Errors occurred creating symbol library

Hobby user. Its now happend twice, it seems to get to a certain point when it fails. I’ve reported it as a bug.

Upgraded from 4 to 5 a few days ago no issues.
Today created a new project and appended the drawing.
Removed all bits not wanted.
Arranged and rearranged, Added saved the file here and there.

All of a sudden it broke. On clicking save I get the error but all seems fine until I do something.
If I load up an earlier copy it’s loaded fine without complaints, ERC is fine netlist is fine. Do something that requires a save and all is lost.

I’ve opened a couple of old ones I was playing with and no issues yet that I know off but if this one broke?

I’ve now done it twice and when it seems to get to a certain point it fails?

KiCads eeschema file handling is a bit tricky at times. The schematic file in reality consists of at least 3 files. The .sch file(s) hold the schematic but only pointers to symbol names. (In v5 the pointer now includes the library alias.)
The cache lib holds the symbol information (Everything that is normally inside a lib file). This file is automatically generated every time you save the schematic. It should not be added to any sym-lib-table and should never be edited by hand.
The rescue lib holds symbols that are no longer found in any real library. This library is created automatically via the “rescue dialog”.


From your error message it seems your project was in need of rescuing sometime in the past. This means there should be a file called prj_name-rescue.lib in the project directory. This file should contain all of the symbols assigned in the project. If not then something went horribly wrong.

One possible way to destroy such a project is by renaming any of the files inside the project directory. Or deleting the cache and rescue libs (could happen if you use version control and forgot to add these two files)

Another one is by starting the remap process with a project that was already damaged. Or if you do not save after remapping. Or if you cancel anything during remap, …

If the rescue lib does exist on disc but is missing from the library table, then you could manually add it to the symbol table. (preferences->manage libraries) Make sure the alias has the name listed in your error message.


You can still manually rescue the project if these two files are lost for some reason. (This is a laborious task and should be left for when everything else fails)
In eeschema under tools there is a “edit symbol library references” dialog. You can replace the references to the rescue lib to ones from the current symbol library. Be aware that some of the symbols in the current lib might have changed in such a way that you might need to redraw part of the circuitry.
A better option might be to install the old version 4 libs somewhere (at least temporarily) and point the library references to these libs. This should restore the cache lib and therefore your project.

Thanks but I took the easy way out. Started from scratch. From what I can tell the schematics I used to import, open and close without issue so I would say it has to with the ‘Append the schematic sheet’ everything works fine up-to a point then I guess you could say it just crashes on a save.

Thanks, I’ve passed it on as a bug.

Well that is totally new information. (Would have been a good idea to include this in the first place)

For appending sheets you need to make sure that the new project has access to the same libraries as the source schematic. As your source schematic references a rescue lib you would need to add the same rescue lib to the new projects sym-lib-table

Ok, miss-communication, I did place on my post:
Today created a new project and appended the drawing.
Removed all bits not wanted.
Arranged and rearranged, Added saved the file here and there.

Anyway, if I read you right it would have complained from the onset Kicad complains about everything else that’s not right:grinning: Instead of allowing dozens of ‘Save’ ‘ERC’ not picking up anything and all 'Assigned Footprints there.

S***t happens.

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