Electronics > KiCad

Find out all paths between two nets

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max.wwwang:
Again as a new user, starting from 7.0, I'm learning this amazing free tool by using it --- though not by designing a circuit, but rather as a tool in reverse engineering a circuit in a repair project.

A need now arises in this project of mine --- I want to find out the dependency of one signal on another one (obviously both are nets), which is not very straightforward. So is there a way in KiCad to list, draw, or highlight, all the paths that exist in the schematics between two given nets?

In a (relatively) complex circuit, with multiple sheets as well as many connections with nets names without wires across multiple sheets, this function would be handy in analysing a circuit and troubleshooting.

From an algorithmic or mathematical perspective, this is not difficult at all given all the existing topological information between the components (pins) --- particularly if the input/output properties of the pins are assigned (I might be wrong). But I wonder if this function has been realised.

Thanks.

Doctorandus_P:

--- Quote from: max.wwwang on February 26, 2023, 01:24:40 am --- So is there a way in KiCad to list, draw, or highlight, all the paths that exist in the schematics between two given nets?

--- End quote ---

I think there is a misunderstanding here, and this makes it a bit confusing what you want.
A "Net" is the list of connections between pins. Everything connected by copper (on the PCB) is a single net. That means there is never a connection between "two given nets". That would be an DRC violation.

That said (written),
I guess what you want is the highlight function. Just hover over a pin or a wire and then hit the backtick key.
This highlighting works across multiple schematic files in a hierarchy. It also works both on the schematic and PCB simultaneously. If you highlight track segment on the PCB, then the corresponding net in the schematic is also highlighted.

Also note that this function is persistent. You can keep a net highlighted while modifying the schematic or PCB. To "undo" the highlighting, just depress the backtick key when the mouse cursor is in an empty area.

hpw:

>> Just hover over a pin or a wire and then hit the backtick key.

Well, as this SW is given / configured for an English keypad :palm: many hotkey combinations has to be altered as for Swiss German / German keypad layout completely.

Also strange why curved / edged traces results in partial parts. So a simple trace selection between / within pin's & via's would be nice to have or I am missing something.

Doctorandus_P:

--- Quote from: hpw on March 01, 2023, 01:00:55 pm ---Well, as this SW is given / configured for an English keypad :palm: many hotkey combinations has to be altered as for Swiss German / German keypad layout completely.

--- End quote ---

It's not fair to blame KiCad for that. KiCad has many more possibilities for Hotkeys (I guess around 600) then there are keys on a keyboard, and a lot of them do not even have a key assigned because of this.
You can configure them in Preferences / Preferences / Hotkeys There is also an option to Import Hotkeys I don't see an option to export them. There is a user.hotkeys file in KiCad's configuration directory, and it's an easy to understand and modify text format.

SiliconWizard:
What do you want to do exactly?
I guess you want to determine all paths between any two nodes of the graph that makes up a schematic?

This will give you an idea of the underlying problem: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9535819/find-all-paths-between-two-graph-nodes

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