Fixing Errors

Identify, locate, and fix common validation errors to get your board from red to green.

Goal

Learn the most common validation errors you will encounter in Protoboard and how to resolve each one efficiently.

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The fix workflow

Every error follows the same basic resolution process:

1

Identify the issue

Open the Board Review panel (shield icon in the left sidebar). Review the DRC issues grouped by severity. Each card tells you which harness is affected, which parts are involved, and the reasons for the issue.

2

Locate it on the canvas

Click the "Locate on board" button (crosshair icon) on the issue card. The canvas pans and zooms to the affected element so you can see it in context.

3

Fix it

Select the affected harness or part and make corrections in the Inspector panel. For complex issues, use ProtoBot to get AI-assisted fix suggestions.

4

Re-validate

Return to the Board Review panel to confirm the issue is resolved. The harness color on the canvas should update (green = fully configured, amber = still needs work).

Fix blockers first. BLOCKED issues prevent your board from being valid. PARTIAL issues can sometimes be acceptable for early-stage prototyping, but should be resolved before finalizing your design.

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Common error patterns and fixes

1. Missing resource allocation

Symptom: Interface links exist and function links are set up, but the harness is amber instead of green.

Cause: The underlying part resources (physical pins, peripherals) have not been mapped to the interface functions.

Fix:

1. Select the harness in the Inspector

2. Look for the resource allocation section

3. Click Auto-allocate to let Protoboard assign resources, or manually pick the specific pins/peripherals you want

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2. Voltage mismatch

Symptom: DRC reports a voltage incompatibility between two connected parts. For example, a 3.3V sensor connected directly to a 5V microcontroller GPIO.

Cause: The electrical specifications of the connected interfaces operate at different voltage levels.

Fix:

• Add a level shifter between the two parts to translate voltage levels

• Or add a voltage regulator if the mismatch is on a power connection

• Or swap one of the parts for a version that operates at the matching voltage

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3. Bus or address conflicts

Symptom: DRC reports an address conflict on a shared bus (e.g., two I2C devices with the same address).

Cause: Multiple devices on the same bus are configured with identical addresses.

Fix:

• Change the address on one of the devices (many I2C devices have configurable address pins)

• Add an I2C multiplexer to isolate devices on separate bus segments

• Move one device to a different bus instance

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4. Protocol role mismatch

Symptom: DRC reports "incompatible" when you try to link two interfaces of the same protocol type. For example, two I2C Masters.

Cause: Both interfaces have the same role instead of complementary roles.

Fix:

1. Select one of the parts

2. Open the Inspector and navigate to the interface definition

3. Change the role to the complementary value (e.g., change one Master to Slave)

Refer to the compatibility rules for the full list of complementary role pairs.

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5. Capacity exceeded

Symptom: DRC reports that a part cannot accept more connections of a given type. For example, you have connected four I2C devices to a microcontroller that only supports two I2C bus instances.

Cause: The part has reached its maximum number of instances for that interface type.

Fix:

• Reduce connections by consolidating or removing unnecessary links

• Add a hub or expander to increase the available capacity

• Choose a different part with more interface instances (e.g., a microcontroller with more I2C peripherals)

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Quick-reference fix table

Error	Root cause	Quick fix
Amber harness, no DRC errors shown	Missing resource allocation	Auto-allocate in Inspector
Voltage mismatch	Different voltage domains	Add level shifter or regulator
Address conflict	Duplicate bus address	Change address or add multiplexer
Incompatible link	Same role on both sides	Change one role to its complement
Capacity exceeded	Too many interface instances	Add hub/expander or swap part
Red harness, no links	Harness drawn but not configured	Add interface links and function links

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Common failures

I fixed the issue but the Board Review still shows it

Board Review updates after changes are applied. Make sure your edits in the Inspector were saved. If you edited a part template's JSON directly, check for syntax errors. Try clicking a different element and then back to refresh the panel.

ProtoBot suggests a fix I do not understand

ProtoBot provides suggestions in the Review Comments section. If a suggestion is unclear, ask a follow-up question in the same thread. ProtoBot can explain its reasoning and offer alternative approaches.

I cannot find the right level shifter or adapter part

Search the Parts Bin for terms like "level shifter," "voltage translator," or "bus multiplexer." If nothing matches, create a blank part with the appropriate interfaces and configure it manually.

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Related pages

• Validation (DRC): understand DRC statuses and the Board Review panel

• Connections & Compatibility: compatibility rules and connection setup

• Parts: Add / Edit / Custom: edit parts to resolve interface issues

• Canvas Basics: navigate to affected elements on the canvas