Sorry all, I’m sure this has been answered before, but I have tried searching every combination of footprint-create-text-github, etc I can think of with no luck.
I need to create a footprint for this part: TC33X-2-502E.
I found some text on Github, but no file: https://github.com/alexisvl/kicad-pcblib/blob/master/manuf.pretty/BOURNS-TC33X-2.kicad_mod
How to I convert this text into a file footprint?
Thanks!
I will assume you are working in KiCAD version 5.0.x. You do not mention your OS, but I will assume you know how to navigate its file system, create files and directories, search for files, etc.
If you have not yet started your personal library of symbols and footprints, create its directory structure now. The FAQ article, “Library management in KiCad version 5” has a suggested directory structure, or you can create a directory structure based on your machine’s existing storage organization, your employer’s guidelines for users’ files, your personal preferences, etc. It is important that you have full READ/WRITE/EDIT/DELETE privileges for files in your personal library! (And it is unwise to use the library folders in the KiCAD installation directory for your personal libraries, because these directories will be over-written when KiCAD updates.)
Create a folder in your personal footprint library and give it a suitable name. For this footprint, the folder could be named simply “Potentiometers.pretty”, or a more descriptive name such as “Trimpots_SMD.pretty”, “Bourns_Pots_SMD.pretty”, “Footprints_for_My_Awesome_Project.pretty”, “The_Most_HUMBLY_Magnificent_Footprints_In_The_Galaxy.pretty”, etc. As far as Kicad is concerned, the only requirement is that the folder name must have the extension “.pretty”.
Open a text editor such as “Notepad++” and start a new document. Copy the 29 lines of text from your link to the document in your text editor.
Save the document from your text editor to a file in the folder you created in Step 2, above. It must be saved as a basic ASCII text file, and the filename must have the extension “.kicad_mod”. The filename could be “Potentiometer_Trimmer_SMD_Bourns_TC33X-2.kicad_mod”, or “Trimpot_TC33X-2_Bourns.kicad_mod”, or “Itty_Bitty_Gain_Adjuster_Thingy.kicad_mod”, etc.
Add this new directory to the KiCAD library table. This procedure is described in the FAQ article mentioned in Step 1, above, or you may refer to the FAQ article “Creating a new footprint library”.
Depending on your requirements, you may want to copy the entire library provided by GitHuib user “alexisvl”, using the “Clone or download” feature at “KiCAD Libraries from Alexisvl on GitHub”.
CAUTION: These footprints appear to be several years old. They will probably load and work with KiCAD 4.0.x or 5.0.x, but they almost certainly do not conform to the latest “KiCAD Library Convention”. In particular, they do not follow the current naming conventions so you may find an identical footprint, or a more up-to-date footprint in the current KiCAD libraries but with a different name.
Whenever you use a footprint for the first time - especially when the footprint comes from an outside source (even the component manufacturer!) - you should audit it against the published Datasheet.
Dale
You already got a longer answer. Here’s a short answer to you question, namely how to download a single github file. In case you don’t know it already.
Just hover the mouse over the Raw button above the text. Open the context menu, select “Save link as…”. Then you can simply download the file. There’s no need for a text editor.
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