Weird plotting problem with KiCAD 5/JLCPCB - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 02:19:27 am
content: I've used Kicad 5 and JLCPCB a lot and never encountered this issue. Has anyone else seen it? The circles are not in my design. The JLCPCB gerber view didn't show them and gerbv doesn't either. But JLCPCB's tech is seeing them.

author: fourfathom
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 06:46:17 am
content: Have you looked at the Gerber file with a text editor? They are (or at least they used to be) pretty easy to figure out.

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 07:56:37 am
content: Thanks, worth doing though I've been through the process maybe 75 times with the same tools now and never had the problem before.

author: djsb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 08:36:16 am
content: Could you share the file (with any information redacted as needed)?Thanks

author: jmelson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 03:04:47 pm
content: Run memtest86 on the computer. I had a board where the Gerbers had one screwy pad a little like this, and it turned out it had bad cache memory. Memtest86 picked up the error right away.Jon

author: dracotonisamond
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 04:15:27 pm
content: i have seen this specifically with kicad 5 and jlcpcb a long time ago.it was a problem with the circle line tool if i recall correctly.we saw it affect both silkscreen and mask layers.

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 09:00:11 pm
content: This sounds similar. Silkscreen layer. What did you do to fix? I don't have any circle lines on the board.

author: dracotonisamond
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 18, 2023, 11:13:10 pm
content: Quote from: phil from seattle on July 18, 2023, 09:00:11 pmfor our board they were coming from pin 1 indicators which were just very small circles.we updated kicad and it never happened again.

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 03:57:48 am
content: Quote from: jmelson on July 18, 2023, 03:04:47 pmThanks, I ran a memtest and it didn't show a problem. What is suspicious though, I ran through the prep process again and resubmitted the job. So far, no problems. Dunno, cosmic rays?I've been meaning to move this design to KiCAD 7 (or at least 6) so this was a good incentive. Wish it was a little easier than just using the never version. sigh.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 11:38:55 am
content: Quote from: phil from seattle on July 19, 2023, 03:57:48 amOut of curiosity, in what way is thatnothow migrating upwards works? (I’ve only ever migrated a project from KiCad 6 to 7 and it was seamless.)

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2023, 01:50:12 pm
content: Quote from: phil from seattle on July 19, 2023, 03:57:48 amWhat's up with using a "never" version?From the sound of it, it won't work well either way.Updating a KiCad project to the new version should be easy and flawless.KiCad V5 is quite old though. A problem with KiCad V5 is that it uses direct links to symbols and footprints from the project to the libraries, and it "caches" these in separate files too for "emergencies".Unfortunately, quite a lot of people either delete or fail to backup these -cache libraries. They also seem redundant, because KiCad V5 "fixes" these files if they are missing from the original libraries. But when you migrate a project without either these cache files or the original libraries,then KiCad can not find any graphics for the schematic symbols and it shows the dreaded [??] symbols in the schematic. The cache libraries in the project directory are important, and should always be kept and backed up with the project itself.But all this is mostly a problem of the pas for most people. From KiCad V6 onward, copies of all schematic symbols and PCB footprints are saved withing the schematic and pcb files themselves.

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 02:25:21 am
content: typo, newer version.Unfortunately updating to V6 or 7 gets me something like 600 silk screen warnings. Things like footprint silk screen over copper. So much for flawless. I can ignore them but need to at least scan all the warnings to make sure there isn't anything else hidden among them.

author: newto
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 12:30:25 pm
content: Quote from: phil from seattle on July 20, 2023, 02:25:21 amYou can choose to ignore all errors/warning of a type at least. I had a similar issue going from 6 to 7 with weird errors. Fortunately they were all errors that only showed up in the new version on designs I'd already made, so I could just ignore them all

author: eugene
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 12:40:40 pm
content: Have you considered adjusting your design rules so that they are no longer errors?

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 02:52:30 pm
content: Yes but the bigger issue is moving my custom libs to Kicad 6 which was the reason I didn't in the first place. But am biting the bullet because time marches on. (cliches are us this morning).By the way, back to the original track, the problem may have been on JLCPCB's side. They also had the wrong CPL file - the one I submitted had all the components properly placed and rotated yet they later showed me messed up placement (via email). Cancelled the job and started over. I went though the exact same process again and the results are correct. I suspect that their process engineering folks are constantly tweaking the production line software (it's different from the front end order intake software) and I got caught in that.The moral of this story is don't hesitate to cancel the job and resubmit. They promptly refunded my money.

author: julian1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 10:40:43 pm
content: Quote from: phil from seattle on July 20, 2023, 02:52:30 pmYou are not forced to upgrade libraries, and can leave them at v5, under the old format.Everything will work, including using the old legacy symbols in new projects, where they will get embedded in the .sch files in the new format.The only difficulty is that it's not possible to modify/update a legacy v5 symbol usinig Kicad v6.But this can be handled on a case by case basis.If the symbol needs to be revised, then migrate it to a custom v6 library, and modify as needed, and perhaps also delete it the old library to avoid confusion as to what's current.

author: phil from seattle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2023, 10:58:09 pm
content: that's what I'm doing because I have projects still in V5 that I will have to maintain. Not going to transition everything over.