When click on “Add Part” how to let the system know to go to the Project Library instead of going to the Global Library?
Since you are asking about schematics, this is actually Add Symbol. Symbols for schematics, Footprints for layouts.
You don’t let the system know, you choose the symbol (or footprint) from the available Project Library. The Project Library is always displayed in the Library List when you have the project open to which the Project Library belongs.
Yes, Add Symbol. And NO the Project Library does not show up as an option. What I get is:
Starting at the top is “Filter”
Then -Recently Used-
and then -Already Placed-
Then the list of types of symbols.
Where do I go to get to the Project Library?
There are not two different places where you look for libraries. There are two library tables (one global and one project) but all of the libraries in both of those tables are present in the Add Symbols dialog.
Apparently I am not asking the correct question or in other words there is a failure to communicate. “all of the libraries in both of those tables are present in the Add Symbols dialog”. I don’t get a dialog. I click on the Add symbol(s) icon and the system goes to the Global Library. Where is this “dialog” at that you speak of and how do I get to it?
I suggest going through the getting started tutorial first:
This should help explain some of the terminology as well as the workflow for using libraries
You’re right, there’s a failure to communicate, and as craftyjon suggested, it would be best to go through some basics first. There are also some FAQ articles about library management, especially Creating a new symbol library and a new symbol in KiCad 5 is relevant. It’s outdated but the basics haven’t changed. You should create a new library, store it inside the project and choose “Project” as the library table. A later KiCad version asks for the library table first, then the saving location. After that you will see your Project library with the name you gave it in the Add Symbol dialog library list. It’s empty, and you can create a new symbol there or copy existing symbols into it.
If you are still unsure – there doesn’t exist a Project library or libraries unless they have been created first; and they are in the same list with the Global libraries. You can’t tell the difference unless you can tell them apart by the library names or look into the library tables, which you can see in Preferences → Manage Symbol Libraries:
“Nickname” is what you actually see in the Add Symbol dialog list as the library name.
It’s this one. Do you not think this is a dialog window?
As said above there is no separate section for Project Specific Libraries, all the libraries: Global System, Global Personal, Project Specific, are in one table. So you have to know what its Nickname is. And PSLs don’t exist until you create them when in the project. This is done from a tab in Preferences > Manage Symbol Libraries.
Perhaps this will sort the confusion.
When I open a project and go to:
Preferences > Manage Symbol Libraries > then highlight “Global Libraries”, I find this:
This shows the bottom of the list of Kicad supplied libraries (in red box) and the top of the list of my personal libraries (cyan box).
When I then highlight “Project Specific Libraries”, I find this:
This shows the list of Project Libraries for this particular project (cyan box).
Now, when I want to place a symbol on my schematic, I select Place > Add Symbol (or hotkey A), and this list shows:
Note: the Project libraries are there (green arrows), my personal Global libraries are there (blue arrow) and if I scrolled further down the list, I would see the Kicad supplied Libraries.
Also note: the Library list in “Choose Symbols” is shown listed in numerical, followed by alphabetical order according to the “Nicknames” given to all libraries available for that particular project.
Finally, the library system for Footprints works exactly the same way as the system for symbols.
There are a couple of FAQs which describe Personal Library creation, manipulation and general tips, here and here if you are not very familiar with this subject.
Sorry for the terse reply/posting. I had already set up a Project Table for symbols, with one symbol, but apparently it wasn’t set up correctly. I read through the getting started guide for version 8.0 and now have the symbol, footprint, and 3D (.step) rendition from a 3rd party, specifically SamacSys from Mouser for TI part number TLV76701DGNR voltage regulator, which is not in any KiCad library. I have a couple of comments/feedback about the getting started guide, where do I go to give feedback? Thanks for all the postings relating to the libraries.
As it says near the top of:
The KiCad project welcomes feedback, bug reports, and suggestions related to the software or its documentation. For more information on how to submit feedback or report an issue, please see the instructions at Report an Issue | KiCad EDA
It would be interesting to read your feedback here, on this forum. Sometimes assumptions (by authors of documents familiar with subjects) are made which confuse “new to the program” users.