3D models do not show, name inconsistency in packages3d folder

[hub.martin]

Hi, after many years I’m exploring KiCAD again.

I’ve created schematic and PCB, but in the 3D view I cannot see 3D models. I’ve found out that the default footprint name for example of LED is:

LEDs:LED_0402

And the default 3D model path is:

${KISYS3DMOD}/LEDs.3dshapes/LED_0402.wrl

(first post, so I’m allowed to put only a single image, so I’ll copy console outputs)

But in the directory where where the environment ${KISYS3DMOD}/LEDs.3dshapes/ leads to have the folders differrent name in singular LED instead of LEDs. Did the naming changed in some version, what is the right naming convention and where could I download the right packages3d folder to manually fix this?
If I manually rename those folders and also names, the model appears.But this is not solution me to rename all the models.

Here is the package3d folder:

root@hpnix:/usr/share/kicad/modules/packages3d# ls
Battery.3dshapes                           Connector_Pin.3dshapes               Display_7Segment.3dshapes   Package_SON.3dshapes
Button_Switch_SMD.3dshapes                 Connector_PinHeader_1.00mm.3dshapes  Ferrite_THT.3dshapes        Package_TO_SOT_SMD.3dshapes
Button_Switch_THT.3dshapes                 Connector_PinHeader_1.27mm.3dshapes  Filter.3dshapes             Package_TO_SOT_THT.3dshapes
Buzzer_Beeper.3dshapes                     Connector_PinHeader_2.00mm.3dshapes  Fuse.3dshapes               Potentiometer_SMD.3dshapes
Capacitor_SMD.3dshapes                     Connector_PinHeader_2.54mm.3dshapes  Heatsink.3dshapes           Potentiometer_THT.3dshapes
Capacitor_Tantalum_SMD.3dshapes            Connector_PinSocket_1.00mm.3dshapes  Inductor_SMD.3dshapes       Relay_SMD.3dshapes
Capacitor_THT.3dshapes                     Connector_PinSocket_1.27mm.3dshapes  Inductor_THT.3dshapes       Relay_THT.3dshapes
Connector.3dshapes                         Connector_PinSocket_2.00mm.3dshapes  LED_SMD.3dshapes            Resistor_SMD.3dshapes
Connector_BarrelJack.3dshapes              Connector_PinSocket_2.54mm.3dshapes  LED_THT.3dshapes            Resistor_THT.3dshapes
Connector_Card.3dshapes                    Connector_RJ.3dshapes                Module.3dshapes             RF_Module.3dshapes
Connector_Coaxial.3dshapes                 Connector_Samtec.3dshapes            MountingEquipment.3dshapes  Sensor.3dshapes
Connector_Dsub.3dshapes                    Connector_SATA_SAS.3dshapes          OptoDevice.3dshapes         Sensor_Audio.3dshapes
Connector_FFC-FPC.3dshapes                 Connector_Stocko.3dshapes            Oscillator.3dshapes         Sensor_Current.3dshapes
Connector_IDC.3dshapes                     Connector_USB.3dshapes               Package_BGA.3dshapes        Sensor_Pressure.3dshapes
Connector_JST.3dshapes                     Converter_ACDC.3dshapes              Package_DFN_QFN.3dshapes    TerminalBlock_Altech.3dshapes
Connector_Molex.3dshapes                   Converter_DCDC.3dshapes              Package_DIP.3dshapes        TestPoint.3dshapes
Connector_Phoenix_GMSTB.3dshapes           Crystal.3dshapes                     Package_DirectFET.3dshapes  Transformer_SMD.3dshapes
Connector_Phoenix_MC.3dshapes              Diode_SMD.3dshapes                   Package_LGA.3dshapes        Transformer_THT.3dshapes
Connector_Phoenix_MC_HighVoltage.3dshapes  Diode_THT.3dshapes                   Package_QFP.3dshapes        Valve.3dshapes
Connector_Phoenix_MSTB.3dshapes            Display.3dshapes                     Package_SO.3dshapes         Varistor.3dshapes

Also the models have completely different file name format:

root@hpnix:/usr/share/kicad/modules/packages3d/LED_SMD.3dshapes# ls
CREDITS.md                            LED_1206_3216Metric.wrl               LED_2512_6332Metric_Castellated.wrl
LED_01005_0402Metric.step             LED_1210_3225Metric_Castellated.step  LED_2512_6332Metric.step
LED_01005_0402Metric.wrl              LED_1210_3225Metric_Castellated.wrl   LED_2512_6332Metric.wrl
LED_0201_0603Metric.step              LED_1210_3225Metric.step              LED_2816_7142Metric_Castellated.step
LED_0201_0603Metric.wrl               LED_1210_3225Metric.wrl               LED_2816_7142Metric_Castellated.wrl
LED_0402_1005Metric.step              LED_1806_4516Metric_Castellated.step  LED_2816_7142Metric.step
LED_0402_1005Metric.wrl               LED_1806_4516Metric_Castellated.wrl   LED_2816_7142Metric.wrl
LED_0603_1608Metric_Castellated.step  LED_1806_4516Metric.step              LED_Inolux_IN-PI554FCH_PLCC4_5.0x5.0mm_P3.2mm.step
LED_0603_1608Metric_Castellated.wrl   LED_1806_4516Metric.wrl               LED_Inolux_IN-PI554FCH_PLCC4_5.0x5.0mm_P3.2mm.wrl
LED_0603_1608Metric.step              LED_1812_4532Metric_Castellated.step  LED_RGB_5050-6.step
LED_0603_1608Metric.wrl               LED_1812_4532Metric_Castellated.wrl   LED_RGB_5050-6.wrl
LED_0805_2012Metric_Castellated.step  LED_1812_4532Metric.step              LED_SK6812_PLCC4_5.0x5.0mm_P3.2mm.step
LED_0805_2012Metric_Castellated.wrl   LED_1812_4532Metric.wrl               LED_SK6812_PLCC4_5.0x5.0mm_P3.2mm.wrl
LED_0805_2012Metric.step              LED_2010_5025Metric_Castellated.step  LED_WS2812B_PLCC4_5.0x5.0mm_P3.2mm.step
LED_0805_2012Metric.wrl               LED_2010_5025Metric_Castellated.wrl   LED_WS2812B_PLCC4_5.0x5.0mm_P3.2mm.wrl
LED_1206_3216Metric_Castellated.step  LED_2010_5025Metric.step              LED_WS2812_PLCC6_5.0x5.0mm_P1.6mm.step
LED_1206_3216Metric_Castellated.wrl   LED_2010_5025Metric.wrl               LED_WS2812_PLCC6_5.0x5.0mm_P1.6mm.wrl
LED_1206_3216Metric.step              LED_2512_6332Metric_Castellated.step

I have Ubuntu 18.04LTS with kicad installed from this repository

hub@hpnix:~/Desktop/dev/kicad/test-bga/packages3d/Pin_Headers.3dshapes$ apt-cache showpkg kicad
Package: kicad
Versions: 
5.1.5-202003271336+52549c5~86~ubuntu18.04.1 (/var/lib/apt/lists/ppa.launchpad.net_js-reynaud_kicad-5.1_ubuntu_dists_bionic_main_binary-amd64_Packages) (/var/lib/dpkg/status)

Here is the configure paths dialog

Thanks for any tips!
Martin

[paulvdh]

@hub.martin

LEDs:LED_0402

LED with an s is plural, and the plural form was used in KiCad V4.
So it looks like you have a mixup of schematic symbols form KiCad V4 with 3D models from KiCad V5.

I had KiCad 4 installed previosly. Now i updated to v5. Now i have some problems with the library setup

Recommended reading: https://forum.kicad.info/t/library-management-in-kicad-version-5/14636 KiCad does not automatically discover libs. Nor does it update the list of libraries on update. If you had KiCad 4.0.x installed previously then i would bet you still have parts of its configuration surviving. Most importantly the fp-lib-table. This file controls which footprint libs you use. If this is the case then you probably still run the on demand online footprint libs originally “distributed” wit…

[hub.martin]

Thank you, now I added manually LED library from the disk and 3D model appeared ok.

So it seems like these Github libraries are the issue and are from version 4. Are there Github libraries for Kicad V5 and would you recommend to use Gihub libraries? Or should I remove them and manually add libraries from my drive?

Thanks

[paulvdh]

Github libraries are not used anymore.
If you still have KiCad V4 projects, it may be useful to keep a copy of the V4 libraries, but because the quality of the libraries only improves and more components and footprints are added there is not much use to keep the old libraries around.

There is of course always a chance that you liked some parts in the old libraries which are for some reason not ported to V5. In that case, copy those parts to a custom library of your own.

On linux systems the libraries and/or 3D symbols are often in a separate package. This is what I have on my Mint box (also Ubuntu derived).

paul@dualcore:~$ apt list --installed |grep kicad

kicad/bionic,now 5.1.5-202003271336+52549c5~86~ubuntu18.04.1 amd64 [installed]
kicad-demo/bionic,bionic,now 5.1.2-201904230803+f72e74a~80~ubuntu18.04.1 all [installed]
kicad-doc-en/bionic,bionic,now 5.1.5-201911190828+1645~27~ubuntu18.04.1 all [installed,automatic]
kicad-footprints/bionic,bionic,now 5.1.5-201911190827+e076f8f~9~ubuntu18.04.1 all [installed,automatic]
kicad-libraries/bionic,bionic,now 5.1.5-201911190823+7~ubuntu18.04.1 all [installed,automatic]
kicad-packages3d/bionic,bionic,now 5.1.5-201911190835+8d233cd~7~ubuntu18.04.1 all [installed,automatic]
kicad-symbols/bionic,bionic,now 5.1.5-201911190824+dd122ec~6~ubuntu18.04.1 all [installed,automatic]
kicad-templates/bionic,bionic,now 5.1.5-201911190822+94761f1~8~ubuntu18.04.1 all [installed,automatic]
libngspice-kicad/bionic,now 0.1-2~201902271304+d6f5a32~ubuntu18.04.1 amd64 [installed,automatic]
libngspice-kicad-doc/bionic,now 0.1-2~201902271304+d6f5a32~ubuntu18.04.1 amd64 [installed]

[hub.martin]

Thanks for making that clear. I do not have any V4 projects so I’m perfectly fine with using V5 libs on my drive.

I just thought that the Github libraries are new thing and way to go in the future. I did not used KiCAD for many years so I completely missed the concept of these GitHub libraries. I wonder why these github libraries aren’t used anymore. I understand as a experienced PCB designer in Altium and Eagle that is not ok when something is changing under your hands without any control.

Could I use Github libraries for example with my github account where I will have V5 schematic symbols and footprints? Or you wouln’t recommend this functionality at all now?

Thanks.

[Rene_Poschl]

@hub.martin

Are there Github libraries for Kicad V5 and would you recommend to use Gihub libraries?

No we deprecated this heap of garbage (believe me this plugin was a mistake to ever have existed)