How to plot component values in version 4.0.5?

[Linkan]

Hi, I’m new to this forum but have been using Kicad for years now.
I recently took the plunge and moved to 4.0.5 and just now found out that all footprints automatically have their value set to F.fab / B.fab instead for the usual stencils. Why is that? Now there’s no way to plot values other than changing each and every footprint individually, or am I missing something obvious? I got a PCB here with over 200 components waiting but can think of more fun things to do. And the macro function seems to be disabled as well. Is there any other way to set all footprints to have their value in the stencil layer? Help please!

[Rene_Poschl]

This is the case since march 2015 (version 0.1 of the kicad library convention.)
The value is normally only needed for fabrication drawings. (Most pcb’s have such a high density that value fields have no space on the silkscreen.)
See KLC point 10.4 or in the new KLC point 7.4.i

The new klc finally also defines that there should be a second reference designator on the fab layer. The main reason for the new klc is to get a library that is closer aligned to the ipc standards.

Now for a solution of your problem:
A lot of footprints are already script generated. For these footprints it should be trivial to change the layer (just change one line in the python script).
For all other footprints a simple python script should do the trick. (You just need to iterate through all footprints and change one line in the file.)
Also remember that in the standard installation the footprints are not stored localy. They are downloaded from github everytime they are needed. To get them locally you need to follow the steps described here: (you can only change files if you have them locally.)

Using Github libraries offline

I think some confusion may have crept in here, that advice is good for schematic libraries, but does not make sense for footprint libraries. Probably, you should not be allowed to enter two libraries with the same nickname, but never mind. The recommended approach is to delete the github entries if you do not intend to use them, moving them is not necessary, which is what you have discovered. My current faq entry looks like this: How to install local Footprint libraries (Tested with Kicad 4.…

[Linkan]

Hi Rene,
Thanks for the info. Well, during prototyping I prefer to have all values printed directly on the board since it makes placement faster and convenient. It’s also easier to track down problems. Anyway, do I just run these scripts within PCBNew? And will they only affect the footprints in the open file or directly on disc? I have no prior experience with python scripting, hence my noob questions…

[Rene_Poschl]

@Linkan

And will they only affect the footprints in the open file or directly on disc? I have no prior experience with python scripting, hence my noob questions…

If you write your scripts yourself then yes. The scripts over at the repo by pointi create footprints. They are independent of kicad.