I’m running nightly on MacOS so I downloaded master zip files from https://kicad.github.io/ for both symbols, footprints, 3d models and templates. I stored them in another root folder and have thus changed the paths accordingly.
I noticed that I had to remove/add all libraries in the Schematic Library Tables for it to take effect. I also did it with the Footprint Library Tables. But for some reason, the 3d model shows up when previewing the footprint, but not in the complete PCB render.
So when I go through the Library Browser, it works. But when I go through the Footprint Editor, it doesn’t. Same with 3D View directly from the layout.
Pretty new to KiCad so I’ve probably missed something trivial or some cache is acting up.
I am a bit puzzled as to why it would be necessary to remove and add the same libs. (Did your original tables not use environment variables? You can use the tables that are in the repos if that is the problem.)
The 3d path might be stored in the pcb_file (for each footprint)
So if it changed since you created the pcb you might need to update it. (This should only be a problem if the originally added footprint did not use environment variables.) Sadly this is one of the things that do not quite work with the “change footprint” feature.
Another problem might occur if the footprints in your pcb are from the old kicad 4 repo. Nearly all footprints (and therefore 3d models) have been renamed during the large reorganization of the version 5 repos.
Yes, I intentionally grabbed the master files since the kicad-extras for MacOS seemed to be v4. So I figured those would match better.
My PCB was created using v5, but I did mess around with swapping out the footprints after creating it. So the footprints are perhaps disconnected from the libraries?
How would I go about updating my PCB to force it to load the footprints from library files?
You are trying to update footprints with the same name and stored in the same folder.
If folders LEDs, Resistors_SMD and Wire_Pads don’t exist anymore or footprints LED_PLCC-2, R_0805_Handsoldering and SolderWirePad_single_0.8mmDrill aren’t inside those folders, it is impossible for kicad to find them.
Kicad 5 comes with a totally new library organization. Nearly all symbols and most of the footprints have a different name now.
Yes this will be inconvenient for some time (as long as you have old and new projects to work on) But it is for the better in the long therm.
My suggestion would be to install both the version 4 and version 5 library. You can then use the version 4 libs for old projects and use the version 5 libs for new ones.
I think I solved it now. By changing footprints to something arbitrary and updating the PCB I could then change back to the correct footprints. That seemed to force it. Almost like there was a deadlock with the footprint having the same name and that was blocking.
for those interested, i updated a script that is able to update the symbol and footprint library tables and automatically add your own library to the list, so when you open a new project all the libraries are available and you do not have to add them individually when ever you decide to update from github repos. this is also convenient when names are changed, all the new changes are reflected in the updated tables. https://www.supyrow.com note this is not an official script, however I use the same script and works just fine for my application.
