First BOM - is there any default?

So stylesheet is not the name of file. This changes my understanding of it.

Now I know that I should look in KiCad\bin\scripting\plugins but don’t see KiBOM.
I use 4.0.7. May be you write about something added in V5.

A simple CSV BOM file can be created from the board editor: File->Fabrication Outputs->BOM File, at least in v5rc2.

Indeed I was referring to this github archive, its a plugin that is pretty easy to install, I am using it with Kicad 4.0.7

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I ran into some similar problems in the past. Here is some discussion of that. The trick is to click the “Add Plugin” button.

Also, I found that kifield can be used to generate a BOM, although it is a standalone program, rather than a BOM plugin.

Try putting a line of three backticks (```) both before and after your example text.

3   100p   C1,C5,C7
2   220p   C4,C6
4   100    R1,R2,R3,R4
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If I get it or that KiBOM will I be able to use it from schematic (by “Add Plugin” button in Bill of Material window)? May be I should try before answering but as I see so fast answer I try to show that I read and try to understand.
At that moment I understand(suppose) that at that window I can load some Plugins. Then probably I select one and press “Generate”. I suppose the field Command line I have to fill also. But I understood that different plugins (Python/XSLT) needs be colled diferently and there is only one line for Command line. So I am probably restricted to have in list only plugins of one type.
Or I have to use plugins you write about from command line?

Both tools have documentation that explains how to use them. I suggest reading it :wink:

Of course if you have questions after reading the docu feel free to come back to us.

Thanks, I’ll read, but I am not sure if I need too sofisticated tool. Starting from text file as I showed I have the rest way ready together with generating the list of ROHS declaration files for each element as new ROHS directive asks manufacturer (in Europe) to have such documentation. I’m not sure if it is time now to move my database to new tools, specially that I plan some Protel->KiCad transfer period when I will be using both (Protel for projects which are just modifications of existing ones).

He means the install of, and yes once installed it shows up when you press the bom button in schematic or pcb,

You would then select the one you want and press “generate”

The default export is already .csv in the exact layout you desire.

There isn’t a default, though. You have to click “Add plugin” and then choose bom_cvs.xsl.

I’m not sure what @Rerouter was saying about. May be about the KiBom default behaviour.

Ok, I need to clarify, For continuity, apparently

I use the KiBOM pluging, as linked above,
After installing it (which is pretty much download - extract then add as a plugin in that menu)

KiBOM will be in the list. click to select it, hit generate, and out of the box it will spit out a csv in the format he desires.

Sorry, I misunderstood your original statement. Now I see what you meant.

That clarifies me also one thing - I supposed you are writeing about may be some external applications (to install separatelly from KiCad and use separatelly). I still don’t know how such plugin can have different outputs (don’t know how you select your output), but suppose instruction will tell me everything.

Thanks to all of you who tried to help me. Unfortunatelly courier bring a parcel with something which I have to work immedietelly (something which should work but don’t). And on Monday I will probably get prototypes of antennas to work with them (we got into reading distance problems when swithced from standard mifare to crypto mifare PLUS tags). So don’t know when I’ll get back to BOM subject.

I use V4.0.7 on Linux Mint, and on my PC I first thought that the BOM tool was “too complicated” to be worth looking into, and I just closed the window when presented with an empty selelction list.
After toying around with it for a few minutes, I discovered however that a bunch of scripts for generating a BOM are installed, but not in the place KiCad expects them to.
You can try pointing the bom tool to your local equivalent of:

/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/README-bom.txt
/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom2csv.xsl
/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom2grouped_csv.xsl
/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom_csv_grouped_by_value.py
/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom_csv_grouped_by_value_with_fp.py
/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom_csv_sorted_by_ref.py
/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom_html_grouped_by_value.py
/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom_html_with_advanced_grouping.py
/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom_sorted_by_ref.py
/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom_with_title_block_2_csv.xsl

Weird though:
I forgot where the dialog is for pointing PCBnew to those scripts.
Then I accidentally stumbled upon:
PCBnew -> File -> Fabrication Outputs -> BOM file -> Save
That generated a csv file with semicolons (much more sensible than commas) which I could import into libreoffice Calc without any problem.

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Thanks.
Previously in this thread I got the info:

I see there are more possibilities to check that I expected. I’ll do it but not now. It is 21:00 here now and time to go home.

In V4.0.7 PCBnew -> File -> Fabrication Outputs -> BOM file looks like:

I could not find the dialog from 2 posts back because I was looking in PCBnew, while the tool is in EEschem.
EEschem -> Tools -> Generate Bill of Materials -> Add Plugin -> …
Default path it searches (V4.0.7, Linux Mint) is in /usr/bin/
I copied “/usr/lib/kicad/plugins/bom_csf_grouped_by_value.py” into the file browser and pressed:
… -> Generate

When I started this thread I didn’t noticed that in PCBnew there are the possibility to generate BOM. Reading the KiCad instructions (an year ago) I remembered that BOM is in schematic so didn’t serched it anywhere else. Generating BOM from PCB seems being a solution to consider. For example I use Laird BMI-S-210-F (see RF_Shielding library). In Protel to have the BOM complete I have designed symbols for BMI-S-210-F and BMI-S-210-C (cover for it) and placed them on schematic. When generating BOM from PCB I suppose I can just put them on PCB - no need schematic symbols for them. But it looks too god to be true - where from it will get designator (may be not needed - must think) and how to assure no designator collisions. It is ‘have to check’ before final decision.

From pcb software BOM I use only Designator, Quantity and Designation columns (I use symbols that I see here are called atomic). I copy it into second page of my spreadsheet where at first page I have all parts I use. Then columns D,E,F,G are filled automatically (see the formula).


I have tried to have it English but gave up. WYSZUKAJ.PIONOWO means SEARCH.VERTICALLY. End of formula is ;4;0 Formulas in E,F,G differ only by haveing different numbers instead of 4 (column from first page).
Then I sort it by columns G and B. G assures the order of elements type I prefer and in one type (like capacitor) to have it sorted in ascending order and not text order. Then I copy that (without G) to another spreadsheet when paste text (no formulas) and it is my BOM. There I have the lines numbered so paste to B not A.

I will check KiBom. I tried kicad-bom-wizard but I not always get answer to my questions.

Anyway I think KiCad should include a bom generator with gui settings and cannot rely only on external plugin.

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