KiCad 8 Released

[ataradov]

https://www.kicad.org/blog/2024/02/Version-8.0.0-Released/

Lots of good improvements.  A couple notable ones: properties panel now in the schematic editor, improved grid handling, power symbols now name the power rail from their value. No need to create a ton of power symbols anymore.

[Doctorandus_P]

And of course, if you want to install KiCad, take it directly from the KiCad website:

https://www.kicad.org/download/

I've seen vague sources being used in the past. The KiCad website. The KiCad website has also been spoofed at least twice. Once when they lost control over their old domain name, and more recently:

https://www.kicad.org/blog/2023/11/Malicious-Site-Warning/

And traditionally, for each new mayor KiCad version there is also a thread that announces new features at the moment they get inplemented in the nightly version. The new features for V8.0.0 are therefore listed in the Post V 7 thread. That topic has 41 posts, and thus (at least very close to) 41 new features in KiCad V8.0.0

https://forum.kicad.info/t/post-v7-new-features-and-development-news/

[SiliconWizard]

Yes, looks nice. Just being able to drag several footprints in the layout editor at once sounds good. But has anyone here tried it? The video to illustrate it on the web page actually only shows one footprint being dragged. Unless I can't see straight. Not a great illustration if you ask me.

Apart from that, I suppose, like every new major version, projects and libraries once modified in v8 won't be usable in v7. I know that's to be expected, but that's kind of a real problem for people who use KiCad professionally and have to collaborate with other teams/companies that may not upgrade at exactly the same time as you do. Not sure what we can do about it. Nothing?

[ataradov]

I have not needed multiple component dragging, but I just tried and it works as I would expect - select the components, press D, they are dragged with attached traces extended as needed.

Version update is an issue. The only thing you can do is ignore new elements when opening in the old versions, but this may break things and existing versions don't do that, so even in theory it would be only possible going forward.

[IanJ]

I tried multiple component dragging and it seemed to work, however:-

Multiple passives inc. multiple 8pin IC's dragged ok together.

Multiple passives and a 44-pin IC, the IC despite being selected didn't move. Tried the same on a completely different board with a 64-pin IC and got the same result.

Tried moving the 44-pin/64-pin devices on their own and they move just fine (so not locked etc).

I need to do more digging to find out why.

Ian.

[wilfred]

I saw this video on one guy's thoughts on Kicad8. It's pretty direct and short.
The channel is PsychogenicTechnologies and would probably interest some on the forum for sure. Not a big channel but looks like one to keep an eye on.

[bson]

KiCad 8 looks great!  Can't wait to give it a spin.

Uhm, he says he likes to focus on 'design', then shows one where it's just a tile of components connected with labels.  Like one step up from a spreadsheet.

[hpw]

https://www.kicad.org/blog/2024/02/Version-8.0.0-Released/

Lots of good improvements.  A couple notable ones: properties panel now in the schematic editor, improved grid handling, power symbols now name the power rail from their value. No need to create a ton of power symbols anymore.

As the Kicad milestone game continues, as bugs gets move to the next release 8.0.1.... so 8.0.0 to skip in any regards, IMHO 

look at 8.0.1 milestone https://gitlab.com/groups/kicad/-/milestones/35#tab-issues

[SiliconWizard]

https://www.kicad.org/blog/2024/02/Version-8.0.0-Released/

Lots of good improvements.  A couple notable ones: properties panel now in the schematic editor, improved grid handling, power symbols now name the power rail from their value. No need to create a ton of power symbols anymore.

As the Kicad milestone game continues, as bugs gets move to the next release 8.0.1.... so 8.0.0 to skip in any regards, IMHO 

look at 8.0.1 milestone https://gitlab.com/groups/kicad/-/milestones/35#tab-issues

Yes, as I said in another thread, I always wait up to 6 months before switching to a new version anyway.
Some of the bugs listed above look pretty "serious".

[nctnico]

If they keep this release pace, version 9 will be out in 6 months or so. 

[berke]

Custom net names for ground symbols is a nice addition.  This way one can use real ground symbols instead of a hierarchical label for ground:

Why would you need a hierarchical label for ground you may ask?  Say you have a single KiCAD project with four sub-boards using a backplane.  Each board has its own GND (and VCC, etc.)  The solution (using previous versions of KiCAD) is to use hierarchical sheets with a hierarchical pin for GND.  It looks like this:



But when you start your design you don't necessarily know that you will need to make everything hierarchical.  At some point you will have to manually replace each GND symbol with a hierarchical pin.

If I understand correctly, with the new KiCAD, you can just edit the label property of your GND symbols and connect it to a single hierarchical GND pin at one place in your sub-sheet.

[SiliconWizard]

Being able to change the name of power symbols is nice, but always keep in mind that power symbols are *global*.
So if you design hierachical schematics, it's often best to use hierarchical labels instead. Mixing global labels and hierarchical labels in sub-schematics can be extremely confusing. So, depends on your designs really.
Can be plenty fine if you just use hierarchical schematics as a "replacement" for multi-sheet (something I bet many do), but if any of your sub-schematics are meant to be reusable, using global labels is often a bad idea.
And one use case for which you need to be particularly careful is of course if one sub-schematic is meant to be galvanically isolated from the rest.

[John B]

Didn't even realise a new KiCad was out until I opened it today. Already out in the Fedora repo and got upgraded.

[berke]

Being able to change the name of power symbols is nice, but always keep in mind that power symbols are *global*.

Just installed KiCAD 8 (through flatpak), it is indeed a global label with no option for a local label.  It deserves a feature request IMHO.  I'd guess it wouldn't be much work.

So if you design hierachical schematics, it's often best to use hierarchical labels instead. Mixing global labels and hierarchical labels in sub-schematics can be extremely confusing. So, depends on your designs really.
Can be plenty fine if you just use hierarchical schematics as a "replacement" for multi-sheet (something I bet many do), but if any of your sub-schematics are meant to be reusable, using global labels is often a bad idea.

That's what I did last time but going from a regular schematic to a hierarchical one was quite painful.  I had to make sure there weren't any global labels left.

The scope of local labels is restricted to the sheet, so they can be used in hierarchical designs.

[eTobey]

There wasnt much improvement from 5 to 7, so I would wait at least to Version 9.0 or that my big project has been finished. Whatever is later.

I made a wishlist, what do you think about it?:
- A 3D transparent View!
- Let fills combine, that have different settings
- Overwrite properties like thermal gap for the whole footprint, or even multiple differen footprints
- Stop changing GUI symbols over and over again
- Change properties of many symbols/footprints if they are common (dont populate, width of graphic elements, properties of multiple pads, etc)
- Net tie on inner layers
- Draw grid on top! Its hidden when more layers are activated. Which makes it almost useless.
- When changing a net, and opening the dropdown list, have the old entry selected, so you dont have to scroll, when changing from GND1 to GND2.
- clearance properties for a track
- catch mouse pointer on pick point (corners) with more range (without really clicking on it)
- circle as track! There is an option to make a track out of a circle, but it does not work.
- Easy change of layer, of every element, even if in groups or selecetions of many kinds. (If different layers, ignore, and set to new layer)
- When selecting lines in the schematic, highlight them in the PCB editor
- When footprint created, make it available in symboleditor!
- make filter in footprint library browser find a certain footprint. Cant find a footprint without selecting its parent folder!
- Grouping of smybols in schematics
- Make it more visible if in group (PCB editor)
- Routing of multiple tracks at once
- Mirroring of more than one footprint. Also on a group.
- When minimizing and maximising the schematic editor, let it maximize in the previous position.
- ratsnest line between different layers should start from via, and not from the nearest point of the "wrong" layer, as the via would be the point we trace from.
- When placing via is active, show before placing, if it could be placed at the place where the mouse points to
- show footprint that is selected with arrow keys in the browser
- option to have certain symbols not beeing "annotation reset"
- when adding net labels, they should be the same in pcb editor.
- select multiple track elements with just selecting start and end.
- Make kicad use less RAM (2.4GB is too much)
- Inductance calculation in calculator, or on PCB
- If selecting multiple track traces, show its length!
- When starting kicad after it crashed, recreate the last session from autosaved or backed up files.
- make a via with no net, accept any track that will be routet to it!
- Footprint assignment: make other properties possible to show. Sort by capacitance or other properties.
- mark nets as critical, with visual identification on schematic and pcb
- make clearance violation visible what is actually overlapping
- Automatic deletion of parts, that are deleted in schematic
- Remove tha flash, when errors happen. Make a little popup that slides in instead.
- Show number of existing global labels, or show connections to others. Or show little views, that show the others, and their surroundings.
- Delete multiple errors at once in DRC / Delete multiple errors/warning for a certain footprint
- Group error warning by type/sheet/...
- Make a button to fold all warnings
- Make it impossible to assign an element a reference that is already given to another element.
- Circular fills/Rule area
- When all layers are activated (visible/bright) dont select just the element (grapihcs), that is underneath the clicked one (trace front).
- When trying to to drag a trace/grapic/arc on the edge, it drags the whole thing if you dont hit it perfectly.
- Fix bugs.
- Select elements when clicking on actual graphic element, and not just some invisible selection boxes. (Trying to select text over a footprint is nearly impossible) - Selection filter might be good enough.
- In 3D View, show lines from reference to the element (just like in PCB editor, but show them all at once - make an option for this)
- When double click on hierarical sheet to go into it, dont mark and zoom in PCB editor.
- When dragging with d a via or tracks, do not display silkscreen or any other non important stuff

[berke]

There wasnt much improvement from 5 to 7, so I would wait at least to Version 9.0 or that my big project has been finished. Whatever is later.

I made a wishlist, what do you think about it?:
- A 3D transparent View!
- Let fills combine, that have different settings
- Overwrite properties like thermal gap for the whole footprint, or even multiple differen footprints
...

Good suggestions overall but

- Make it impossible to assign an element a reference that is already given to another element.

I disagree, it should be possible but it can display a warning (without having to run ERC), maybe I'm in the middle of fixing references manually, I don't want KiCAD to keep me from doing that, and I don't want to have to use dummy numbers.

Also

- Overwrite properties like thermal gap for the whole footprint, or even multiple differen footprints

Can't you already do that?  Select the footprint press E and then go to the "Clearange overrides and settings" tab.

[Warhawk]

Thank you Autodesk for buying Eagle (and killing it). This is what KiCad needed. From a tool with crazy English and no vias stitching to a tool that does 95% of things i need in any kind of reasonable operating system.

[SiliconWizard]

Being able to change the name of power symbols is nice, but always keep in mind that power symbols are *global*.

Just installed KiCAD 8 (through flatpak), it is indeed a global label with no option for a local label.  It deserves a feature request IMHO.  I'd guess it wouldn't be much work.

So if you design hierachical schematics, it's often best to use hierarchical labels instead. Mixing global labels and hierarchical labels in sub-schematics can be extremely confusing. So, depends on your designs really.
Can be plenty fine if you just use hierarchical schematics as a "replacement" for multi-sheet (something I bet many do), but if any of your sub-schematics are meant to be reusable, using global labels is often a bad idea.

That's what I did last time but going from a regular schematic to a hierarchical one was quite painful.  I had to make sure there weren't any global labels left.

The scope of local labels is restricted to the sheet, so they can be used in hierarchical designs.

Yes, be very careful about your labels when doing hierarchical designs.
Yes, local labels are local as the name implies. Local to the sheet. The annoyance with local labels is that they were probably designed, at least initially, only to be placed above wires, and not at the end of wires like global labels. I do sometimes put local labels at the end of wires for the same purpose, but they look odd, and you can't indicate the direction.

And yes, those power symbols add to the confusion, as they are only global.

I think a more consistent way of showing local or global labels should be used. Including power symbols, which have "implicit" global labels.

[hallkbrdz]

I'd just like an easy way to import a downloaded symbol, footprint, 3d model. Select a zip file, have it look for all three types, ask what category this belongs in, and then pop into the 3d alignment dialog to correct any issues (if a 3d model exists). A one step organized process would sure beat the current shortcomings.

[dmills]

Thank you Autodesk for buying Eagle (and killing it). This is what KiCad needed. From a tool with crazy English and no vias stitching to a tool that does 95% of things i need in any kind of reasonable operating system.

Not used it in years, but I am pretty sure I remember doing via stitching in Eagle, may have been via a script or something it was a lot of years ago.
Not saying eagle was not a pile of dingoes kidneys mind, 'Easily Applicable' Ha!

[dmills]

Yes, be very careful about your labels when doing hierarchical designs.

Particularly the global ground thing is annoying when copying a sheet that has an internal floating 'agnd' that may be hundreds of volts away from the one on another copy of the sheet, because you cannot easily rename just one of them... Very Sweary.

Ideally I would like to be able to toggle that on a per instance basis.

[berke]

Ideally I would like to be able to toggle that on a per instance basis.

So do we agree that everyone will be happy if in the properties window they add a tickbox so that the net label is local to the sheet when it's checked, global otherwise?

[SiliconWizard]

Ideally I would like to be able to toggle that on a per instance basis.

So do we agree that everyone will be happy if in the properties window they add a tickbox so that the net label is local to the sheet when it's checked, global otherwise?

As long as there's enough visual cue on the labels.
As I said, there is, as it is, with local vs. global labels, but local ones are clearly meant to be placed over wires, which is limiting. Not sure how to represent them. The difference between hierachical labels and global labels is clear, so they just need to find a 3rd way of representing local labels, but similarly, connected to end of wires, and with a direction.
Not saying to get rid of current local labels, which have their use too and could be renamed "wire labels", or something.

[nctnico]

Having a hidden property is not the way to go as this results in an unmaintainable mess.

Just look at how Altium & Orcad solve this: in a flat schematic, power supplies and ports represent global nets. In a hierarchical schematic, sub-schematics are represented as a symbol and the exposed ports link to global nets in the root schematic.

[Doctorandus_P]

Ideally I would like to be able to toggle that on a per instance basis.

So do we agree that everyone will be happy if in the properties window they add a tickbox so that the net label is local to the sheet when it's checked, global otherwise?

Nope. don't agree at all. I'm with nctnico on this topic. If local power symbols get introduced they must be visually different to avoid ambiguity. And not only on the monitor, but also on printouts on paper and PDF export, etc.

... Although, I could imagine that if you change some local/global checkbox in a power symbol, that it then also changes the graphical representation of such a symbol. Maybe a bit like Net Class Directive Labels which can now have 4 different shapes (Dot, Circle, Diamond, Rectangle).

[PinheadBE]

I'd just like an easy way to import a downloaded symbol, footprint, 3d model. Select a zip file, have it look for all three types, ask what category this belongs in, and then pop into the 3d alignment dialog to correct any issues (if a 3d model exists). A one step organized process would sure beat the current shortcomings.

I used DesignSpark for several years, and the way they manage their symbol and footprints works that way.

I do not understand why it remains so difficult in KiCad, and why someone has not yet written an add-on to do just that..... 

All in all, my opinion is that KiCad is far superior to DesignSpark, except for two aspects:

• The way the libraries are handled
• When you move a symbol in schematics or a component on the PCB, the wires/tracks do not follow correctly

Version 9 maybe