Can't select library to save footprint and other anomalies

I hereby certify that I am not simply asking someone else to design a footprint for me.
I’m having an issue where I cannot seem to select a library to save a footprint. I have created a library via various means (File | New Library, File | Save | New Library…) but I cannot get it to show up in the library tree or in the Save Footprint dialog. However, I can get it to show up in the Manage Footprint Libraries dialog. There, I’m getting some weirdness (Visible column not showing by default, when I turn it in, it shows up as a column of 1s instead of checkboxes). Thoughts on what I’m doing wrong? This issue shows up in 8.0.2 and 8.0.3. Thanks!

Did you add the library (2nd button from left at the bottom)?

Try moving the files out of Dropbox folder.

Thanks for the suggestion. I did–no change in result.

I tried the following:

  • Pausing dropbox (I’ve seen other software have issues when it can’t lock a file because DB is syncing it)
  • Saving outside of dropbox (c:\tmp) which was also saving with a shorter path in case I was running against path length limitations

Unfortunately, none of these remedied the issue.

I saw this thread which seems to describe the same symptom, but the fix does not seem to apply to my situation–the full path is in the title bar in my case.

Any other thoughts? Thanks!

When I click on Footprint Editor / File / New Library it gets added to the bottom of the list in the “Footprint Libraries” dialog, but to the top of the list in the tree view in the footprint editor.

It seems silly to mention this, but you still may have overlooked it.

OK…rebooted my machine and the issue seems to have gone away for now (knock on wood). Is everyone else’s “visible” column in Manage Footprint Libraries not shown by default (and when enabled, shows a 1 instead of a checkbox)?

Interesting (7.0.10).
In managing symbols, I have the “Visible” column.
In managing footprints, I don’t.

Never worried about it, don’t use is (what for?).

Same for me.
But you can change these defaults by right clicking on the label row.

For the symbols it shows checkboxes, while it shows ones for the footprints.

It’s a little inconsistency, I’m not sure whether it’s worth reporting it on gitlab.

Answering “what for?”:
In my KiCad - Spice configuration I have my symbol libraries + original KiCad Spice-Simulation library (I’m not sure of name) because I didn’t copied/modified all symbols into my libraries. I have its visibility-off to not see it when adding symbol to schematic. Making it off instead of deleting from library list allows easier to see it back - I need not to search it among all KiCad libraries.

Hi @SKSSF

This FAQ explains how to manage Personal Libraries.

Please do.
“Visible” in the PCB Libraries is stupid and confusing. Not only are there 1s & 0s that don’t seem to work but also “Visible” disappears every time the “Manage Footprint Libraries” is closed.

Thanks, but that was not the issue.

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Done and done: Manage footprint libraries dialog UI visible column not working as expected (#18183) · Issues · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab

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