Footprint Wizard Hangs

[BlackCoffee]

Re: Kicad 5.1.6
Mac OSX 10.12.6

Footprint Wizard Problem

I updated 5.1.5 to 5.1.6 one month ago and revised Directory names and locations.

Problem 1
All has been working well - no problems except when starting the Footprint Tool. After updating, it now takes 40sec’s to load. Previous to updating to 5.1.6, it took only 15sec’s. Otherwise, no problems, until today…

I seldom use the Footprint Wizard but, I have used it a few times since updating, including using it two days ago and it Worked Okay.

At that time (two days ago), I started to make a footprint with the Wizard, something came up before finishing and I Quit Kicad without saving my work. Figured it wouldn’t be a problem - has Not been a problem before.

Problem 2
I can use the ‘New Footprint’ tool (it works) but, NOT the ‘Footprint Wizard’. The video shows that scenario… (spinning wheel results from lock-up).

Logic suggests something to do with the Footprint Wizard loading the parts to be used for starting point (? not sure because the List is filled-in).

Just to make sure, I looked at my Path’s - All look good and my projects have the correct footprints and render in 3Dview and no Eeschema complaints.

I deleted the ‘sym-lib-table’ and started PCBnew, Eeschema and verified all paths. That did create a New ‘sym-lib-table’

I’m not too opposed to deleting Kicad and starting a Fresh Install but, don’t want to have left-overs. I use CleanSweep (on OSX) but it does leave some residuals so, ideas for how to fully clean and Install are welcome, too! And, naturally, I’d prefer to Not have to delete and install.

Any ideas?

[paulvdh]

A few weeks ago a bug was found (and fixed) for the footprint Wizards.
It had something to do with locale settings and dots versus comma’s in numbers.

In the mean time, KiCad V5.1.7 has arrived.
Can you already upgrade?

[BlackCoffee]

Thanks. I may upgrade as suggested but, may (perhaps) go back to 5.1.5… Your thoughts?

[paulvdh]

Why go back if you can go forwards?

After reading your post again, there may be 2 separate issues.

The Footprint Wizard hanging is one, but the other is (If I read you correctly) the slow starting of the Footprint Editor itself.

This is an issue which also affects me.
I noticed that there is a short burst in which all processor cores get activated, and for the rest of the 30+ seconds, loading of the Footprint Editor only runs on one core.

Do you have the same symptoms?
More about it here:

Only one core involved in generating footprint info cache

This tread was split off from another as it turned out to be (possible) bug related, so some comments may be out of context. I did not think of this as a bug before, but now I’ll do some more testing to try to get some more symptoms clear before following Seth’s advise to open an issue on gitlab. For some time now, I’ve been amazed at how few of the applications I use make use of multiple threads. (For example searching though a 1000+ page .PDF datasheets on a single thread). So if anyone her…

[Edit:]
I have not yet made a bug report about this, as I thought the multi-threading issue may be a Linux issue instead of KiCad. If you can confirm it also happens on Mac, then it is a step further in narrowing down the cause of this bug.

If it’s the same bug, then please copy your full KiCad version info here from:
KiCad / Help / About KiCAd / Copy Version Info
and then post it here.

[BlackCoffee]

Installed 5.1.7

(should have backed up my recent work! Lost my plugins because I (intentionally) selected the ‘Replace’ option instead of side-by-side… Fortunately I have copies…

The Wizard Works!!

Loading Speed of Footprints - so fast that the Time counter hasn’t enough time to pop-up and display. Bing! - The footprint panel and wizards Happen immediately - in less than the blink of an eye! Something must be wrong

Now, back to fixing plugins

[John_Pateman]

When you fire up the footprint wizard there is a ‘Messages’ pane that gives you a bit of debug into which might help sort out what is going on.

[BlackCoffee]

Never got as far as the info popup - immediately hung up moving cursor.

5.1.7 seems to work

Thanks for the help!

[John_Pateman]

Just out of (personal) interest and apologies for the change of topic but did you build 5.1.7 yourself? It doesn’t seem to be available on the downloads for macOS pre 10.14.

[BlackCoffee]

No, just downloaded in the usual manner

[BlackCoffee]

Cleaning up this post to make it clearer…
There is No link for below 10.14. However, the one for “10.14 and newer” works on my OSX 10.12.6.
Clicking on the download icon (Cern) got me the 5.1.7 dmg and it installed and works - no problems (yet)

[gkeeth]

The team isn’t packaging a pre-10.14 build, see discussion here: https://lists.launchpad.net/kicad-developers/msg44596.html

The System Requirements page and macOS download page have also been updated to specify that Kicad is only supported on 10.14 and newer.

[BlackCoffee]

Following up… after enough blackcoffee, I remembered where I got the previous Released versions…

Click on the OSDN-Aisa+North America link, Panel will display Three buttons - select “View Another Version”, from there, a list of them…