Open both schematic and PCB via the project manager.
Draw a nice (or an ugly) box around the capacitors on the schematic.
Right click on the PCB editor, and select Pack and Move Footprints [P] from the context menu.
Alternatively (my preferred method) Activate the PCB editor by hovering the mouse over it and then rotate the scroll wheel (one click or back and forth). This transfers focus to the PCB editor with minimal side effects (Can also be done with Keyboard shortcuts). And once the PCB editor has focus, press P to Pack and Move.
I’m coming from Orcad/PADS. While it’s certainly not easy/reliable, there’s a clumsy path to import both Orcad schematics and PADS layout into KiCad that involves a trip through EasyEDA. In case you didn’t know. I did most of my migrating the old-fashion way (pretty much redo it all manually) before I found out the path through EasyEDA.
Yup, I’ve tried it, it kinda works but it’s definitely a very roundabout way of doing it.
I also don’t like how it keeps easyeda symbols and fonts.
Also I’m wondering about the safety aspect of pushing company-made cards to the Chinese cloud.
Agreed. There’s a ton to clean up with lots of oddities, but it still would’ve save me many hours and days had I known about that path when I started with KiCad. I don’t think that path was available until somewhat recently though. I started with V6/V7 era. Most every EDA ‘translator’ I’ve ever used was far from ideal, if it yielded at all.
I used the ‘Pro Full Offline’ version. I just unplugged my internet and it launched and loaded designs I had previously translated just fine without any cloud connection. I don’t think it did anything cloud wise when I first imported my OrCad schematics and PADS layouts other than the registration process, but perhaps it grabbed my designs behind my back. If they did steal and use any of my stuff, It would more likely set someone back 10 yrs rather than advance them.
you can do a similar conversion (OrCAD/PADS) using Altium, i did it with a 1 week eval, no need to send proprietary designs around. Lot of clenup work is expected.
Good to know. Thanks. When I first started with Kicad, I hate to admit how much time I spent trying paths like EDIF files and the like that never yielded anything more than a halfway jumbled mess for me. I’m far enough down the KeyCad path now that I already have most of my legacy ‘meat’ in KiCad format now. I haven’t launched OrCad or PADS for months now, but that could change tomorrow if my boss asks me- “Remember that design you did 8 yrs ago?, well Marketing would like . . .”
Same. I’ve made some hilarious boo-boos. So good luck to anyone who wants to sort through those messes. I’m leaving them around so I can explain to my community the rakes I stood on and how to avoid them.
