Document Version v2026.07.07.0

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Workbench

Goal

Help you use one side-panel area for visibility control, selection filtering, object browsing, and local focusing.

Supported Platforms

• iOS
• macOS

Intended Audience

• Users who need visibility control, filtering, and object targeting
• Testers validating Workbench behavior across 2D and board-level 3D paths

Prerequisites

• A board document is already open in the workspace
• Workbench is visible and the status view is available

Steps

1. Start with Visibility to narrow the visible scope of the board.
2. Use Selection Filter to restrict what can be picked.
3. Use Objects to search, select, and apply actions such as Locate, Highlight, Isolate, or Clear.

Result

• Workbench helps you reduce visual noise, find the right target quickly, and drive focus actions without taking over object-detail display.

Current Workbench Structure

By default, Workbench contains three main sections:

1. Visibility
2. Selection Filter
3. Objects

Their default states are:

• Visibility expanded
• Selection Filter collapsed
• Objects expanded

Workbench now routes by status type: PCB documents show Visibility / Selection Filter / Objects / Board Problems, while schematic documents show Sheets / Search / Selection / Problems. The PCB Workbench is described first, followed by the schematic Workbench.

What the Schematic Workbench Can Do

The schematic Workbench is built for view-first KiCad schematic / project workflows. It does not show PCB-only visibility and rule controls.

Sheets

• Shows the current project sheet tree, breadcrumb, and top / child sheets.
• Clicking an openable sheet switches the current 2D schematic canvas.
• Missing or unopened sheets keep issue state instead of failing silently.

Search

• Supports Current Sheet and Whole Project scopes.
• Facets include Symbols / Nets / Labels / Text / Markers.
• Clicking a result selects the object; locate switches sheets when needed, then centers or fits the target bounds.

Selection / Details

• Shows the schematic entity selected from search, sheet navigation, or canvas pick.
• Common actions include Locate / Highlight / Clear.
• Canvas pick and Workbench selection share the same state, so there are not two competing selections.

Problems

• Collects schematic import issue details, unsupported content, and clear issue messages when the required view data is unavailable.
• If the complete required view data is missing, the UI reports the unavailable issue instead of guessing object lists in the app.

What Visibility Can Do

• switch display presets
• change the stackup viewing mode
• show or hide layer groups, individual layers, semantic columns, and technical layers
• toggle Rat / Board Boundary / Place Boundary / Assembly Outline / Net Labels
• edit layer colors or reset them to defaults

When you are in 3D, this area also shows an extra 3D section for board-surface and auxiliary display settings, including Show 3D models. When enabled, renderable imported 3D models are preferred; missing, unsupported, or failed models show fallback/proxy bodies or issues instead.

What Selection Filter Can Do

• switch quickly to All / None / Default
• limit which object categories are pickable
• show Pick Candidates when track/segment disambiguation is needed

The default filter keeps the most common surface targets and routed copper objects available, which fits most everyday browsing.

What Objects Can Do

Objects is the most direct object browser in the current version. You can:

• switch between facets
• type text to filter objects
• select a target from the result list
• apply actions to the current selection

Current facets include:

• Nets
• Layers
• Via Definitions
• Rule Classes

The main Objects panel keeps lightweight actions available directly:

• Locate
• Highlight
• Clear

Runtime-backed details are opened explicitly with Details. When the sheet finishes loading and the current object type supports it, Isolate appears there.

Current Responsibility Boundary

Workbench is responsible for:

• visibility
• filtering
• search
• local object browsing
• focus / highlight / clear actions

Details is responsible for:

• building or reusing the runtime query session on demand
• session-backed object details and net analysis
• isolate actions for supported runtime objects

Workbench no longer creates runtime sessions just because selection changes.

Recommendations

• Tune Visibility first, then Selection Filter, and then use Objects search for the best hit rate.
• If you cannot find a target, first check whether visibility or selection filtering is too strict.
• When recording an issue, use Workbench to narrow the target, then return to 2D for the actual detail and copying step.

Common Questions

Why is there no object-detail panel here anymore?

The current design moves the detail card back into 2D so Workbench can stay focused on filtering and targeting.

Why is Isolate not in the main Objects panel?

The main panel is a local browser and should not create a runtime session implicitly. Open Details; if the loaded runtime object supports isolation, the sheet shows Isolate.

Why do I see extra visibility controls while in 3D?

Because Workbench exposes additional board-level 3D display options while the workspace is in 3D.