Create a new footprint library in KiCad 7 on Win 10

Layout Footprints
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I have found that I can create new footprint libraries in KiCad 7 on Win 10 by using File Manager to first create a folder inside my footprints folder, and naming the new folder with the name I want to use for my new footprint library. Then, I open Footprint Manager, followed by Manage Footprint Libraries, and then click the black folder Icon which reopens my footprint folder. I choose the new folder I just created, and Footprint Manager grabs it as a new library.

Is that the normal way? Thanks.

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@jmk wrote a FAQ on libraries: Kicad 6 Beginners Guide to Personal Symbol and Footprint Libraries

PS: In case it isn’t clear, you are both right. You have to create the directory in the filesystem somehow and register the new library with KiCad.

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If you create it as (local) plugin (might be more convenient in the long term), it will register automatically in KiCad 7 (names start with PCM_).

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Once (2017) I have created (with file manager) all my global footprint libraries. Then inserted them in the KiCad library list (deleting all KiCad libraries from list). Since then I had no need to create any new library.
If I want to use a KiCad footprint as a start for my footprint I copy it (with file manager) to one of my libraries, rename and then modify with footprint editor.

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Or, in the footprint/symbol editor:
Find the Kicad footprint/symbol to modify.
File / Save as, which opens a window in which you name the part and select the library.

Or you can use copy/paste in the footprint/symbol editor.

That is three methods.
All give the same result and take about the same time.

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What is footprint/symbol manager?
I didn’t know that I can find KiCad footprint in library that is not in my library list.
May be it is in V7 I didn’t installed yet.

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Sorry @Piotr

It should have been “footprint/symbol editor”. I have edited the above post to “editor” from manager.

Instead of deleting the official libraries, I hide them using “Manage Symbol/Footprint Libraries” in “Preferences”.
I also change the position of the ones I keep by altering the “nicknames” of personal libraries to keep mine at the top of the list.
See my FAQ https://forum.kicad.info/t/kicad-6-beginners-guide-to-personal-symbol-and-footprint-libraries/38738 for full explanations.

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I have reviewed all the replies to my first post in this thread, and appreciate all the input. There are several people here who are truly experts.

I noticed that when I use File Manager to create folders for footprints, I can name the folder without the “.pretty” extension, but when I use the Footprint Editor to create a new library, the “.pretty” extension is automatically added. Does it matter whether or not the “.pretty” extension is used? Does it affect the way the library functions?

Thanks again.

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It doesn’t matter. It’s just a convention. If I’m not totally mistaken, .pretty isn’t actually used anywhere by KiCad except as a suggestion. It’s just a folder which includes footprint files.

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It was just some dev’s idea in the past for a default extension, maybe they felt footprints were artistic. I named mine something.footprints. Name them how you wish.

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If they are your own, personally made footprints, maybe “.beautiful” would be a more descriptive extension than “.pretty”. :smiley:

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PCM does enforce it, though (package.py).

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FWIW, “.sweet” was sometime planned or suggested to be the ending for the new symbol library format. I think that was when they still thought the symbol libraries would be folders like the footprint libraries.

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OT: A long time ago I read a sentence that managed to include two pairs of opposites: This building is a little big and pretty ugly for its location. :wink:

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