Ahahaha … too cold for my taste…
I feel more comfy like that
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The new SMD chip Capacitor models from the script (.STEP and .WRL) has been merged into the offical library 
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The new SMD Capacitor Elec and Tantalum models from the script (.STEP and .WRL) has been merged into the official library
Working with MCAD is getting easier STEP by step
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Those look really good 
Am I correct in seeing that the latest Nightly for Windows does not download the step files when I use the 3D shapes files downloader?
yes, you need to have a local github copy, I was unsure how to do this
https://forum.kicad.info/t/update-the-libraries-modules-packages3d-from-github/5171?u=dbrown2k
However the footprints still need to be updated to include the step files.
Updating footprints to use the step 3D file would break 4.0.5, so I can see why this is not done yet.
Nightly builds should at least have an option to download step versions as they are designed to handle them
for 4.05 it is possible to use WRL counterpart files (same name, same dimensions, better look)
the same can be done for Nigthly
Correctly imo kicad_mod files are pointing to WRL files
that could be an additional useful option, but still I prefer to use WRL in 3D viewer because its powerful good looking rendering
I wonder if there can be an option to add both STEP and WRL models to a footprint, preference the WRL for rendering and the STEP for export…
if you add both models to footprint, you will have both rendered (which is correct I think)
StepUp already renders WRL and convert STEP without any change needed in footprint library
This was some time ago discussed with @cbernardo but I don’t remember the result.
This may need some format change on files to flag if user wants to render or use that model for export …etc I don’t know…
From my understanding, given that the step files do not need scaling information, is there any reason for them to be mentioned in the footprint files at all? could there not just be a check made against the wrl file name for file with same name with step/stp format and use that on export?
I think this questions should be discussed on development mailing list and by/if someone that can implement it
It’s tricky so in the end I decided not to use flags. The issues are:
(a) in the future someone might add yet another MCAD format or some format such as PRC which can contain MCAD data; at the moment we have IGES, STEP, IDF
(b) Users may have a mix of models; component X may have a socket and an IC and each using a different 3D model format
© For complex projects It’s a nuisance to flag every model to select one of “render,mcad export,both”
Personally I only use the models for mechanical checks so I never use VRML and people who are more interested in eyecandy would probably use VRML exclusively. As Maurice has pointed out, using his tools allows you to quickly switch between MCAD and visual (and all it costs is a little time spent specifying how to make a STEP model look pretty when it’s exported to VRML).
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What about adding a simpler flag where each model assigned to a footprint can be enabled/disabled?
In this fashion we can pre-add all official models to a part, and it’s a simple task to enabled/disable a given model rather than having to add it manually to the footprint?
The new Housings_SOIC models from the script (.STEP and .WRL) has been merged into the official library
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hey Peeps
the SMA, SMB and SMC have been updated
next up: DFN, QFN, SOT, SSOP, TSSOP and SOD
slightly off topic has it been proposed to change the VRML unit to 1mm for V5?
if all the footprints scaling got changed to 2.54 and then all the scriptbased models got regenerated I dont think it should be too much troubles.
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Humm… changing the wrl scale from the previous value to the new one will break the compatibility from v4 boards to v5 boards generating a big mess imo… users which have produced boards with 4.0 would have to change all kicad_pcb files to align the new behavior … moreover all the 3D libs would need to be refactored again…
which would be the advantages to have vrml in scale 1mm instead of the actual 1/2.54?
it easy to set scale factor inside the module property if someone wants to model a VRML from scratch…
But in general, for a mechanical point of view, only STEP model has the meaning to be in scale 1:1
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No, VRML units will not be changed to 1mm. Aside from breaking the past behavior, this would also be pointless because other sources of models use different arbitrary units anyway.
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I guess you guys are right, not worth the troubles
alot of people have troubles figuring out this when getting started with 3d models.
ofcourse this isnt an issue when using your tool
most other sources I have seen used 1mm, thought it was quite common around (I know there is no standard).