning when I Ctrl C/ Ctrl V something… which is almost as bad as having the fab layers.
Besides not not using fab layers. Is there a way to turn it off?
Bas
Raising attention here. I was about to open a new threat when I found this one again.
How do I get rid of it?
Bas
Maybe it reacts to your newly created threat?
Kidding aside, I don’t think it can be turned off. If you don’t want items in some layer you should copy the footprint to a personal library and edit it before using.
Or learn to use the fab layer for your advantage. If can be used as assembly guide and map and for reviewing and inspecting the correctness of components in the layout. I always meticulously review and edit that layer of a footprint before accepting that footprint to a library. It must have the component outline and clear pin 1 marking. I also move all refdes and values to places where they can be easily read and seen as connected to their components as one of the last steps of finalizing a layout. I don’t feel this time is wasted.
Actually, I do not understand why KiCad handles the fab layers in this way.
I just did a simple test:
Result is that it does show the graphics on the fab layer again. I have seen this warning pop up too (maybe a year or so ago) but did not give much thought to it. It would be very simple for KiCad to just paste those graphics onto the “disabled” layers.
I had the assumption that “disabling” layers only resulted in those layer not being shown anymore in the appearance manager, Print / gerber output DRC and such, but that at least the standard layers (not extra copper layers) would still be present in the design.
At the moment it is a bit in between. My test shows it does retain graphics on the fab layers, and KiCad complaining about this during paste seems a bit silly to me. Sure, if yo like the fab layers, then by all means use them, but if you don’t care about them, KiCad should not complain about them either.
Maybe this is just an oversight: the dialog is triggered rarely and hasn’t drawn attention. The message could be moved to the info bar where it warns the user but doesn’t require action. I agree that there’s no real issue behind this warning and the dialog can be annoying.
The point I was trying to make, is why give a message at all? The Fab layers are still part of the PCB, even when disabled, so why not just paste the graphics onto those disabled layers?
KiCad also does not complain if you put library footprints on the PCB with a disabled fab layer. (Yes, I just tested this).
Also, at the moment you disabled the fab layers and click on [OK], KiCad also complains, but this time about “inacessible” (which is also an indication the layers themselves are retained). And enabling them shows the fab layer info of the just placed footprints.
So I’d say it’s a bug and should be reported either one way or the other. (Complain always or never).
Yeah no. I honestly see no point in using it myself. If I need to add extra information I use the user drawings and/or silk layers. That only shows what I want it to show. I use it to draw lines and circles for things like tactiles and such. The fab layers just displays everything I don’t need to see… even resistor values. If I want to see resistor values I put them in the Silk layers (for THT designs it is easy soldering). So far I have find it really obfuscating, I always turn it off as soon as new board designs is born.
And for component inspecting and assembly guide I just use the silk layers and ofcourse the 3D model preview. I also often draw extra things in silk (mostly so people know what to connect where)
In silk al my resistors, diodes, IC orientation (sometimes IC names as well) and what not is there. I really hate soldering and having to look at my monitor to see what goes were
But about the popup itself. Now I think of it, I really hate all popups carrying warnings or errors. I use dropbox since not too long ago between 2 PCs. And now I get continous popups that my schematic or board is already open on either this or the other PC.
Than Kicad crashes again because well kicad crashes alot fot some reason like plugins or something. And I have to click away. the same popup… again.
And once I had a path pointing to a test library which no longer existed → Another popups. Thankfully a fixable one…
If I could throw in one feauture request in my life, either completely delete/kill/destroy all popup windows with warnings or errors (unless the error is like… actually important) or at the very least gain the ability to check or uncheck them in some menu. Popups are the devil 
, they must die.
Regards 
Bas
unless the error is like… actually important
And the question is: who decides this? I find the “items on unavailable layer” popup useful - it shows me that there is possibly something missing after inserting the symbol. And normally the footprint designer (mostly: I or my colleagues) had some intention in drawing items in the footprint editor. But admittedly I get this popup only seldom, so for me the annoyance is not that big.
My solution in your case would be:
two disadvantages compared to your solution (disabled in board stackup):
In my plan B the users can decides them selfes for what they want or dont want popups. I would let the defaults be what it is now (all enabled) so we don’t get a new thread of some guy who complains that a certain popup is not appearing when it should 
or at the very least gain the ability to check or uncheck them in some menu.
I think I may turn the fab layer on, but only because I got plagued by an other bug. I once had that issue where a specific layers wasn’t showed when it should and vice versa. That is a known bug.
Once I managed to get the fab layer to appear and I wasn’t able to turn it of. So I had to go back to board settings to enable the layer so I could turn it off again 
y bugs can be funny sometimes.
Bas
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