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Schematic Library Symbols
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Hi. I am a newby here and, despite some hours searching, I am struggling to find a definitive way to somehow save components that I use regularly in a (Custom?) Library (or somewhere, somehow) that they can readily accessed to use in ANY project.

In other words… the ability to flag the dozen or so common resistors, caps, connectors, etc… that I use 90% of the time so that I don’t need to go back to the main library and scan a 100 different resistor types for the ONE I’m wanting.

BTW… I am running windows 10 and Kicad 7. Some of the material that I have found is for other and/or earlier systems… e.g. Kicad 5, MAC, etc… and, thus, not helpful.

Thanks people

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Welcome @Graham_Bowman

You need to create some personal libraries,

  • then locate the existing symbols/footprints in the Kicad libraries you wish to copy, import or make.
  • then use File > Save As and highlight one of the new personal libraries you created from the newly opened library list.

To create some libraries see this FAQ plus a number of other more advanced FAQs and https://docs.kicad.org/

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If you can get all your favourite symbols into one schematic you can then export them to a Custom library . . .

image

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Welcome! @graham_Bowman Could you please tell me if you’ve resolved your issue? How are your progress and success going?

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OK… getting there… maybe. These folders need to be ones that I (myself) have simply created under windows… correct? I have tentatively put two folders (Symbols and Footprints) under a folder which I have set up under “Kicad Projects” which is, in turn, under “My documents” so as they get backed in my normal routines. So… if I understand what you are saying I simply need to copy / save / edit the respective files in these directories???

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Not in the directories, in the libraries.
You create the folders/directories with your OS then you create the libraries with Kicad to place in the directories.
Did you follow the instructions in the “Beginners Guide…” FAQ?

Once you have libraries in folders; to place symbols or footprints in their appropriate libraries, follow the below instructions.

The easiest is to highlight the Symbol/footprint in the Kiicad library, then:

File > Save as. Keep the same name (or change if you wish) up top in the newly opened window; then scroll through the underneath library list and highlight your new personal library in that list and click OK.

You will now have that Kicad symbol or footprint in your personal library.
Close the kicad library and open your personal library to confirm.

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I now have a FILE (not a folder) called GB.kicad_sym in my general Kicad directory. I have read the material that you have kindly pointed… but am still confused. Part of the problem is that there seems to be too MUCH info around… all a bit different… and some relating to (apparently) now obsolete versions… e.g. Kicad 5.

I like using this software… but it just seems that I am spending more time sorting it than using it.

Having written training material myself… can I suggest that it needs to written in the context of someone who does not know what the are doing - i.e. ME… rather than in the context of someone who DOES know what they are doing - i.e. YOU.

Some time small things which are simple, intuitive and/or assumed by the experts leave voids that others struggle to fill.

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The help is pretty good on this subject . . . and there is a V7.0 specific option.

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In addition to RaptorUK’s link, the chapter in the link below handles symbol library management, and it handles of how to add your personal “GB.kicad_sym” file to one of the symbol library tables

https://docs.kicad.org/7.0/en/eeschema/eeschema.html#managing-symbol-libraries

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Hi @Graham_Bowman

I specifically wrote the FAQ “Kicad 7 Beginners Guide to Personal Symbol and Footprint Libraries” for users new to Kicad and CAD programs.

If you follow this guide from beginning to end you should end up with suitable libraries in which to place symbols or footprints.

If you find some parts of the process confusing or otherwise difficult to understand; please post your comments in this thread so I can make alterations to the FAQ.

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Hi JMK… thanks for your help with this. getting there… slowly. The other strategy I am thinking about, and as my PCB’s all have a similar theme (audio gear), is simply to use one of my prior designs as a “Template” which I would then import to any new design… and use / copy the parts from there to “rebuild” the new design…?
Anyways… I have made a small donation to the cause and will be keen to see Ver8 which is close by it would seem?
Cheers,
Graham

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Another query… which seems to be addressed in FAQ for versions 5 and 6 but not kicad 7. Components I have deleted from schematic return on pcb board. In fact each time I update the PCB another one (of the same) is added… Suggestions please?

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Hi @Graham_Bowman

I dug out a laptop with win 10, downloaded Kicad 7.0.10, did a quick refresher on windows and am now ready to help with those libraries.

You have a folder on your screen for all your created things in Kicad. You also have the Kicad program on your screen; correct?

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Yep… I have all of my projects as sub-directories under a main folder called simply Kicad Projects which resides in “my docs”… and is thus routinely backed up to a NAS that I use for this purpose…

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Also I seem to have solved the “non-deletion” and/or addition of parts on my PCB by reverting to an earlier back up file. I’m assuming that (somehow) my main file was corrupted… or something???

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Once upon a time (50+yrs ago)…

In college, a fellow walked into our Graduate Physics class and announced “your professor died” and he (this fellow) was going to take over the class.

“Close your books and put all of your paper and pencils down” he said.

Then, he grabbed an Eraser and wiped clean the blackboard and said, “Just watch the show. Don’t try to understand or figure out anything. Just watch the show”.

With Chalk in hand, he started writing, drawing and minimally narating as he went along. We just ‘watched the show’ and learned. ‘Learned’ like we never learned before.

I guess that’s why I like making videos for this forum.

I looked at the links posted above and got dizzy so, thought I’d chime-in…

I don’t know how/where Kicad installs files on Windows and Linux but, I suspect that, regardless of specific System file locations and access to them, there’s going to be some commonality - especially with respect to setting up Kicad’s Paths to User files…
(Upon installation, Kicad placed a Kicad folder in my Documents Dir)

So, ‘Just watch the show’. Also, attached is screenshot that may help…

Screen Shot 2024-01-27 at 07.25.38
Screen Shot 2024-01-27 at 07.25.381920×1786 351 KB

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Hi @Graham_Bowman

Open Documents so you can see your File folder titled Kicad (or whatever the title is)

Create three new File folders beneath your current list and name them “My Kicad Symbols”, “My Kicad Footprints” and “My Kicad 3D images” (or suitable names of your choosing to reflect their use).

Drag and drop these three File folders into your Kicad File folder.

You now have somewhere to place your created symbols, footprints and 3D images.

Next, to create personal libraries:
Open Kicad, open a project, open Schematic Editor, open Symbol Editor.

Left click File > New Library > select Global and a window titled “New Library” will open.

Just under the name “New Library” is a box with a folder symbol. In that box you will probably see the abbreviated path " << Kicad > 7.0 > symbols ". This is good.

If that path is not there; click on Documents > Kicad > Symbol Libraries (or whatever you named the symbol libraries folder above)
If you left click in that rectangle it will show the full path:
Users\computer name\Documents\Kicad\Symbol Libraries.

Either the abbreviated or the full path can show in this box. It doesn’t matter.

Towards the bottom of this same window is File name with “New_Library” highlighted in blue.
Rename that “New_Library” to eg. Resistors and then Save.

You now have a personal library titled Resistors in the personal Symbol Libraries Folder in your Kicad folder. :smiley:

Confirm this by scrolling through the list of libraries on the left of the screen down to R. Your new Library will show with an arrow pointing down (this means it is empty).

Continue clicking File > New Library to add more libraries.
For Footprint Libraries, follow the same procedure except: add the footprint libraries via the Footprint Editor and place them in the Personal Footprint Folder.

When you have created some personal libraries; open the “Beginners Guide…” to read how to manipulate your libraries to, eg, place them all at the top of the library list.

When all that is complete, further up this thread I wrote how to add Kicad library symbols and footprints to your personal libraries, using the “Save as” feature. Try using and practicing that. :smiley:

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OK… thanks… just to clarify a couple of the early steps. I currently have a Folder under “My Docs” called Kicad Projects. In this folder each of my projects have their own sub-directory… and there is just one other folder called “Custom.pretty”… strange name… and I’m still trying to figure out exactly what it is for?
Anyways…
Q1 - should I create the three new folders directly under “Kicad Projects”? (alongside my project folders)
Q2 - what do you mean by drag and drop these folders to my Kicad folder… are they not already there having been created in the previous step??
Sorry for all this… but you are talking to someone who did their first PCB’s way back in the Protel and Easrtrax days! :frowning:

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Q1: seeing you have your Kicad projects all neatly organized in a folder, I’d suggest creating another folder for all your libraries.
So, on the same My Docs page that you have Kicad Projects folder; create four new folders.
Label one “Kicad 7 Libraries” and the other three as above. ie. Symbols, footprints and 3D.

After you have created these and named them, drag and drop the three (Sym.Foot. & 3D) into the Kicad 7 Libraries Folder.

Q2 Drag and drop. Hover cursor over your new Symbols folder. Hold down left mouse button. While still holding down your left mouse button, move the cursor over the folder “Kicad 7 Libraries”. A big folder icon appears and a sign reading “Move to Kicad 7 Libraries” also appears. Release the Left mouse button.
Click on kicad 7 Libraries folder and you will find the sym. folder inside the Kicad 7 libraries folder.
Repeat this for the footprints and the 3D folders so all three are inside the Kicad 7 libraries folder.

Delete it if it is empty.

I still have my Protel for DOS on the original two floppy discs with the instruction books printed on real paper. :slightly_smiling_face:

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It is worth naming your folder Kicad 7 Libraries, because shortly Kicad 8 is out. When this occurs it would be best to create a copy of your libraries for use in Kicad 8

To do that all that is required is to right mouse click your Kicad 7 libraries folder, select copy, then paste onto the same page of documents, right click again and rename the copy to Kicad 8 Libraries.