Help with custom symbol and footprint management

[Rene_Poschl]

@AlBry

when a symbols is added to schematic all of the current symbol’s fields from the .lib file are added to the .sch file. If the .lib file is updated, this info does not get updated automatically in the .sch file. Is there any way to update it without having to go thru the entire schematic and edit each symbols Properties (Update Fields from Library)?

You really don’t want kicad to change your files without your direct input. Just imagine you just want to read your file and suddenly a lot of stuff changes. You would be quite annoyed by kicad.

@AlBry

when the .lib (or .dcm I think as well) files change, and then a new symbol is added/Placed on a schematic from that library, all of the current symbols that are from this .lib file get confused and the symbols on the schematic all show as a box with a ?

This would be a bug. Update to 5.1.6 and check if it is still there. If it is then make a bug report on gitlab. (I observed a similar behavior in the past but could never really explain steps how to get to this state)

@AlBry

When using the Place Symbol chooser, with “Show footprint previews in symbol changer” enabled, I can’t seem to get the paths/names to the footprints for my symbols specified properly (i.e. the F2 line) and get “Footprint not found” or “invalid footprint specified” in the preview window. Kicad library footprints have syntax like “Package_BGA:Maxim_WLP-12”, BUT can’t figure out syntax to get my custom footprints to preview. Have tried “myFP” , “${MYFOOTPRINTLIBRARY}:myFP” , ${MYLIBRARY}/myFootprints:myFP" and many more and no luck. Suggestions?

There are no file names in this field! Which means no path variables. Your footprints need to be in a library known to kicad (so a library that is in the library table). Such a library then has a nickname (given in the library table). The syntax then is “nickname:footprintname”.

See How can i assign a footprint to a symbol? as well as Tutorial: How to make a symbol (KiCad v5.1.x) - #3 by Rene_Poschl (section “Example: Creating a fully specified symbol for a voltage reference” subsection “Setting the footprint field”)

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Also:

• Project and libary setup for sharing and collaboration (KiCad version 5)
• How to get a downloaded symbol, footprint or full library into KiCad version 5?
• Library management in KiCad version 5