Hi all, Following all instructions for creating a personal library. Have created new library and named it new library. Then the instructions say navigate to personal kicad symbol folder. I can’t find this anywhere.
Can anybody tell me where to find this please? I am using windows 10.
I don’t have the simple answer you are requesting but using KiCad 6 and earlier I was always able to put my own library wherever I wanted. I think it should be placed somewhere well removed from the standard KiCad library. Have you tried windows search?
Hi @petercl14
You followed the guide in the FAQ here?
The fifth paragraph down (line 15) starts:
The first thing to do is create the Folders for your user Libraries……
These folders need to be created with your OS (Win 10), NOT with Kicad. So, minimize Kicad and create a couple of folders naming one “my symbol libraries” and another “my footprint libraries”.
I could improve the instructions 
If your still nor sure, please post.
The location of the personal KiCAD symbol folder may vary depending on the installation method and operating system you are using. You can Click on “Preferences” in the menu bar, then select “Configure Paths”.
In the “Configure Paths” dialog box, look for the “User symbol libraries” section.
Next to “User symbol libraries”, click on the folder icon to open the folder location.
This should open the directory where your personal KiCAD symbol folder is located.
Alternatively, you can manually navigate to the personal KiCAD symbol folder by following this path:
C:\Users\YourUserName\Documents\KiCAD\YourProjectName\
ok JMK now made a new folder in documents called personal kicad folder. In this folder 2 more folders called symbols and footprints. Where to now? Somehow I now have to get symbols into this folder called symbols. How do I do this? The symbol folder is empty at the moment. Suppose I want to get the symbol for a resistor into this folder. How do I do that? Then if this is possible where to from there? Thanks.
Read the second FAQ on this subject:
It’s enough if you read the “Getting Started” part first.
Are these folders created with your OS or are they empty libraries you have created with Kicad and placed in your “personal Kicad Folder”?
IIRC from other threads KiCad creates template directories for a user on the first run of KiCad.
Sorry, don’t understand.
Look, this appeared in ~/.local/share/kicad/7.0 on my system:
$ ls .local/share/kicad/7.0
3dmodels 3rdparty footprints plugins projects scripting symbols template
I certainly did not create those manually, and they are all empty, I have my own locations for my libraries. So I think something analogous happens on the other platforms.
And they all have a mtime of 15 Feb which is I think the first time I ran 7.0.0. Obviously 7.0.1 didn’t update them, as it saw they already existed.
I have these but they are full of Kicad libraries.
For personal libraries I had create folders somewhere.
Then something is wrong because Linux package installation never installs things in user directories. Anything to go into user directories has to be triggered by the user, usually on first run.
The folders were made from my windows 10 OS as suggested by you. Now need to know how to get symbols into the symbols folder which is a subset of my personal kicad folder.
OK, now you have the folders, you have to create libraries to place in the folders, as per the FAQ.
When the libraries have been created, you then place the symbols and footprints in those created libraries.
Your path to a symbol will then look like:
Personal Kicad Folder / Symbol Folder / (One of many?) Symbol library / symbol
Please reply if you understand so I can start writing how to place a symbol in a library.
@retiredfeline
Kicad has not created any folders on my OS in which I am able to place personal libraries.
I had to create my own. They exist on a different drive.
Fine, just be aware that on some platforms, maybe not yours, the first run of KiCad creates sample directories for the user. Of course, one does not have to use them, but don’t be surprised if in some questions somebody asks: am I supposed to use these?
Thank you, that information is new to me.
There is no information regarding that in the “Getting Started” write-up either.
Personally, I don’t think it is a good idea, it means the user has to go hunting for something that may not exist, so just adds to the confusion of an already seemingly confusing topic for many newcomers.
KiCad is evolving so enhancements appear all the time. Probably it was felt that no harm would be done in creating sample directories and the documentation would catch up later.
Edit: I think it would be better in future if the user could do it all from the respective editors and not have to go to the OS. It can then suggest the sample location. And also allow create on demand when a symbol or footprint is to be added.
ok now how do I get a symbol library to place in my symbol folder? You say one of many. Does this mean perhaps that I could somehow get a symbol library from my ltspice list of symbols? or otherwise where can I get this symbol library? thanks.