EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Electronics => PCB/EDA/CAD => KiCad => Topic started by: NivagSwerdna on March 31, 2020, 01:17:59 pm
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Hi,
I'm Doing the Unthinkable (DTU) and trying KiCad for a design whilst in lock down (previously a DipTrace fan-boy)...
If it's OK I will post features that I miss along the way and hopefully I will be told that they are in KiCad and it's just I haven't found them yet....
#1 Alignment on Schematic
Is it possible to select a number of components and align them (horizontal or vertical alignment) left, centre, right? And even better to be able to distribute them (vertically or horizontally)?
Thanks in advance
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No not possible. You can check the bugtracker (gitlab) if this is already requested. If it is you can upvote the request or also add your comment if you feel the report is missing detail. If there is no request than make one but remember you need to sell you idea to the devs
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One thing I do like about KiCad is the files are pretty readable.... so I could script a few of the bulk changes... it's a workaround.... not nice but a workaround.
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I know there is an align/distribute feature in Kicad. I don't use it much, though. Is it different from what you expected? How did you install Kicad?
Actually, text-editing kicad files is a thing. I have done it, and you can save a lot of work, using a good text editor with regex search.
Please always keep safe a version which has not been edited via text-editor.
You'll be interested in regexr.com, where you can test and learn using regex to make clever edits.
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Well OP asked about a similar feature on the schematic side ....
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This seems an age ago but in the end I use python to tweak the locations.
It was also pointed out there is a plugin which might be helpful...
https://github.com/MitjaNemec/Kicad_action_plugins#place-footprints
My thread about it is here... https://forum.kicad.info/t/python-parser-for-kicad-pcb/22198
I finished that board and have done quite a few since... and I'm still using KiCad and starting to build up quite a collection of symbols and footprints.
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Well OP asked about a similar feature on the schematic side ....
my bad :palm:
I finished that board and have done quite a few since... and I'm still using KiCad and starting to build up quite a collection of symbols and footprints.
I'm glad! Kicad is lovely, and I think that every additional user of Kicad does good to the world in a way.