Database Libraries - Massive Public Library Offerings A Possibility? Pull What You Need?

[itsko]

With the ability to implement database libraries is coming in KiCAD 7,
does that mean that on the horizon there could be
publicly-maintained database libraries,
potentially providing sweeping libraries from which kicad simply
pulls data/files associated with a specific part when the part first appears in a project?

Would Ultralibrarian or SnapEDA be incentivized to provide hookups to a universal database,
rather their current method in which folks frequently download individual packages?

(Would Digikey be incentivized to do so, only including parts available in their shop?)

If so, are any already in the works (even if it’s quite far out)?

[paulvdh]

Well, KiCad is an Open Source program, and it’s libraries are pretty open too:

Libraries License

The Idea has been mentioned before. Digikey also made a library some years ago.
The problem is that a library is not of much use without quality. And that means a lot of maintenance, which is relatively boring work.

Idea: A "Personal Library" Exchange Area?

We all create our own symbol and footprint libraries to meet the demands of our designs. But there’s so much duplicate work in there, that a common exchange might be a good thing. What so you think about sharing your libraries? poll

Wishlist library sharing

One good tool will be a optional symbol sharing. This say that the symbols can be uploaded to a cloud shared library. This will save a lot of effort (and create another, a moderator choose with of 20 uploaded is the best)

[Sprig]

@paulvdh

The problem is that a library is not of much use without quality. And that means a lot of maintenance, which is relatively boring work.

In my experience, that maintenance is time consuming and prone to have “silly” errors.

[marekr]

I think eventually database libraries may get extended to HTTP/REST, but the current database implementation should not be used on a mass internet scale. It’s meant for your corporate/local use.
I can’t even think of insanity of trying to get a database server to accept 50k+ randomly located remote connections without that pissing cost away, not to mention database servers aren’t really intended for that kind of application.

Though on a different opinion. The quality of Ultralibririan and SnapEDA is quite poor. They are simply converting symbols/footprints from a universal definition. I end up having to fix all of them because they have no consistency even as companies.

[m852]

Services that provide libraries for kicad help reduce the development time of the word low quality is not appropriate here. This is a workpiece that you need to check and edit for yourself, but it is much faster than drawing 3d yourself to fill in the sheet data, etc. The probability that you use components from your native library without changes is very small. Here is an example of implementation GitHub - issus/altium-library: Open source Altium Database Library with over 165,000 high quality components and full 3d models.

[m852]

In any case, it is better when there is such a service and everyone decides to use it themselves or not

[marekr]

Fyi, the other thing not mentioned here. KiCad’s “database libraries” do not download symbols or footprints. All the database system is doing is letting you create an inventory of stored metadata, fields and internal assignments to existing library parts.

@m852

The probability that you use components from your native library without changes is very small.

Actually in established design shops, you are reusing components alot. You keep costs down through economy of scale and building up that intimate knowledge with certain components.
In which case we create the symbols and footprints ourselves to our standard and just maintain them :shrug:

[m852]

Fyi, the other thing not mentioned here. KiCad’s “database libraries” do not download symbols or footprints. All the database system is doing is letting you create an inventory of stored metadata, fields and internal assignments to existing library parts.
It all depends on the further development of this function, it only appeared

The components are not only footprints and the symbols are also a purchase with a search and the number and price are important there… At this stage, all this is happening manually… As for the standard, it is one for all this ipc

[retiredfeline]

Re: databases and metadata. It’s not true that you must have files to hold the content of libraries. Databases can and do store content. Fields in tables can be binary blobs which can be very large, certainly sufficient to hold KiCad item data.

As for downloading, that’s a separate issue.

[davidsrsb]

Footprints and symbols can be created very quickly
It’s the 3D models that are hard work and most manufacturers models have restrictive licences for sharing

[m852]

You can always use public models in the end kicad is not a program for 3d 2d modeling of bodies and parts