Configure Path, I do not get what I want (non experienced user)

[jakob]

After Reading “Creating a new footprint library” and Library management in KiCAD version 5". My understanding now is:

• the libraries in C:\Programm Files\KiCad\share … are write protected and will be overwritten installing a new KiCad Version. So I copied all under “share” to my User Folder. Then I tried to set the path variables as follow:

KICAD_SYMBOL_DIR C:\Users\jakob\KiCADprojekte\MyLibraries\share\kicad\library
KICAD_TEMPLATE_DIR C:\Users\jakob\KiCADprojekte\MyLibraries\share\kicad\template
KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR C:\Users\jakob\KiCADprojekte\MyLibraries
KIGITHUB https://github.com/KiCad
KISYS3DMOD C:\Users\jakob\KiCADprojekte\MyLibraries\share\kicad\modules\packages3d
KISYSMOD C:\Users\jakob\KiCADprojekte\MyLibraries\share\kicad\modules

Problem: If I restart KiCAD again the default Path are back again.
What I am doing wrong?
I am in KiCAD 5.1.5-3 on Win10 pro
Thank you for your advice. Jakob

[Rene_Poschl]

The reason the libs are write protected is such that you can receive updates sometime in the future. If you now modify a copy of the libs then you lock yourself into the current version or you will loose your personal modifications.

I therefore strongly suggest you leave the system libs alone and make a parallel library structure for your personal stuff. You can then if you want copy single assets from the official lib into your personal one and modify that asset as you wish.