Downloaded symbol, footprint; KiCAD says "invalid footprint"

I downloaded MCP6032-E/MS from Ultralibrarian. Added symbol & footprint to libraries. Inserting symbol. KiCAD says “invalid footprint selected”. What is going on?

Check the Footprint field in the symbol’s properties. It has possibly a wrong footprint library reference; just re-link to your correct footprint.

I see now that KiCAD has changed, without my permission, the name from MCP6032-E/MS to MCP6032-E(slash)MS in the footprint library. That might be the reason. Is “/” not permitted? I’m afraid that if I re-enter the footprint, it will just change the name again, and I’m not getting anywhere.

You can’t use slash anyway, the footprint name is the file name, and slashes can’t be used in file names because they are directory separators. Or maybe they can using escaping mechanism, but it doesn’t mean you should do that. Just give up and accept that slash can’t be used in footprint names.

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Yes, slash in the symbol or footprint name is a big no-no for KiCad. I used to name Microchip parts with the slash in the name and it ended up corrupting my library. (It was in the 5.99 days, not sure if that would happen again)

The slash comes down from Ultralibrarian. I’m not adding it. They have amended the filename, but the slash is still somewhere in there. How to remove it?

All KiCad footprints and symbols can be viewed and edited with a text editor.
I prefer notepad++ for this

I tried the same with a name that does not have a slash.(LM358). Same thing, invalid footprint.

Why not use a footprint from a Kicad library?

MSOP-8 versions are higher in the same library list.

Could this be a KiCad version conflict between V5.1, V6 and V6.99?
What is you version?
What version is this 3rd party site sending?

My KiCAD is version 6.0.2

To jmk: a good idea, and it might work, but how do I know which one of the 9 alternatives is MSOP8_MC_MCH? Those names have only the dimensions.

You are running a very stale Stable version. Many bugs have been fixed and some of these were affecting “escaping”

Hi @harjunmaa

The " -E/MS" is packaging information. See:

Maybe that is why “invalid footprint” shows.

What is" _MC_MCH" ?

The Kicad library shows 9 different footprints.
The first 8 have a thermal pad of varying size with or without vias (Pad 9).
The 9th footprint has no thermal pad.

The IC is a low power low voltage op-amp, so just use the 9th footprint: MSOP-8_3x3mm_P0.65mm

I also noticed the symbol for the MCP6032 has the same standard pin-out as a LM358 (the two op-amp version of a LM324) as well as many other ICs.
You could place a LM358 into your personal library and just re-name it instead of bothering with Ultralibrarian at all.

Also agree with Davidsrsb: upgrade your Kicad.

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