KiCad - How to Physically Layout Components

[clickclack123]

I had a bit of a go with KiCad over the weekend...

Anyway, I think I'm ok with designing a schematic and assigning footprints, etc.

It's just the physical location of the switches. I want to line them up exactly with a plate that I've designed in Draftsight (dwg file).

Is there any way I can import the dwg to line the switches up exactly? How does one do that (ie like the ErgoDox).

[skrsh3r]

Start by placing top left switch at Y 0, X 0 then you just measure distance between switches, for 1x keys it's 0.75 inches and when you want to place a switch just hit E over module that you want to place and enter enter coordinates, let's say you want to place next switch in same row and you have first switch placed at Y 0, X 0 you just add 0.75 inches to X and you get a position for your next switch that's how i do it at last, i hope that was helpful.

[clickclack123]

Start by placing top left switch at Y 0, X 0 then you just measure distance between switches, for 1x keys it's 0.75 inches and when you want to place a switch just hit E over module that you want to place and enter enter coordinates, let's say you want to place next switch in same row and you have first switch placed at Y 0, X 0 you just add 0.75 inches to X and you get a position for your next switch that's how i do it at last, i hope that was helpful.

That does sound helpful, how do I rotate by an arbitrary angle though? ie like ErgoDox thumbswitches.

[skrsh3r]

In module properties you got orientation settings to just set user and type in at how much degrees you want to rotate it, btw i can place everything for you and send you those kicad files you just need to route traces after that, i just need dwg or dxf file of your plate.

[MOZ]

For things like this,  I find it useful to edit the file directly using a text editor. If you are a programmer,  you can easily write a script to do it as well by calculating coordinates or reading off an array/table.

[skrsh3r]

Or you can do it like moz said, the way i do it i always design pcb first and as i do that i get plate as well cause you can plot dxf from kicad.

[clickclack123]

For things like this,  I find it useful to edit the file directly using a text editor. If you are a programmer,  you can easily write a script to do it as well by calculating coordinates or reading off an array/table.

Yes that sounds like what I'll do. I'm ok at java, actually used it to generate the matrix file for TMK firmware, saved me about an hour of typing. So these computers can be useful for more than just timewasting...

In module properties you got orientation settings to just set user and type in at how much degrees you want to rotate it, btw i can place everything for you and send you those kicad files you just need to route traces after that, i just need dwg or dxf file of your plate.

Thanks a lot for the offer skrsh3r! I'll have a go at it for myself but I'll keep that in mind.

[Melvang]

I wish I could just get to that point.