I have recently “upgraded” to version 6.0.1 (Windows 10 (build 19042) 64-bit)
Using the Symbol Editor programme, I am trying to associate a particular footprint to the symbol.
According to the following link, this is the process referred to as assigning a “fully defined symbol”.
[Please be clear that I am not talking about the alternative process of assigning footprints to symbols from the schematic editor (the so-called at “schematic design time” process.]
…
You can setup your lib such that your symbols have their footprint pre assigned. This is called a fully defined symbol.
(This footprint will be automatically assigned in KiCad v4. In KiCad v5 you can change the assignment using the new symbol selector dialog.)
…
From the Symbol Editor programme, I open the Library Symbol Properties windows.
The Footprint field is blank.
On clicking on that field, a “books” icon is seen at the right side of the field.
When I double click on the “books”, Kicad crashes out of the Symbol Editor programme, i.e., leaving only the main project window open.
Presumably this is a bug?
From various YouTube videos (relating to V5), the expected behaviour is that the Footprints programme should be opened, allowing selection of the desired footprint to be associated with the symbol.
Is there are alternative workflow to achieve what I am trying to do?
I haven’t used Kicad for several months but recall being able to do what I am describing in version 5 without any such problems.
I hope you were not trying to add a footprint to one of the symbols in the standard KiCad library. Those are read-only and if you want a modified symbol, you need to make a copy in your own library first. Although a crash is not good, that would be a bug.
The Manage Footprint window has standard entries like:
${KICAD6_FOOTPRINT_DIR}/Battery.pretty
I added rows for my own footprints that I had previously designed using version 5.
There was apparently no format conversion process occurring for my own footprints, i.e., it seems that the format/ file names are unchanged between v5 and v6
(whereas, in contrast, a conversion process occurs for symbols).
I can open and rework both the standard footprints and my own footprints.
So to answer the question, “Yes, I believe that I have the footprint libraries installed”.
However, it is not impossible that something is not as it should be?!
No, I had designed a new symbol in v6 and also an associated new footprint in v6.
Then I was trying to associate the footprint with the symbol.
I subsequently also tried to associate a footprint with a standard KiCad library symbol, with the same crash being experienced.
[I didn’t know that it was not possible to do assignments for standard symbols.]
Load Device / R from the treeview in the symbol editor.
Symbol Editor / File / Symbol Properties
Footprint / Bookcase, then selected Button)Switch_SMD/Panasonic_EVQPUK_EVQPUB in the Library browser. (Pretty much some random footprint)
Note: KiCad let me do this with a default, read-only library.
However, when I then try to save that modified resistor, KiCad tells me:
So for me it all works just as expected.
Is your crash reproducible?
Maybe it’s related to some special (defective?) footprint or order in which you push buttons.
Crashes are treated with a high priority on gitlab, but they do need a good desctiption and a way to reproduce the bug.
When the crash occurs, the Footprint Editor window also closes (crashes out) if it was previously open.
i.e., with both the Symbol Editor and Footprint Editor window open, attempting to assign the footprint (from the Footprint Editor) results in both the Symbol Editor and Footprint Editor windows disappearing!
Only the project window remains.
Maybe it’s related to some special (defective?) footprint or order in which you push buttons.
I tried with:
a) A new symbol designed in v6 (with the objective of trying to associate with a new footprint designed in v6 - but I don’t get the chance to select any footprint …)
b) An own symbol previously designed in v5 (with the objective of trying to associate with a footprint previously in v5 - but I don’t get the chance to select any footprint …)
c) A standard KiCad v6 library symbol (… - but I don’t get the chance to select any footprint …)
For each case, clicking the “books” icon at the right of the footprint field results in an immediate crash (closing both the Symbol Editor and, if had been already opened, the Footprint Editor windows).
I am not presented with any footprints to select from - the Symbol Editor and Footprint Editor simply immediately close!
It is easy for me to reproduce - I click that “books” icon for an immediate crash!
I just noticed a weird, but probably deliberate thing.
Open Footprint Editor.
Open Symbol Editor, and a symbol in the Symbol Editor.
Symbol Editor / File / Symbol Properties / Footprint / Bookcase
At the moment you click the bookcase, the Footprint Library Browser opens, but also everything in the Footprint Editor gets blocked. The Tree with footprint greys out, and nothing is selectable as long as the Footprint Library Browser window is open.
KiCad should of course never crash, and I can’t reproduce it.
Only think I can do is to recommend to open a bug report for this on gitlab.
Some things to try:
What happens if you switch to another project. Can you then still reproduce it?
Can you start the Footprint Library Browser from the Schematic Editor, and assign footprints to a schematic symbol?
If that last does work, then you can maybe press [Ctrl + e] in the schematic editor to load that symbol in the Schematic symbol Editor and then save it from a library. Not Ideal, but it may be a workarount to help you get along for the moment.
I just noticed a weird, but probably deliberate thing.
… everything in the Footprint Editor gets blocked.
I don’t get that far before the crash … so can’t comment as what may be may or may not be seen …
You wrote:
Some things to try:
What happens if you switch to another project. Can you then still reproduce it?
Yes - same problem for a different project.
My understanding is that the same symbols and footprints are accessible to any project (since I have my own symbols and footprints all defined as being “Global Libraries”).
Can you start the Footprint Library Browser from the Schematic Editor, and assign footprints to a schematic symbol?
Yes, “Run footprint assignment tool” from the Schematic Editor seems to work as would be expected.
(I haven’t studied it in any great detail but a quick test indicates that it is okay.)
Probably a bug report should be opened?
Can somebody do that?
Just a technical detail: “crash” normally means that the whole program crashes, leaving no running process. KiCad is one process which continues running after this problem, so this is not a crash. It’s better to avoid that word in a possible bug report in this case to avoid any ambiguity.
