Application: kicad
Version: 6.0.0-rc1-unknown-a5c892d~84~ubuntu14.04.1, release build
Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.0.2
libcurl/7.35.0 OpenSSL/1.0.1f zlib/1.2.8 libidn/1.28 librtmp/2.3
Platform: Linux 4.4.0-112-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Build Info:
wxWidgets: 3.0.2 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 2.24
Boost: 1.54.0
OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.8.0
Curl: 7.35.0
Compiler: GCC 4.8.4 with C++ ABI 1002
Build settings:
USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
KICAD_USE_OCC=OFF
KICAD_SPICE=ON
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This one is pretty important to me, as it will keep me from having to duplicate hundreds of parts just to show pin names when I want to draw up schematics easy for beginners in electronics to understand.
In Eeschema, I'd like the ability to easily turn the visibility of pin names and numbers on and off. This can be done by adding the "Annotations" section of the "Library Symbol Properties" window in the Symbol Editor to the "Symbol Properties" window in Eeschema. See screenshots. Do *not* remove it from the Library Symbol Properties window, but rather make those simply become the defaults whenever you add a symbol to your schematic, and in your schematic you can override these defaults. This way, one symbol can be used to show the same thing with or without pin numbers, pin names, etc.
Current Work-around:
The current work-around is to duplicate the entire part, save it in a special library, and make the setting the way you want it. This is silly to copy an entire symbol just to make pin names visible or invisible.
The why:
Some people really don't want pin names shown, for instance, because it "clutters" their schematic. They know exactly how to identify the Gate, Drain, Source on NMOS, PMOS, JFETs, etc, and the Base, Collector, Emitter on BJTs. Other people, *especially while learning*, ***must*** see these pin names on the schematic or else they will struggle unnecessarily and waste a lot of time looking things up. Let's make this an easy thing to change.
Related: https://blueprints.launchpad.net/kicad/+spec/eeschema-component-properties-pin-name-number-show-hide
Another image. Making one of these MOSFETs show up with pin names shown (G, D, S), and the other without, required *copying* the entire symbol to make a new symbol just to change this property. That's silly. It should be easily overridden in Eeschema on a per-part basis, rather than as a fixed symbol property.