Making KiCad schematics look pretty (also I have no idea how to make ERC work)

[mzy12]

Hey y'all! Doing a schematic on KiCad for the first time and I'm wondering what other people to make them look pretty. I'd like it to look a little more like PedalPCB's schematics, such as the input points for the circuit and also getting consistent spacing of reference and value of components when they're rotated/cramped (I have to manually move C5 and 220pF on the schematic below, for example).

I also have no idea what I am doing with ERC and it's giving me fun errors. I can't really decipher what I'm supposed to do with it based on the stuff I found by googling.

I'd also like to know what the, "correct way," would be to terminate the unused pin on my SPDT switch.

Thanks for any help!

Spoiler: Schematic

Spoiler: ERC

 

[DailyDovetails]

I’m also learning KiCAD. To start I actually think your schematic looks good already. I think for the missing stuff like the ins and outs you want to create a symbol with a matching footprint that will line up with whatever IO you have planned on the board.

I think for getting the capacitors and resistors lined up it is probably a matter of setting a grid and having schematic symbols which are multiples of that grid size.

For the ERC I’m still figuring it out but it needs power flags. Also all the grounds need to be named the same.


Not sure on the switch. Hopefully someone more experienced has some input.

 

[Brett]

Place an unconnected symbol on any unconnected pin. It’s in the right toolbar, looks like an X.

Schematic doesn’t look bad, just center it in the frame. Select all, type G, and center the selected items.

For ref des that looks wonky, select component and type O.

 

[mzy12]

Also all the grounds need to be named the same.

I'm trying to 'say' on the schematic that the negative pin of the DC in isn't automatically connected to ground and is instead connected only at one point in a star grounding scheme, i.e. differentiate negative 0V from ground. That was my sort of automatic way of doing it, idk what the, "proper," way of doing it would be.

For ref des that looks wonky, select component and type O.

When I do that, some labels will overlap other schematic symbols in annoying and often illegible ways. If there was a way to have a template set up to have different optimised labeling layouts when you pressed O, I'd love to know!

 

[DailyDovetails]

I'm trying to 'say' on the schematic that the negative pin of the DC in isn't automatically connected to ground and is instead connected only at one point in a star grounding scheme, i.e. differentiate negative 0V from ground. That was my sort of automatic way of doing it, idk what the, "proper," way of doing it would be.

I think I got what your saying you want a pad there for the DC ground to hook onto to show its external to the circuit. Have you looked into adding ground planes yet? I think to do that all the grounds have to be named the same. https://www.flashpcb.com/blog/power...VmH3u-NXavCiNp5T1rWchh8RogrjE1oRoCCc4QAvD_BwE

 

[Brett]

I'm trying to 'say' on the schematic that the negative pin of the DC in isn't automatically connected to ground and is instead connected only at one point in a star grounding scheme, i.e. differentiate negative 0V from ground.

How will you be implementing your star ground?

If you're using ground planes and intend on connecting the ground from the board and all off-board wiring to a central star ground (not on the PCB), keep all ground points on the circuit annotated uniformly (as GND). If that's not the intent and you'd like make your star ground ON the board, you'd still annotate them uniformly, just skip using net planes and instead, make all of your connections with traces to your central grounding location when you do your routing.

Am I understanding your conundrum all wrong?

 

[Brett]

some labels will overlap other schematic symbols in annoying and often illegible ways

It's not perfect, but if you're seeing a lot of overlapping ref des and symbols, you probably need to space things out a little more.

Double click on your schematic frame and choose a different size from the list. I think the default is A4. I've drawn a few that needed much larger page sizes to accommodate the drawing.