Is there a way to add missing footprints to the ones coming with KiCad?
I tend to use some old components like 74HC circuits and many of those are missing the footprints.
I’d like to contribute those ones i add to my local installation so everyone can use them if possible.
Contributions to the official library are made via the github repos. And yes this might require you learning at least the basics of git. (The github help pages are a good starting point. For advanced explanations i would look at the atlassian tutorials: https://www.atlassian.com/git/tutorials)
Make sure you read both the license agreement of the libraries (As your contribution will be published under that license) and the library convention (As we only accept contributions that fulfill the convention. At least within reason.)
Be prepared that you might need to invest more time into every asset that you want to share when compared to making one only for yourself. (A footprint must exactly fit either the dimensions given in the datasheet or for standardized packages the appropriate industry standard. Meaning if a measurement is given to 3 significant digits then your footprint must agree to all of them.)
Generic footprints for standardized packages must be made using the footprint generators found in https://github.com/pointhi/kicad-footprint-generator/tree/master/scripts/Packages if there is one that can generate a footprint for your package. We have a generator for all standard gullwing and no lead packages. (Meaning SO, SOIC, SOP, QFP, QFN, DFN, LGA, … packages must all be scripted now as long as they are standardized.)
This is because it cuts down on our workload quite significantly. Both for the first time check of a contribution and for later maintenance tasks.
For symbols similar standards apply. One example that trips up many first time contributors is that we really care about pin types. These must be well thought through to ensure the symbol does not weaken ERC more than necessary. (Generic symbols have their limitations. Especially for parts that have multiple pin configurations.)
Additionally: make sure you use version 5 as we only accept contributions made with the current stable release of kicad. (Any version 5 release will do. Best results should be achieved with version 5.1.0)
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