Are there Pi Pico library files available for KiCad 6? The references found via Google resulted in ‘Invalid file format’ errors when importing was attempted.
I don’t see one in the list. But, you have some options:
• Create a New Footprint (in Footprint Editor)
• Download the 3D Model (step Design file)
• Link the step file to the footrpint
The Step model is Not colored but, you can open it in FreeCAD and color it and export it with colors (step or wrl)
I’ve used only a couple of Pico’s (very fast and lot’s of bang-for-the-buck). But, I don’t like programming micorcontrollers with Python so, I used the Arduino IDE (it has Lib’s for Pico). It had limits on port access (6 months ago) but, I imagine it’s improved by now…
Screenshot of a Pico Footrpint I just made in Kicad (took about 45 seconds. Did not add THT/pad/PinHeaders…etc… was just a quick demo for this post)
Screenshot of quickly colored (generally speaking, to give the idea. Done in FreeCAD. WRL and Step attached for you to Hack up…
Pico-R3-PICOPICO_assm_140121.step (947.8 KB)
Pico-R3-PICOPICO_assm_140121.wrl (3.0 MB)
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Thanks, BlackCoffee.
I’ve used EDA since the IBM PC was new, but the best free and affordable ones keep getting bought up by the high-priced crowd and morphed into hypercomplex uselessness to protect their existing product from competition.
Wish I had a dollar for every symbol and footprint I’ve developed …
The image, though, won’t be much use for ERC.
Cheers, Ballardhill
Browsing the design files, the original PCB was created in Cadence Allegro
What you need is a symbol with all of the I/O connections and a footprint with the mounting holes and connectors, which calls the STEP 3D model
The PDF schematic and STEP model are sufficient to do this
I don’t use PIs at all but a quick search at github found GitHub - ncarandini/KiCad-RP-Pico: A simple repository of files needed to add a 3D footprint of the Raspberry Pi Pico board to KiCad.. Not sure of quality etc. but it seems to mention KiCad 6 in the commit history.
Thanks for that pointer, TheBigg! I tried to add that library with Manage Symbol Libraries and got
an error message when the libraries were loaded at first Place into my schematic:
Does this offer any hint about what I may be doing wrong? Or have I also uploaded the error dialog image incorrectly?
I HAVE used KiCad many years ago, I think about Version 4, but KiCad improves so rapidly it really has to be tracked closely to remain competent with it!
Thanks for your consideration …
Does this offer any hint about what I may be doing wrong?
Yes.
It seems you have downloaded only an URL-file pointing to the kicad-library, not the library itself.
You should have a file ****.kicad_sym after your download. To verify you could look into this file (with simple ASCII-Text-editor/viewer), it’s a pure text-file. The first line should read something like:
(kicad_symbol_lib (version 20211014) (generator kicad_symbol_editor)
Be aware that you also need a suitable footprint file (this is a directory, normally named something ****.pretty) to connect with the symbol.
After some random fiddling about, i did get a copy of the _sym file into my KiCad Library directory, along with the entire .pretty directory from github.
I viewed the _sym file in my browser and see the first line it is supposed to have, but KiCad still returns the same error message as previously reported.
Frustrating.
Thanks for your help, though!
For me, Github / ncarandini was also the first that popped up after a general search.
So I just cloned it
paul@cezanne:~/projects/kicad$ git clone https://github.com/ncarandini/KiCad-RP-Pico.git
and noticed there is a Test directory in it with a simple KiCad V6 project and it opens normally.
So, if you have trouble with this thing, then I assume it’s with general library management.
Random fiddling is usually not very productive.
On top of that, it seems to be a very simple footprint. Just some variant of a DIL based breakout board. Such footprints can be made in KiCad itself in about 10 minutes (After the initial fiddling though the learning curve).
I used the colored Model I (provided above) and made a Footprint with it, adding two Pin-Headers. Now, you can place the Footprint on a PCB, as-is.
It’s a Complete Footprint that uses the .wrl model (I prefer them because of nice coloring).
It does Not include Pins or Pads for the three Pads on the end, or the Big rings… You can Tweak the heck out of it to suit your needs… (make a new footprint with those Pad/rings if wanted and use the Wrl model. And, pretty-up the Silk, too)
CLARIFICATION: The model/Footprint contains PCB Edge-Cuts, thus, a Stand-Alone Footprint. You did NOT indicate how you want to use the Model/Footprint so, I made Stand-Alone with Edge Cuts. If you don’t want that (such as wanting to place the PICO on a PCB, you’ll need to either edit the Footprint, Make your own or, lower the Z-height to bury it’s PCB/edge-Cuts into the surrounding PCB (and ignore any DRC)… The world is your oyster…
ADDED: There are No DRC errors/warnings for the Footrprint (last screenshot)
This .wrl model includes the Pin-Headers (if I grabbed the right one 
Pi_Pico_wHeaders.wrl (2.0 MB)
The Complete Footprint:
Pi_PICO_wHeaders.kicad_mod (895 Bytes)
Some symbols and footprints for Pico and Pico W (note that importing a derived symbol is broken, though). Symbols with alternate pin names and footprints with rounded pads. Pico and Pico W footprints are overlaid, so they need to be edited and parts removed, renamed or moved to different layers (Pico H measurements aren’t available yet).
Parameters for above 3D models are:
- Scale X/Y/Z: 0.3937/0.3937/0.3937
- Rotation X/Y/Z: -90°/0°/0°
- Offset X/Y/Z: -1.61/-49.63/0.50 mm
Untested but public domain (H & WH symbols see here; newer footprints here)…
Pico-KiCad.zip (21.8 KB)
There exists also a spring contacts footprint with an example project (see FlexyPin adapter: springs as used in ESP{8266,32}-DevKitS, with ⌀ 0.4 mm):
Continued:
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