This may seem cumbersome, but it's actually quite nice because it makes it easy to have multiple layouts for the same schematic in one project.
You need to assign footprints, then generate a netlist. The netlist is imported into the layout editor.
This may seem cumbersome, but it's actually quite nice because it makes it easy to have multiple layouts for the same schematic in one project.
I actually prefer this work flow, where I can focus on getting the circuit designed first, then work out the details required to decide on the footprints, such as power ratings of components, voltage ratings for capacitors etc etc.
They aren't even separate anymore, though. That went away with the _last_ release - they sit in the same process now, so they can easily pass each other data. They just... don't.
I actually prefer this work flow, where I can focus on getting the circuit designed first, then work out the details required to decide on the footprints, such as power ratings of components, voltage ratings for capacitors etc etc.This is a very error prone and cumbersome workflow. The CAD package I'm using has a database which connects a symbol, footprint, part numbers, etc together. Creating a new part in the database is a one time job. When I draw a schematic I pick components from that database so I know the footprint is right, the part numbers are right. Generating a bill of materials is just a matter of one click. It would be really nice if Kicad (eventually) has something similar.
I actually prefer this work flow, where I can focus on getting the circuit designed first, then work out the details required to decide on the footprints, such as power ratings of components, voltage ratings for capacitors etc etc.This is a very error prone and cumbersome workflow. The CAD package I'm using has a database which connects a symbol, footprint, part numbers, etc together. Creating a new part in the database is a one time job. When I draw a schematic I pick components from that database so I know the footprint is right, the part numbers are right.
Generating a bill of materials is just a matter of one click. It would be really nice if Kicad (eventually) has something similar.
Last time I tried Kicad I completed the schematic, switched to the layout editor and got an empty screen. This is where I went back to Eagle. Is this still the case? I would like eventually to switch to Kicad.
I actually prefer this work flow, where I can focus on getting the circuit designed first, then work out the details required to decide on the footprints, such as power ratings of components, voltage ratings for capacitors etc etc.This is a very error prone and cumbersome workflow. The CAD package I'm using has a database which connects a symbol, footprint, part numbers, etc together. Creating a new part in the database is a one time job. When I draw a schematic I pick components from that database so I know the footprint is right, the part numbers are right. Generating a bill of materials is just a matter of one click. It would be really nice if Kicad (eventually) has something similar.Everybody I have ever seen has been sufficiently pessimistic to have a different database/library for each design, and to copy everything relevant into that "design local" database. Makes it easier to archive and hand over the design, and avoids the problems of subsequent changes to a component affecting previous designs.
I actually prefer this work flow, where I can focus on getting the circuit designed first, then work out the details required to decide on the footprints, such as power ratings of components, voltage ratings for capacitors etc etc.This is a very error prone and cumbersome workflow. The CAD package I'm using has a database which connects a symbol, footprint, part numbers, etc together. Creating a new part in the database is a one time job. When I draw a schematic I pick components from that database so I know the footprint is right, the part numbers are right. Generating a bill of materials is just a matter of one click. It would be really nice if Kicad (eventually) has something similar.
Kicad for quite a long time has allowed you to embed a footprint reference into your schematic library symbols. No need for the error-prone CvPCB process. All of the symbols in my schematic libraries have footprints set in this manner.
Yes, the schematic libraries are separate from the footprint libraries. While the devs could possibly cook up something like Altium's integrated libraries, I am not sure that there's a benefit to doing so.
I disagree, I find the create the component once work flow cumbersome and unwieldy, so there you are deciding what component you will use, and then you also have to finalise power rating, package etc?
so you guess you need a 1/4 Watt resistor, sketch up the schematic, do the sums and then decide a 5W fits the bill?
or you have to decide on one package, then get to thinking about PCB layout and decide another package would work better?
i find I get more errors and end up stuffing about way more, If I have to decide on component and footprint at the schematic stage, so I do have to strongly disagree
KiCad definitely supports both workflows - I use Bassman59's workflow. I just didn't comment on that because I know it always turns into a flamewar
a component consists of a symbol, footprint and several other fields (properties if you like).
I actually prefer this work flow, where I can focus on getting the circuit designed first, then work out the details required to decide on the footprints, such as power ratings of components, voltage ratings for capacitors etc etc.This is a very error prone and cumbersome workflow. The CAD package I'm using has a database which connects a symbol, footprint, part numbers, etc together. Creating a new part in the database is a one time job. When I draw a schematic I pick components from that database so I know the footprint is right, the part numbers are right. Generating a bill of materials is just a matter of one click. It would be really nice if Kicad (eventually) has something similar.I disagree, I find the create the component once work flow cumbersome and unwieldy, so there you are deciding what component you will use, and then you also have to finalise power rating, package etc?
so you guess you need a 1/4 Watt resistor, sketch up the schematic, do the sums and then decide a 5W fits the bill?
KiCad definitely supports both workflows - I use Bassman59's workflow. I just didn't comment on that because I know it always turns into a flamewar
Probably a wise decision. Judging by this post of bassman59
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/microcontrollers/beginner-fpga-dev-board/msg811642/#msg811642
he does appear to have a tendency of knowing The Single True WayTM of doing things.
a component consists of a symbol, footprint and several other fields (properties if you like).Actually, in many cases there's multiple footprints. Not only this, but the different footprints (e.g. soic vs ssop) have different pinouts and pin counts. While you can pick one up front during the capture ideally you want to wait to the layout phase to determine which package makes most sense. At least where you don't have a hard need or requirement for one or the other.
But here's the thing: LM317 in a TO-220 has a different manufacturer part number from LM317 in SOT-223. So, thinking about how you'd change from the TO-220 to the SOT-223, isn't it easier to have both LM317T and LM317EMP in your library? Each component in the library knows the correct footprint AND has a part number that the purchasing people can use to buy the correct parts. Changing from one to the other, at the design level, is a simple matter of deleting the LM317T from the schematic and replacing it with LM317EMP.
You really want the freedom to pick one or the other during layout, because you won't know until then if there's any benefit to using the soic over the ssop. Without context switching to the schematic. No tool handles this adequately, but KiCAD and its manual netlist management at least permits multiple exploratory layouts: I can run two copies of pcbnew on Linux side by side, making two exploratory layouts in parallel,
You really want the freedom to pick one or the other during layout, because you won't know until then if there's any benefit to using the soic over the ssop. Without context switching to the schematic. No tool handles this adequately, but KiCAD and its manual netlist management at least permits multiple exploratory layouts: I can run two copies of pcbnew on Linux side by side, making two exploratory layouts in parallel,But apparently (at least as far as I can tell from the comments in this thread) everyone else decides on the final board layout, BOM, and component choice, before they even design the circuit