Hi P and E,
Thanks, but what do I do?
C
Hi,
I think I’ve done it? I’m not sure quite what I did, but it’s something like this:
I opened the compass, that I made yesterday, exported it. Opened the new schematic and imported it, and it appeared in the new SCH.
C.
So, from your screenshot, you did make it a “global library”, but you used a path name that is relative to the current project:
That means that every project expects to find that library in it’s own directory.
When you create a new library, then KiCad asks you whether it should use an absolute or a relative path. For a global library you should always choose an absolute path.
Hi P,
I’m really getting mixed up now, at one point I lost the SYMBOL I made the other day, but Kicad rescue brought it back.
There appear to be 2x libraries. 1x AK8963C and the other CAMERART. What I triedto do was delete CAMERART and add it again trying to follow your instructions, but it didn’t appear.
At the moment the library looks like this, with no CAMERART.
I would like a Global CAMERART with my symbols inside if poss, please.
C
If you want to use this symbol as a GLOBAL library, you need to move your library OUTSIDE of your project and relink it in the library manager (the tab you are showing). Make a new directory somewhere ‘Camerart libraries’ If you want it as a local, ‘Project specific library’, use the ‘Project Specific Libraries’ tab.
${KIPJMOD} is ‘shorthand’ for the current project directory (technically this is an 'Environmental Variable) - so putting a link to the current project in the global library table will cause confusion. Each time you start a new project, KiCad will complain as this library will obviously not exist in the new project.
Generally, I would suggest that every time you make a new symbol, you put it in a personal, GLOBAL library so you can use it again in future. The disadvantage used to be that the project then became rather less portable. In KiCad 6 this is less of an issue.
Final reminder, DO NOT put your personal assets in a KiCad supplied library. These should NOT be modified as any future update WILL wipe them out. If you want to use a KiCad asset as a basis for a new symbol, copy it into your own library first.
Hi J1 and J2 
Yes, I’m still lost!
I think the correct process, for designing a symbol and seeing it through the system to produce a PCB, is beyond my skills.
This is a rare thing to do, and between them I will forget, like a couple of times before, so I’ve decided that for me, the best way, is to do it as I did in my 1st post here, and simply draw each one as I go along into my PCBs.
Thanks,
C
Addition to John_Pateman’s last post:
If KiCad asks you whether you want to use an absolute or a relative path, then choose an absolute path.
Hi J and P,
To clarify! Is it possible to have my own folder, (e,g, DEVICE) where I can put all of my old and new creations into, and ADD it into the Global list?
OR, I put all of my creations into a separate folder, and FIND and add them into any project?
C
Yes, of course.
That is exactly what we’ve been trying to tell you all along.
1 Like
Hi P,
It sounds like I’m not following, and that’s true, but I’m trying to.
I thought I did that with the CAMERART folder, that I added to Global, as suggested, then Kicad complained, then I got completely tangled.
I’ll have another go.
Remember ‘patience is a virtue’
C.
Indeed…
If you add a library name to the global table, but then use a relative path, then each of your projects that tries to find that library uses the relative path, and it’s relative to that project, and that is the part that does not work.
Hi,
If we go back to #19, it says ‘choose absolute path’ I’m not getting that choice.
I’m using Windows 10.
C
Did you go back to 7 (for global) or 8 (for Project) and complete one before getting confused with paths?
Hi J,
Do you mean #7 and #8? Since posting my #19 post, the #'s have gone, so now I don’t see them???
C
Hi,
I’ve been through all of the steps over and over, including removing ak8963c as suggested. (I saved it in the CAMERART folder) I still don’t see the absolute/relative path choice. (I’m slightly dyslexic)
As you can see during my ‘going round in circles’ ak8963c has appeared back including 2x test CAMERART folders in a separate place, with ak8963c.lib, AK8963C-cache and AK8963C-rescue inside each. Happily I can mess about and not loose it.
Here is a screen shot of what just happened, while trying a new project called ‘test’.
C
I don’t know what you were trying to achieve in your screenshot but you are editing the library instance in bold (ak8963c) and not the highlighted line. I would remove this and the other CAMERART_LIBS directories and just stick to the instance in your CAMERART library.
I think I also replied to you in another thread
about how to design symbols.
Unfortunately, this is exactly not how to draw a symbol - you have tried to follow the pinout exactly - even to the extent of casting it as a square box to match the package shape.
It will be fiddly to connect up and have crossing wires and no logical flow.
Make it a bigger, rectangular block with power at top, GND at bottom, and arrange your spi bus pins together to match your controller pinout. Your schematic will be much cleaner.
Hi J,
Yes, you’ve replied to me before.
The point of the screen shot was to show the ‘unhandled exeption’ which either shut down Kicad or didn’t allow any progress.
I have mentioned that, when following the previous instructions, I’m not getting the Absolute/relative choice, which I think may be the problem. This is why I’ve tried so many libraries with different names. I use capitals sometimes so I can see what’s happening.
As for design symbols, in this case it’s easier for me to have the symbol in the same shape as the footprint. I may change as I practice.
C
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