Horizontal leds reversed after updating footprints

[jfoucher]

I designed a project that used the LED_D3.0mm_Horizontal_O3.81mm_Z6.0mm footprint in KiCad 5. I now use KiCad 6 and have used “update footprints from library” to get the updated 3D models, and to generally update the project to KiCad 6.

However, the horizontal leds now have reversed anode and cathodes.

Before :

It does not seem possible to mirror footprints so that the anode and cathode would still be in the same place. Basically, the horizontal LEDs in KiCad 6 are bent the other way that they were in KiCad 5

Is there a way I can use the KiCad6 footprints somehow ? Or should the project keep using KiCad 5 LED footprints ?

Thanks

I hereby certify that I am not simply asking someone else to design a footprint for me.

This is an auto-generated message that is in place on the “footprints” section of the KiCad.info forum. If I remove it and ask for a footprint to be designed anyway, I understand that I will be subject to forum members telling me to go design my own footprint or referring me to a 3rd party footprint site.

[jfoucher]

Here is the “after” screenshot that I could not include in my previous post:

[paulvdh]

Updating footprints should always be done with caution because of things like this. But why would you want to update the footprints? Once you’ve designed the PCB, checked and verified if it’s to your wishes, then there is no need to change it anymore.

I find the checking and verifying more important than using some newer (and not verified) library, and generally do not change footprints after they have been placed on the PCB, unless there is a good reason to do so.

It is quite common for people to maintain their own and personal libraries. Some even ignore the KiCad libraries and only used verified libraries. For bigger companies it’s also quite common to have people who do not design PCB’s, but only do the library maintenance. I do use the KiCad libraries myself, but always verify the footprints I use, and I were to design more PCB’s, I would also start putting all verified footprints in Libraries I maintain myself, to avoid having to duplicate the verification of the used footprints for the next project.

[jfoucher]

Fair enough. It’s probably because I’ve worked in software for the last few years, where not updating libraries often means safety issues. But I understand I have to get out of that mindset when designing hardware. I wanted to use the new libraries because the 3D models for the old ones either were not present or did not work in KiCad 6. I think I’ll just modify the old LED footprints with the new 3D models.

[Aris_Kimi]

There is something wrong with the initial orientation as shown in the first image.

This is how it looks now (and always AFAICT)

This addition is quite old now and i couldn’t track different changes other than file format updates and a library change.

Edit: In v7(that is to be released soon) you cannot mirror footprints in the PCB editor, but you can in the footprint editor. I don’t remember if v6 or v5 offer more options there, but in case they do not, i am thinking of a manual library edit at some point that might have caused this.

[jmk]

@jfoucher

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