diff --git a/pcbnew/class_pad.cpp b/pcbnew/class_pad.cpp
index be61d5d6e1..1e2292c91c 100644
--- a/pcbnew/class_pad.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/class_pad.cpp
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ const wxPoint D_PAD::ReturnShapePos()
 
 const wxString D_PAD::GetPadName() const
 {
+#if 0   // m_Padname is not ASCII and not UTF8, it is LATIN1 basically, whatever
+        // 8 bit font is supported in KiCad plotting and drawing.
+
     // Return pad name as wxString, assume it starts as a non-terminated
     // utf8 character sequence
 
@@ -151,11 +154,21 @@ const wxString D_PAD::GetPadName() const
     temp[sizeof(m_Padname)] = 0;
 
     return FROM_UTF8( temp );
+#else
+
+    wxString name;
+
+    ReturnStringPadName( name );
+    return name;
+#endif
 }
 
 
 void D_PAD::ReturnStringPadName( wxString& text ) const
 {
+#if 0   // m_Padname is not ASCII and not UTF8, it is LATIN1 basically, whatever
+        // 8 bit font is supported in KiCad plotting and drawing.
+
     // Return pad name as wxString, assume it starts as a non-terminated
     // utf8 character sequence
 
@@ -166,6 +179,20 @@ void D_PAD::ReturnStringPadName( wxString& text ) const
     temp[sizeof(m_Padname)] = 0;
 
     text = FROM_UTF8( temp );
+
+#else
+
+    text.Empty();
+
+    for( int ii = 0; ii < PADNAMEZ; ii++ )
+    {
+        if( !m_Padname[ii] )
+            break;
+
+        // add an unsigned 8 bit byte, which is LATIN1 or CRYLIC
+        text.Append( (unsigned char) m_Padname[ii] );
+    }
+#endif
 }
 
 
@@ -176,25 +203,17 @@ void D_PAD::SetPadName( const wxString& name )
 
     len = name.Length();
 
-    if( len > 4 )
-        len = 4;
+    if( len > PADNAMEZ )
+        len = PADNAMEZ;
+
+    // m_Padname[] is not UTF8, it is an 8 bit character that matches the KiCad font,
+    // so only copy the lower 8 bits of each character.
 
     for( ii = 0; ii < len; ii++ )
-        m_Padname[ii] = name.GetChar( ii );
+        m_Padname[ii] = (char) name.GetChar( ii );
 
-    for( ii = len; ii < 4; ii++ )
-        m_Padname[ii] = 0;
-}
-
-void D_PAD::SetPadName( const char* aName )
-{
-    unsigned i;
-
-    for( i=0; i<sizeof(m_Padname) && *aName;  ++i )
-        m_Padname[i] = *aName++;
-
-    while( i < sizeof(m_Padname) )
-        m_Padname[i++] = 0;
+    for( ii = len; ii < PADNAMEZ; ii++ )
+        m_Padname[ii] = '\0';
 }
 
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/class_pad.h b/pcbnew/class_pad.h
index 2229510fb5..15126cd84f 100644
--- a/pcbnew/class_pad.h
+++ b/pcbnew/class_pad.h
@@ -71,18 +71,21 @@ private:
     wxString m_Netname;         // Full net name like /mysheet/mysubsheet/vout used by Eeschema
     wxString m_ShortNetname;    // short net name, like vout from /mysheet/mysubsheet/vout
 
+    /// Pad name (4 char) or a long identifier (used in pad name
+    /// comparisons because  this is faster than string comparison)
+    union
+    {
+#define PADNAMEZ    4
+        char        m_Padname[PADNAMEZ];    // zero padded at end to full size
+        wxUint32    m_NumPadName;       // same number of bytes as m_Padname[]
+    };
+
+    int m_SubRatsnest;                  // variable used in rats nest computations
+                                        // handle subnet (block) number in ratsnest connection
 
 public:
     wxPoint m_Pos;                  // pad Position on board
 
-    union
-    {
-        unsigned long m_NumPadName;
-        char          m_Padname[4]; /* Pad name (4 char) or a long identifier (used in pad name
-                                     * comparisons because  this is faster than string comparison)
-                                     */
-    };
-
     int m_layerMask;                // Bitwise layer :1= copper layer, 15= cmp,
                                     // 2..14 = internal layers
                                     // 16 .. 31 = technical layers
@@ -134,10 +137,6 @@ public:
     double m_LocalSolderPasteMarginRatio;       // Local solder mask margin ratio value of pad size
                                                 // The final margin is the sum of these 2 values
 
-private:
-    int m_SubRatsnest;                  // variable used in rats nest computations
-                                        // handle subnet (block) number in ratsnest connection
-
 public:
     D_PAD( MODULE* parent );
     D_PAD( D_PAD* pad );
@@ -147,6 +146,14 @@ public:
 
     D_PAD* Next() { return (D_PAD*) Pnext; }
 
+    void SetPadName( const wxString& name );    // Change pad name
+    const wxString GetPadName() const;
+
+    bool PadNameEqual( const D_PAD* other ) const
+    {
+        return m_NumPadName == other->m_NumPadName; // hide tricks behind sensible API
+    }
+
     /**
      * Function SetNetname
      * @param aNetname: the new netname
@@ -347,10 +354,6 @@ public:
      */
     int BuildSegmentFromOvalShape( wxPoint& aSegStart, wxPoint& aSegEnd, int aRotation ) const;
 
-    void SetPadName( const wxString& name );    // Change pad name
-    void SetPadName( const char* aName );
-    const wxString GetPadName() const;
-
     void ReturnStringPadName( wxString& text ) const; // Return pad name as string in a buffer
 
     void ComputeShapeMaxRadius();                           // compute radius
diff --git a/pcbnew/drc.cpp b/pcbnew/drc.cpp
index c6d0dad691..2f99cdfc3c 100644
--- a/pcbnew/drc.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/drc.cpp
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ bool DRC::doPadToPadsDrc( D_PAD* aRefPad, D_PAD** aStart, D_PAD** aEnd, int x_li
             // one can argue that this 2nd test is not necessary, that any
             // two pads from a single module are acceptable.  This 2nd test
             // should eventually be a configuration option.
-            if( pad->m_NumPadName == aRefPad->m_NumPadName )
+            if( pad->PadNameEqual( aRefPad ) )
                 continue;
         }
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/gen_modules_placefile.cpp b/pcbnew/gen_modules_placefile.cpp
index 0c95897ddc..524b0e25fb 100644
--- a/pcbnew/gen_modules_placefile.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/gen_modules_placefile.cpp
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::GenModuleReport( wxCommandEvent& event )
 
         for( pad = Module->m_Pads; pad != NULL; pad = pad->Next() )
         {
-            fprintf( rptfile, "$PAD \"%.4s\"\n", pad->m_Padname );
+            fprintf( rptfile, "$PAD \"%s\"\n", TO_UTF8( pad->GetPadName() ) );
             sprintf( line, "position %9.6f %9.6f\n",
                      pad->m_Pos0.x * conv_unit,
                      pad->m_Pos0.y * conv_unit );
diff --git a/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp b/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp
index 2b9056a12d..5bd9f92dc8 100644
--- a/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.cpp
@@ -60,13 +60,7 @@
 #include <auto_ptr.h>
 #include <kicad_string.h>
 #include <macros.h>
-#include <build_version.h>
-
-//#include <fctsys.h>
-//#include <confirm.h>
-//#include <wxPcbStruct.h">
-//#include <pcbcommon.h>
-
+//#include <build_version.h>
 #include <zones.h>
 
 #ifdef CVPCB
@@ -90,17 +84,15 @@
 
 #include <wx/ffile.h>
 
+
+//#define KICAD_NANOMETRE
+
+
 #define VERSION_ERROR_FORMAT    _( "File '%s' is format version: %d.\nI only support format version <= %d.\nPlease upgrade PCBNew to load this file." )
 #define UNKNOWN_GRAPHIC_FORMAT  _( "unknown graphic type: %d")
 #define UNKNOWN_PAD_FORMAT      _( "unknown pad type: %d")
 #define UNKNOWN_PAD_ATTRIBUTE   _( "unknown pad attribute: %d" )
 
-/*
-#include <pcbnew.h>
-#include <pcbnew_id.h>
-#include <autorout.h>
-*/
-
 
 
 /// C string compare test for a specific length of characters.
@@ -330,6 +322,8 @@ void KICAD_PLUGIN::checkVersion()
         m_error.Printf( VERSION_ERROR_FORMAT, ver );
         THROW_IO_ERROR( m_error );
     }
+
+    m_loading_format_version = ver;
 }
 
 
@@ -1039,11 +1033,15 @@ void KICAD_PLUGIN::loadPAD( MODULE* aModule )
             // e.g. "Sh "A2" C 520 520 0 0 900"
             // or   "Sh "1" R 157 1378 0 0 900"
 
-            char    padname[sizeof(pad->m_Padname)+1];
+            // mypadname is LATIN1/CRYLIC for BOARD_FORMAT_VERSION 1,
+            // but for BOARD_FORMAT_VERSION 2, it is UTF8 from disk.
+            // So we have to go through two code paths.  Moving forward
+            // padnames will be in UTF8 on disk, as are all KiCad strings on disk.
+            char        mypadname[50];
 
             data = line + SZ( "Sh" ) + 1;   // +1 skips trailing whitespace
 
-            data = data + ReadDelimitedText( padname, data, sizeof(padname) ) + 1;  // +1 trailing whitespace
+            data = data + ReadDelimitedText( mypadname, data, sizeof(mypadname) ) + 1;  // +1 trailing whitespace
 
             // sscanf( PtLine, " %s %d %d %d %d %d", BufCar, &m_Size.x, &m_Size.y, &m_DeltaSize.x, &m_DeltaSize.y, &m_Orient );
 
@@ -1066,6 +1064,26 @@ void KICAD_PLUGIN::loadPAD( MODULE* aModule )
                 THROW_IO_ERROR( m_error );
             }
 
+            // go through a wxString to establish a universal character set properly
+            wxString    padname;
+
+            if( m_loading_format_version == 1 )
+            {
+                // add 8 bit bytes, file format 1 was KiCad font type byte,
+                // simply promote those 8 bit bytes up into UNICODE. (subset of LATIN1)
+                const unsigned char* cp = (unsigned char*) mypadname;
+                while( *cp )
+                {
+                    padname += *cp++;  // unsigned, ls 8 bits only
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                // version 2, which is UTF8.
+                padname = FROM_UTF8( mypadname );
+            }
+            // chances are both were ASCII, but why take chances?
+
             pad->SetPadName( padname );
             pad->SetShape( padshape );
             pad->SetSize( wxSize( size_x, size_y ) );
@@ -3059,8 +3077,28 @@ void KICAD_PLUGIN::savePAD( const D_PAD* me ) const
         THROW_IO_ERROR( wxString::Format( UNKNOWN_PAD_FORMAT, me->GetShape() ) );
     }
 
+    // universal character set padname
+    wxString padname = me->GetPadName();
+
+#if BOARD_FORMAT_VERSION == 1
+
+    char mypadname[PADNAMEZ+1];
+
+    int i;
+    for( i = 0; i<PADNAMEZ && padname[i]; ++i )
+    {
+        // truncate from universal character down to 8 bit foreign jibber jabber byte
+        mypadname[i] = (char) padname[i];
+    }
+
+    mypadname[i] = 0;
+
+    fprintf( m_fp,  "Sh \"%s\" %c %s %s %s\n",
+                    mypadname,         // probably ASCII, but possibly jibber jabber
+#else
     fprintf( m_fp,  "Sh %s %c %s %s %s\n",
                     EscapedUTF8( me->GetPadName() ).c_str(),
+#endif
                     cshape,
                     fmtBIUSize( me->GetSize() ).c_str(),
                     fmtBIUSize( me->GetDelta() ).c_str(),
diff --git a/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.h b/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.h
index 087c0c7bc5..5155dbd810 100644
--- a/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.h
+++ b/pcbnew/kicad_plugin.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ protected:
     wxString        m_filename;     ///< for saves only, name is in m_reader for loads
 
     wxString        m_field;        ///< reused to stuff MODULE fields.
+    int             m_loading_format_version;   ///< which BOARD_FORMAT_VERSION am I Load()ing?
 
     /// initialize PLUGIN like a constructor would, and futz with fresh BOARD if needed.
     void    init( PROPERTIES* aProperties );
diff --git a/pcbnew/netlist.cpp b/pcbnew/netlist.cpp
index 57abc6fa16..856a989ca8 100644
--- a/pcbnew/netlist.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/netlist.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,8 @@ public:
     bool m_ChangeFootprints;        // Set to true to change existing footprints to new ones
                                     // when netlist gives a different footprint name
 
-public: NETLIST_READER( PCB_EDIT_FRAME* aFrame, wxTextCtrl* aMessageWindow = NULL )
+public:
+    NETLIST_READER( PCB_EDIT_FRAME* aFrame, wxTextCtrl* aMessageWindow = NULL )
     {
         m_pcbframe = aFrame;
         m_messageWindow    = aMessageWindow;
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ private:
 static FILE* OpenNetlistFile( const wxString& aFullFileName )
 {
     if( aFullFileName.IsEmpty() )
-        return false;  /* No filename: exit */
+        return false;  // No filename: exit
 
     FILE* file = wxFopen( aFullFileName, wxT( "rt" ) );
 
@@ -341,7 +342,7 @@ void NETLIST_READER::RemoveExtraFootprints( const wxString& aNetlistFileName )
         for( ii = 0; ii < modulesCount; ii++ )
         {
             if( module->m_Reference->m_Text.CmpNoCase( componentsInNetlist[ii] ) == 0 )
-                break; /* Module is found in net list. */
+                break; // Module is found in net list.
         }
 
         if( ii == modulesCount )   // Module not found in netlist.
@@ -404,7 +405,7 @@ bool NETLIST_READER::ReadNetList( FILE*           aFile,
     {
         char* line = StrPurge( netlineReader.Line() );
 
-        if( is_comment ) /* Comments in progress */
+        if( is_comment ) // Comments in progress
         {
             // Test for end of the current comment
             if( ( line = strchr( line, '}' ) ) == NULL )
@@ -412,7 +413,7 @@ bool NETLIST_READER::ReadNetList( FILE*           aFile,
 
             is_comment = false;
         }
-        if( *line == '{' ) /* Start Comment */
+        if( *line == '{' ) // Start Comment
         {
             is_comment = true;
 
@@ -438,7 +439,7 @@ bool NETLIST_READER::ReadNetList( FILE*           aFile,
         }
     }
 
-    /* Load new footprints */
+    // Load new footprints
     bool success = loadNewModules();
 
     if( ! success )
@@ -487,11 +488,9 @@ bool NETLIST_READER::ReadNetList( FILE*           aFile,
                 // footprint not found in library)
                 continue;
             }
-            else /* clear pads netnames */
+            else // clear pads netnames
             {
-                D_PAD* pad = m_currModule->m_Pads;
-
-                for( ; pad != NULL; pad = pad->Next() )
+                for( D_PAD* pad = m_currModule->m_Pads;  pad;  pad = pad->Next() )
                 {
                     pad->SetNetname( wxEmptyString );
                 }
@@ -576,7 +575,7 @@ MODULE* NETLIST_READER::ReadNetlistModuleDescr( char* aText, bool aTstOnly )
     if( error )
         return NULL;
 
-    /* Test if module is already loaded. */
+    // Test if module is already loaded.
     wxString * identMod = &textCmpReference;
 
     if( m_UseTimeStamp )
@@ -590,12 +589,12 @@ MODULE* NETLIST_READER::ReadNetlistModuleDescr( char* aText, bool aTstOnly )
     {
         nextModule = module->Next();
 
-        if( m_UseTimeStamp ) /* identification by time stamp */
+        if( m_UseTimeStamp ) // identification by time stamp
         {
             if( timeStampPath.CmpNoCase( module->m_Path ) == 0 )
                 found = true;
         }
-        else    /* identification by Reference */
+        else    // identification by Reference
         {
             if( textCmpReference.CmpNoCase( module->m_Reference->m_Text ) == 0 )
                 found = true;
@@ -696,36 +695,34 @@ MODULE* NETLIST_READER::ReadNetlistModuleDescr( char* aText, bool aTstOnly )
  */
 bool NETLIST_READER::SetPadNetName( char* aText )
 {
-    D_PAD* pad;
-    char*  TextPinName, * TextNetName;
-    bool   found;
-    bool   error = false;
-    char   Line[256];
+    char*       p;
+    char        line[256];
 
     if( m_currModule == NULL )
         return false;
 
-    strcpy( Line, aText );
+    strncpy( line, aText, sizeof(line) );
 
-    if( ( TextPinName = strtok( Line, " ()\t\n" ) ) == NULL )
-        error = true;
+    if( ( p = strtok( line, " ()\t\n" ) ) == NULL )
+        return false;
 
-    if( ( TextNetName = strtok( NULL, " ()\t\n" ) ) == NULL )
-        error = true;
+    wxString pinName = FROM_UTF8( p );
 
-    if( error )
-        return 0;
+    if( ( p = strtok( NULL, " ()\t\n" ) ) == NULL )
+        return false;
 
-    pad   = m_currModule->m_Pads;
-    found = false;
+    wxString netName = FROM_UTF8( p );
 
-    for( ; pad != NULL; pad = pad->Next() )
+    bool found = false;
+    for( D_PAD* pad = m_currModule->m_Pads;  pad;  pad = pad->Next() )
     {
-        if( strnicmp( TextPinName, pad->m_Padname, 4 ) == 0 )
+        wxString padName = pad->GetPadName();
+
+        if( padName == pinName )
         {
             found = true;
-            if( *TextNetName != '?' )
-                pad->SetNetname( FROM_UTF8( TextNetName ) );
+            if( (char) netName[0] != '?' )
+                pad->SetNetname( netName );
             else
                 pad->SetNetname( wxEmptyString );
         }
@@ -736,10 +733,9 @@ bool NETLIST_READER::SetPadNetName( char* aText )
         if( m_messageWindow )
         {
             wxString msg;
-            wxString pin_name = FROM_UTF8( TextPinName );
             msg.Printf( _( "Module [%s]: Pad [%s] not found" ),
                         GetChars( m_currModule->m_Reference->m_Text ),
-                        GetChars( pin_name ) );
+                        GetChars( pinName ) );
             m_messageWindow->AppendText( msg + wxT( "\n" ) );
         }
     }
@@ -812,12 +808,12 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::Test_Duplicate_Missing_And_Extra_Footprints(
         return;
     }
 
-    /* Build the list of references of the net list modules. */
+    // Build the list of references of the net list modules.
     NETLIST_READER netList_Reader( this );
     NbModulesNetListe = netList_Reader.BuildComponentsListFromNetlist( aNetlistFullFilename, tmp );
 
     if( NbModulesNetListe < 0 )
-        return;  /* File not found */
+        return;  // File not found
 
     if( NbModulesNetListe == 0 )
     {
@@ -825,7 +821,7 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::Test_Duplicate_Missing_And_Extra_Footprints(
         return;
     }
 
-    /* Search for duplicate footprints. */
+    // Search for duplicate footprints.
     list.Add( _( "Duplicates" ) );
 
     MODULE* module = GetBoard()->m_Modules;
@@ -849,7 +845,7 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::Test_Duplicate_Missing_And_Extra_Footprints(
         }
     }
 
-    /* Search for the missing module by the net list. */
+    // Search for the missing module by the net list.
     list.Add( _( "Missing:" ) );
 
     for( ii = 0; ii < NbModulesNetListe; ii++ )
@@ -871,7 +867,7 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::Test_Duplicate_Missing_And_Extra_Footprints(
         }
     }
 
-    /* Search for modules not in net list. */
+    // Search for modules not in net list.
     list.Add( _( "Not in Netlist:" ) );
 
     module = GetBoard()->m_Modules;
@@ -881,11 +877,11 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::Test_Duplicate_Missing_And_Extra_Footprints(
         {
             if( module->m_Reference->m_Text.CmpNoCase( tmp[ii] ) == 0 )
             {
-                break; /* Module is in net list. */
+                break; // Module is in net list.
             }
         }
 
-        if( ii == NbModulesNetListe )   /* Module not found in netlist */
+        if( ii == NbModulesNetListe )   // Module not found in netlist
         {
             list.Add( module->m_Reference->m_Text );
             nberr++;
@@ -938,7 +934,7 @@ int NETLIST_READER::BuildComponentsListFromNetlist( const wxString& aNetlistFile
             is_comment = false;
         }
 
-        if( *text == '{' ) /* Comments. */
+        if( *text == '{' ) // Comments.
         {
             is_comment = true;
 
@@ -1035,7 +1031,7 @@ bool NETLIST_READER::readModuleComponentLinkfile( const wxString* aCmpIdent,
         if( ! buffer.StartsWith( wxT("BeginCmp") ) )
             continue;
 
-        /* Begin component description. */
+        // Begin component description.
         refcurrcmp.Empty();
         idmod.Empty();
         timestamp.Empty();
@@ -1130,7 +1126,7 @@ bool NETLIST_READER::loadNewModules()
 
         if( (ii == 0) || ( ref->m_LibName != cmp->m_LibName) )
         {
-            /* New footprint : must be loaded from a library */
+            // New footprint : must be loaded from a library
             Module = m_pcbframe->GetModuleLibrary( wxEmptyString, cmp->m_LibName, false );
             ref = cmp;
 
@@ -1167,7 +1163,7 @@ bool NETLIST_READER::loadNewModules()
         {
             // Footprint already loaded from a library, duplicate it (faster)
             if( Module == NULL )
-                continue;            /* Module does not exist in library. */
+                continue;            // Module does not exist in library.
 
             MODULE* newmodule = new MODULE( pcb );
             newmodule->Copy( Module );
diff --git a/pcbnew/xchgmod.cpp b/pcbnew/xchgmod.cpp
index f7f547dc0c..4d76866d9e 100644
--- a/pcbnew/xchgmod.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/xchgmod.cpp
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ void PCB_EDIT_FRAME::Exchange_Module( MODULE*            aOldModule,
 
         for( ; old_pad != NULL; old_pad = old_pad->Next() )
         {
-            if( strnicmp( pad->m_Padname, old_pad->m_Padname, sizeof(pad->m_Padname) ) == 0 )
+            if( pad->PadNameEqual( old_pad ) )
             {
                 pad->SetNetname( old_pad->GetNetname() );
                 pad->SetNet( old_pad->GetNet() );