Why won't traces connect to through-hole components?

I’m following the “Getting started in KiCAD” tutorial. I made the switch on the right (SW1), but the tracks won’t connect to the switch’s through hole pads. I think it has something to do with BT1 and SW1 being on different layers, but this didn’t seem to be an issue in the tutorial. Do I need to select some option to put the pads on a different layer?

BT1’s pads are on the bottom layer (B.Cu / blue), but SW1’s pads are through-hole and should be on all layers.

Are you routing from the battery towards the switch? Or from the switch towards the battery?

If you’re routing from the switch towards the battery, you’ll need to start with the B.Cu (blue) layer selected in the layers tab on the right. Otherwise KiCad will start you routing on a different layer, and you won’t be able to connect to the battery pads or your partially completed traces which are on the bottom layer only.

If you’re routing from the battery to the switch, KiCad should start you routing on the bottom layer (switching layers if necessary) because the battery pads are only on the bottom layer. From the bottom layer you should be able to connect to the switch.

If none of that helps you, can you attach a zipped copy of your project? All files: project, schematic, layout.

Edit: I forgot that the guide has you make your own switch footprint. It’s worth checking my assumption that the through hole pads are on all layers. Can you double click on one of the switch pads (or select the pad and press E) and verify that the copper layers setting is “all copper layers”?
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I see ratsnest lines, so KiCad wants to connect them, which means the schematic and netlist is OK, and the links between the schematic symbols and footprints also work.

SW1 and R1 are both THT parts, so it should not matter on which layer you’re drawing tracks, as long as it’s a copper layer.

I can not see what’s going on from a screenshot.
Ideally you’ll zip and upload your project and I (or somebody else here) shall have a look at it.

Unfortunately this forum does not let you upload files, unless you’ve gained some “experience” and proven you’re not a spam bot. You’ll have gain some “experience”, I think it’s half an hour or so of viewing time.

What’s strange is that after I deleted the traces and tried again, it connected properly. I tried it in both directions and starting the F layer selected and again with the B layer selected.
Strange that it would behave differently after following identical steps.

Hm. That’s strange, but glad it’s working now. Possibly the connectivity needed a little kick to get updated after you added the switch / deleted the trace between the battery and the resistor, but as Paul pointed out the ratsnest lines are right, so I’m not sure…

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