Have used Kicad for years, but still learning about the changes in 6. Mostly, I love it. Congratulations to the team!
While starting a new design, I planned to create the schematic symbols for a couple of parts. Following the tutorial, I created a new library, then the first part. I saved a number of times, saw the name in the list of libraries, and thought I was golden. Then, I tried to create a second part. I hit the “new symbol” icon, but did not get the expected dialog. In fact, the part I had just made was still shown in the drawing area. Naturally, I thought it was me and that I just needed to think differently. Since I saw that the symbol I had just created was listed, I decided to delete the duplicate image and start over. I changed the name to that of my second part, and created it.
Imagine my dismay when I saved my second part and noticed that my first part disappeared from the library listing!!
Can someone explain what I am doing wrong that caused my first part to disappear? I assure you I saved several times when creating it.
The only thing I could say is that the second time you created a new symbol, maybe KiCad showed the error “No symbol library selected” and you didn’t notice it. Then, if you edit the symbol, you are editing the first symbol you had made before.
You select your personal library, name then create your symbol and save, as you did originally.
You then select your personal library again and click the create symbol icon again, fill in the New Symbol box that appears and the previous symbol created appears. This symbol can now be modified or deleted to create the second symbol, then save that second symbol. For the third symbol, follow the same procedure, but after naming, the second symbol created will be left on the screen to modify this time.
As @Dwardo shows above, you probably didn’t select the library in which you wish to place your second symbol which meant the first symbol was still open.
It’s most likely you’ve just been pressing the wrong buttons, not enough buttons, or in the wrong order.
So first get your workflow right. Create some dummy schematic symbols and put them together in a library. Also practice a bit with making a copy of a symbol with a different name and modify that. Once you’ve practiced a bit and understand how it works, you can go back to creating real symbols and putting time and effort in that.
Can someone explain what I am doing wrong that caused my first part to disappear? I assure you I saved several times when creating it.
I also think that you didn’t create a new symbol, but instead modified (and than have overwritten) the existing one. All other steps where possibly correct.
If you still want to use the button “create new symbol” or the menu-entry “File–>Create new symbol”: be sure to first do a doubleclick on the library which should contain the new symbol. Otherwise you get the info-message (see Dwardo) and no new symbol is created.
Because this has bitten me also (and annoys me also) I use the following two methods to create multiple new symbols successively:
instead of button “create new symbol” → use context-menu (RMB-right mouse button on existing lbrary or symbol) on the symbol/library-list on the left of the symbol-editor.
my most used workflow: Copy/Paste or Duplicate an existing symbol (also invoked with context-menu on symbol/library-pane on the left of the symbol-editor). The symbol-copy gets an rising number added. After that I can modify the symbol as I wish. The existing information (footprint+footprint-filter, description-string, and so on) helps as guideline to fill in all (personally desired) information.
Note: all answers also affect the work in the footprint-editor. If you want to use the “Create new footprint”-button you have also to select (doubleclick) a footprint-library first. Having an active footprint on display is not always enough.
Seeing that the discussion has moved on to preferred workflows…
Mine is to:
Find a suitable symbol to modify from a Kicad library
Click “save as”
Give the symbol its new name
Scroll through the library list under the new name 'till I find my personal library in which I wish it to be placed.
Highlight that library
Save.
Go to my personal library in which I placed that symbol and open that newly named symbol (which confirms that it is there and I didn’t click wrong stuff somewhere).
Modify as I require (both the drawing and properties)
Save.
I also always use this method for footprints.
It is a way of ensuring I use the same graphic line widths and same layers as Kicad footprints, and none, such as F.Courtyard & Silk, are forgotten.
I like personal footprints to be consistent with Kicad footprints.
