Sheet numbering is automatically updated. You can set the date to today by pressing the left arrow button by “Issue Date”, but it will not be automatically changed.

Search tool

The Find icon () can be used to access the search tool.

You can search for a reference, a value or a text string in the current sheet or in the whole hierarchy. Once found, the cursor will be positioned on the found element in the relevant sub-sheet.

The Netlist icon () opens the netlist generation tool.

The tool creates a file which describe all connections in the entire hierarchy.

In a multisheet hierarchy, any local label is visible only inside the sheet to which it belongs. For example: the label LABEL1 of sheet 3 is different from the label LABEL1 of sheet 5 (if no connection has been intentionally introduced to connect them). This is due to the fact that the sheet name path is internally associated with the local label.

Option:

Other formats can also be generated:

• Orcad PCB2

• CadStar

• Spice (simulators)

External plugins can be added to extend the netlist formats list (PadsPcb Plugin was added in the picture above).

There is more information about creating netlists in Create a Netlist chapter.

Annotation tool

The icon launches the annotation tool. This tool assigns references to components.

For multi-part components (such as 7400 TTL which contains 4 gates), a multi-part suffix is also allocated (thus a 7400 TTL designated U3 will be divided into U3A, U3B, U3C and U3D).

You can unconditionally annotate all the components or only the new components, i.e. those which were not previously annotated.

Scope

Annotation Order

Selects the order in which components will be numbered (either horizontally or vertically).

Selects the assigned reference format.

The icon launches the electrical rules check (ERC) tool.

This tool performs a design verification and is able to detect forgotten connections, and inconsistencies.

Once you have run the ERC, Eeschema places markers to highlight problems. The error description is displayed after left clicking on the marker. An error report file can also be generated.

Main ERC dialog

Errors are displayed in the Electrical Rules Checker dialog:

• Total count of errors and warnings.

• Errors count.

Option:

Commands:

• Clicking on an error message jumps to the corresponding marker in the schematic.

ERC options dialog

This tab allows you to define the connectivity rules between pins; you can choose between 3 options for each case:

• No error

• Warning

• Error

Each square of the matrix can be modified by clicking on it.

Option:

Commands:

Bill of Material tool

Eeschema’s BOM generator makes use of external plugins, either as XSLT or Python scripts. There are a few examples installed inside the KiCad program files directory.

A useful set of component properties to use for a BOM are:

• Value - unique name for each part used.

• Footprint - either manually entered or back-annotated (see below).

• Field1 - Manufacturer’s name.

• Field2 - Manufacturer’s Part Number.

For example:

On MS Windows, BOM generator dialog has a special option (pointed by red arrow) that controls visibility of external plugin window.
By default, BOM generator command is executed console window hidden and output is redirected to Plugin info field. Set this option to show the window of the running command. It may be necessary if plugin has provides a graphical user interface.

The icon opens a spreadsheet to view and modify field values for all symbols.

Once you modify field values, you need to either accept changes by clicking on ‘Apply’ button or undo them by clicking on ‘Revert’ button.

Tricks to simplify fields filling

There are several special copy/paste methods in spreadsheet. They may be useful when entering field values that are repeated in a few components.

These methods are illustrated below.

Import tool for footprint assignment

Access:

The icon launches the back-annotate tool.