Destination group check compares PCB_GROUP to string → ReplicateLayout fails when destination footprints are grouped

[kerby2000]

Environment

• KiCad: 9.0.5 (Windows)
• ReplicateLayout: 4.0.3 (installed via PCM)

Steps to reproduce

1. Have a project with a repeated hierarchical sheet (multiple instances of the same sheet file).
2. Place and route the “source” sheet instance.
3. Ensure the destination sheet instance footprints are in a group, e.g.:
   • Run ReplicateLayout once with “Group layouts” enabled (so it groups the destination), OR
   • Manually group destination footprints in PCB Editor (select → Ctrl+G).
4. Run ReplicateLayout again targeting that destination instance.

Actual result

• Plugin errors with something like:
  “Destination footprint ... is a member of a different group (... PCB_GROUP ...). All destination footprints have to be members of destination group (...) or no group at all.”

Expected result

• If a destination footprint is already in the correct destination group, ReplicateLayout should not error.
• If “Group layouts” is disabled, destination footprints being grouped should not block replication.

Root cause

• In replicate_layout.py the code compares a pcbnew.PCB_GROUP object from GetParentGroup() to a string group name.
  This makes the “different group” condition true for any footprint that is in any group (including the correct one).
• Similar object-vs-string mismatch exists when adding destination footprints to the destination group.

Proposed fix

• Compare via fp_group.GetName() (and handle None) instead of comparing the object to a string.
• Only enforce destination grouping rules when group_layouts is enabled.
• Optionally reuse existing “Replicated Group …” groups instead of erroring if they already exist (useful for reruns/updates).

Proposed Fixed with ChatGPT 5.2