I am trying to make the power pins Vcc\Vdd etc and GND pins on some IC (NE555 and CD4020) visible to the schematic, as I can’t pass the ERC test before I proceed to the next stage
When I edit the schematic symbol of both chips in question, it keeps saying that the eeSchema (or something like that) needs to be updated in order for the chips to be updated in the library
You probably need to modify your library settings to be able to do that, as I assume you’re using the github libraries and modifications to symbols need to be stored locally.
Probably easy deal. KiCad installed in Program Files under Windows Vista or never where the UAC come into play.
I think the installer team should replace default path to C:\Kicad.
To solve this we need more information. First of all, the screenshot of an error message and other mentioned by @jwpartain1.
The remote Eeschema symbols libraries will be implemented in the future. So use your DeLorean with caution.
How do I modify the .lib file?
This is what I see in it
EESchema-LIBRARY Version 2.3 #encoding utf-8
LM555N
DEF LM555N U 0 40 Y Y 1 F N
F0 “U” -400 350 50 H V L CNN
F1 “LM555N” -400 -350 50 H V L CNN
F2 “” 0 0 50 H V C CNN
F3 “” 0 0 50 H V C CNN
DRAW
X GND 1 0 -400 100 U 50 50 0 0 W
X VCC 8 0 400 100 D 50 50 0 0 W
S -350 -300 350 300 0 1 10 f
X TR 2 -500 200 150 R 50 50 1 1 I
X Q 3 500 200 150 L 50 50 1 1 O
X R 4 -500 -200 150 R 50 50 1 1 I I
X CV 5 -500 0 150 R 50 50 1 1 I
X THR 6 500 -200 150 L 50 50 1 1 I
X DIS 7 500 0 150 L 50 50 1 1 I
ENDDRAW
ENDDEF
If you click on the left hand icon, (opamp symbol) “show hidden pins”, does that achieve what you need ?
The NE555 symbol then reveals Vcc.8 and Gnd.1, and you can now connect nets to those.
You start the symbol editor and load the symbol you ant to change… then edit to your hearts content and safe the symbol.
The editor will probably tell you if it can’t safe (because of github etc.) but I wouldn’t know about that as I only use my personal local libs.
You can also ‘export’ the symbol into a new library directly or you can make a new library and select that one as the storage target for the symbol.
The setup section to get libraries established with eeschema (Preferences> Component Libraries) is a bit convoluted as this is now outdated code and the developers are working on a refurbishment similar to pcbnew repo wizard.
What you need to remember there is (if you want to load new libraries) that you have to tell eeschema the path to the library in the middle part of that window and then you can add it as lib in the upper part.
Not really, the problem is with the library symbol. Glue logic symbols were drawn long ago when hidden power pins seemed to be a good idea. Persist with KiCad, or any other PCB package for that matter, and it won’t be long before you get used to creating your own symbols and footprints. These will then be how YOU like them.
I think, the problem will be resolved when new schematic format will be used. As I remember the unit swapping can be constrained to units with this option enabled. This approach enables the possibilty to draw separate unit with power pins only.
For example, SN74LVC00 component: in new format we can create four NAND gates as units A, B, C, D - easy pin and part interchangeable, and unit E which have visible pins VCC and GND.
Analogically, when we create a dual 1 pole relay, we can draw a coil part and two contact parts which might be interchangeable. Today we can do the same, but we must set “Units are not interchangeable” option, to prevent Eeschema stupid thing in exchange coil unit with contact unit.