I am very new to KiCad, but I am having this very frustrating issue. I created a schematic, and I tried to upload it into the PCB editor. I then get multiple errors about how the components have “no footprint assigned”. I then go back into the schematic, press tools, and then assign footprints. I noticed that the same components where I got the error are yellowed out. I then chose the footprint I wanted and pressed ok, and saved. Then I tried the PCB editor again, and it didn’t work. I can not get my chosen footprints to save to the components. I have tried pressing “Ok” and “Apply, Save Schematic, and Continue”. I also completely uninstalled KiCad and reinstalled version 9.0.2. I am getting the same issue. I can not find anyone else with this same issue. What am I doing wrong?
Is it something to do with “Library location: unknown” at the bottom?
No. That text is irrelevant. It sort of comes and goes, depending on where you clicked last in the footprint assignment tool.
In this footprint assignment tool, the yellow lines represent symbols for which no footprint has been assigned yet. The way this tool works (very briefly)
- With selection of the Footprint Libraries on the left, and the Footprint Filter buttons on the top (and the search box right next to that), you modify the Filtered footprints list on the right side.
- You select one or more symbols in the center plane. (This can also be one or more of the yellow lines (with [Ctrl] and [Shift] to select multiple lines.
- Double click on one of the Filtered Footprints on the right. This assigns the footprint you clicked on to the symbols that are currently selected in the center plane.
Did you do this double click, or use another method (I.e “Copy & Paste” also works) to add the footprint names so they actually show in the center plane? Once you have assigned footprints to symbols, the corresponding lines will turn from yellow to white. Only then you can click [ OK ] to save the changes to the schematic.
This tool is also one of the “left overs” from older times. In Newer KiCad versions there are many other ways to assign footprints to symbols. For more info, read:
https://docs.kicad.org/8.0/en/eeschema/eeschema.html#assigning-footprints
I have read Getting Started manual long ago (in 2017) but I believe there is a simple example starting from drawing schematic ending with designed pcb. If you could tell at what step you can’t get the same result as described there it could be may be easier to someone to point you what you are missing (or we will find what (obvious for everyone) was not described correctly in Getting Started).
I was able to fix it by right-clicking a component, pressing “edit main fields”, and then “edit footprint”. It saved my work, which I am super happy about. Thanks!
Schematic Editor / Tools / Edit Symbol Fields is another way to quicky assign footprints to multiple symbols (due to the grouping, which makes this efficient). This is also one of the methods mentioned in the manual I linked to (And which you probably also have installed and is accessible under the “help” key in KiCad.
But as of yet, I’m still wondering whether the “assign footprint” tool was misbehaving in some way, or whether you just did not understand how to use it. (It is a bit finicky to use).