Hello All,
I’m a newbie with Kicad. I was attempting to migrate a downloaded library from the CXDA website of a BA1404 chip. When I navigated to the folder through the Kicad footprint libraries manager the files that I downloaded doesn’t show up. Am I missing something. Maybe the file formats are wrong? I have uploaded Images of what I have. Since we can only put one image per post, I have placed the others in a reply to this post.
My conclusion from 2 weeks ago:
There wasn’t a BA1404 library in Kicad. I just thought it would be nice to just download one instead of creating one, since I was new to using this kind of software. Thanks for your reply though 
Before designing my fist PCB with KiCad I made my libraries with all symbols and footprints needed for that first PCB. Defining symbols/footprints is much easier than designing PCB so if you plan to do PCBs than why not just start from beginning and then be completely independent.
As with KiCad I sow 3D element models for the first time I have also learned to use FreeCAD to design 3D models. But in this case I will not say that it is easy. At first I designed some models (including terminal blocks for example) myself and then till now I always found needed by me model in KiCad library or at Wurth www.
The only problem you will encounter is to make your first libraries. As I was doing it in 2017 with KiCad V4 everything was different. You should find some help in FAQs (top of forum page).
I don’t insist to use my way. One of advantages (what I didn’t even expected when decided) is when KiCad main version changes. People have to mix their own libraries with KiCad new library set and till now there is no automatic way (may be with V9 will be) and I just tell new KiCad version to use my library list from previous version - done.
Symbols are just simple graphics with pins - really easy. Footprint I always start from copying one of previously defined or one from KiCad library, and then always modify it as I decided to have them being little different than in KiCad library.
Hi @Bill_Poole
For future reference when using this forum, this FAQ may help.
With regards to downloading 3rd party items: did you load the symbols, footprints and 3D images into their appropriate personal libraries you created?
KiCad ships with generic 3D models of 18 pin DIP packages. Normal workflow is to use these, not some specific device.
Further to davidsrsb’s comment:
Kicad has the footprint for a BA1404.
You will find it in the Library “Package_DIP”. You can use either CERDIP-18_W7.62mm packages.
All you need to create is a symbol. This is just a rectangle with 18 pins appropriately named and placed (Vcc on top, two Gnds on bottom and the rest on the LH & RH sides).
The KiCad philosophy is not to create per symbol footprints and 3D models where possible. This is unlike the Eagle way and was done to keep to avoid unnecessary duplication and to library sizes sane.
This is new, and very, very hard to believe information for me. I didn’t know that anyone can get the idea of defining separate footprint and 3D model for each of for example hundreds of DIL14 (or SO14) digital ICs instead of having just one for all of them.
Eagle had the concept of a component library, that had both symbol and footprint
Thanks for that info. It helps a lot I found that in the Kicad libraries and with the help of a couple of youtube vids I learned how to edit the symbol. It was very easy.
