I am a new user to PCB libraries.

I have created a Footprint (FP) for a 24 pin SOIC (pls ref to image in file)

using PCB libraries and included this in KICad Pcbnew.

The a.m. FP (U9, U15, u16, U17, U18 and U20) is used 6 times in the Pcbnew.

When running KiCAD Pcbnew DRC, the DRC reports the following information (pls refre to error message in file):

It seems that the KiCad is having problem with the "Cross-hair" in the middle of the FP (see red markers) and somehow also reports that the courtyard is "incorrect" and that it does not have a "closed shape".

My question(s): 

1. Is there a way to remove the "cross-hair" placed by PCB Libraries while creating the FP?

2. Is the error message "incorrect courtyard" related to the "cross-hair" issue? 

How can one overcome these problems.

Looking forward to your advice.

Thanks and besr regards

anfaenger 

 

 

   

Thanks for your prompt response.

Let me give you a brief feedback about my experience as follows:

I tried the 1st of the two options you proposed and have placed both (vertical and horizontal) cross-hair on the "dwgs.User" layer in KiCad Pcbnew.

Running Pcbnew DRC again doesn't show any courtyard errors anymore.

So, thank you so much for your valuable suggestion, I believe that the problem is solved now. 

However, I also tried to follow the 2nd way i.e.  

"Turn off the cross-hair in Preferences > Drafting > Courtyard > Include Origin Crosshair (uncheck the button) 

you proposed.  Unfortunately I didn't find "Preferences > Drafting" in Pcbnew and so I couldn't follow the path any further. May be it is an issue of Kicad version. I am currently using 

KiCad version (5.5.5) -3.

Which Kicad version is it where the path mentioned in your option 2 is feasible?

If it is not asking for too much, would you care to share this with me please?

Thanks once again for your help and best regards

anfaenger

Hi Tom H,

After the user has completed the circuit design in "Eeschema" (the circuit design module in KiCad), assigned the foorprints to all components used in the circuit and created a Netlist one can proceed to Pcbnew.

Pcbnew is a module for "placement and routing" of circuit components. The necessary information is loaded through the "Netlist" created in "Eeschema". The user can design 2, 4, 6, ..up to 16 (?) layer PCB using Pcbnew.

The final outcome of Pcbnew is a set of gerber files which one can send to PCB manufacturing vendor to get the finished PCBs.

I am afraid, this is an extremely brief decription of a very sophisticated but a very useful tool with a multitude of features. 

Best regards

anfaenger

LE Pro is the Free Version.