Add option Show local ratsnest when footprint is moving

[Giorgio Croci Candiani]

[all remarks are referencing GAL canvasses only]

In earlier versions of pcbnew (I can't recall until which one exactly), there was a command to choose whether or not to show the ratsnest when moving a component; the function was called “Show module ratsnest”, and its command button was in the left toolbar right below “Show board ratsnest”.
This behaviour, IMHO the correct one, is also described in the pcbnew manual at chapter 7 "Footprint placement" (Para 7.1 and 7.2).
The command button however has disappeared without apparent reason.

In version 5.0.2 of pcbnew, when moving a component, its ratsnest was (always) shown.

In version 5.1.0 (see below for exact info) the ratsnest is no longer shown (which I think is very inconvenient).

A workaround (albeit an impractical one) would be to use the “Display local ratsnest” command button in the right toolbar, but it would require an annoying sequence of operations (go to button / click, go to component / click, “m”, move, position, go to button / click, click elsewhere) in order to achieve the same result.

All builds used are Windows release builds from the KiCAD website.

Application: pcbnew
Version: (5.1.0)-1, release build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.4
    libcurl/7.61.1 OpenSSL/1.1.1 (WinSSL) zlib/1.2.11 brotli/1.0.6 libidn2/2.0.5 libpsl/0.20.2 (+libidn2/2.0.5) nghttp2/1.34.0
Platform: Windows 8 (build 9200), 64-bit edition, 64 bit, Little endian, wxMSW
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
    Boost: 1.68.0
    OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.9.1
    Curl: 7.61.1
    Compiler: GCC 8.2.0 with C++ ABI 1013

Build settings:
    USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
    USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_PYTHON3=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON_PHOENIX=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=ON
    BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCC=OFF
    KICAD_SPICE=ON

[Seth Hillbrand (sethh)]

Note that when we add this, we should place it in the pcbnew preferences panel.

[Michael Kavanagh (michaelkavanagh)]

For me on macOS (and win 10) the ratsnest is shown when moving a footprint as long as the ratsnest is enabled in the Items tab in the Layers Manager (duplicated in the left hand toolbar). This matches the behaviour you describe for 5.0.2 and is IMO correct.

Application: kicad
Version: (5.1.0-41-ga7c8df5666), debug build
Libraries:
    wxWidgets 3.0.4
    libcurl/7.54.0 LibreSSL/2.6.4 zlib/1.2.11 nghttp2/1.24.1
Platform: Mac OS X (Darwin 18.2.0 x86_64), 64 bit, Little endian, wxMac
Build Info:
    wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (UTF-8,STL containers,compatible with 2.8)
    Boost: 1.68.0
    OpenCASCADE Community Edition: 6.9.1
    Curl: 7.54.0
    Compiler: Clang 10.0.0 with C++ ABI 1002

Build settings:
    USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=ON
    USE_WX_OVERLAY=ON
    KICAD_SCRIPTING=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_PYTHON3=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON_PHOENIX=OFF
    KICAD_SCRIPTING_ACTION_MENU=OFF
    BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCE=ON
    KICAD_USE_OCC=OFF
    KICAD_SPICE=ON

[Giorgio Croci Candiani (g-crocic)]

Michael Kavanagh: as I understand, the function you are describing is the one that displays ALL ratsnests (and I confirm it works in that case).
I was referring specifically to the case when the global ratsnest is not displayed (whereby the connections of the individual component are often close to unreadable).

[Giorgio Croci Candiani (g-crocic)]

(Edit: "individual component are often close to unreadable" obviously refers to the case when the whole ratsnest IS displayed.)

[Anton (antonpupkov)]

Please! Return this functionality! It is very convenient! I support! KiCAD 5.1.2
When you press the "display local connections" button, then when you select contact pads with a pencil, you press the right mouse button - ratsnest are disappear. Apply informational only to this button. Please make checkbox in the Pcbnew settings: "Show the ratsnest footprint when it is moved" and all. Thank you!

[Anton (antonpupkov)]

Using the option "Show ratsnest footprint when moving it" and scaling with translation to the cursor is very convenient to orient footprints.

[Anton (antonpupkov)]

It would be very nice if it were decorated with a button on the left vertical panel the button "Show all ratsnests".

[Rene Poeschl (poeschlr)]

I am not sure this should be a wishlist bug as it was available in version 5.0.x so this is kind of a regression. See forum discussion https://forum.kicad.info/t/how-to-turn-on-net-of-interest/17220/6

[Seth Hillbrand (sethh)]

Fixed in daad58e51

[frsc (fr-sc)]

This should definitely NOT be classified as a feature/wishlist bug.

It's very disappointing to run the latest stable release, just to find out, that a simple but important feature, that was available in previous versions has just gone. This unnecessarily makes routing a board a real pain.

As there seems to be a fix in the development branch, would it be possible to backport it to 5.1.x?
Please consider this to fix an obvious regression.

Thanks!

[Seth Hillbrand (sethh)]

Backporting this issue from 6 to 5.1 would be prohibitive with many potential side-effects. The fix implements new ratsnest options because there is no agreement on what the _correct_ display of ratsnest should be.

[Anton (antonpupkov)]

Why not agreement on what correct display local ratsnest?
Correct is when footprint are not moving or grabbing its all pad ratsnests are hided, else are shown. Showing ratsnest per pad (for single pad, few separete pads) much less usefull, than show local ratsnest as it shows in kicad 4, when moving, grabbing.

[Mooltipass Team (mooltipass)]

another comment saying that I really miss it...

[Maciej Suminski (orsonmmz)]

KiCad has migrated to Gitlab, this issue is available here: https://gitlab.com/kicad/code/kicad/-/issues/3133