Yes, I did that… and it still won’t work. Incidentally, those are the paths that were created by the default installation (following instructions exactly), so it seems that there remains work to be done on installation for Mac users. But I’m not complaining - I’m grateful to have a free PCB design tool if I can ever get it to work!
can you try uploading a screenshot of PCBnew -> Preferences -> Footprint Libraries Manager
Try adding ~ in front of KISYSMOD. (Not sure if osx does use the same syntax as linux. ~ under linux points to the user home folder.)
or add /User/kellyheaton
Explanation:
Currently kicad tries to find the libs directly in the root directory of your system (/Library/...)
but your libs seem to live under your users home directory (/User/kellyheaton/Library/...)
Do you mean add ~ to the “environmental variable” KISYSMOD in my PCB Library Tables?
Note that my schematic libraries are loading just fine (without the ~)
In kicad 4, the schematic libs are not relative to any environment variable. (You can set it up to use environment vars but that would require you edit a system file by hand.)
So yes set KISYSMOD to be ~/Library/... or /User/kellyheaton/Library/...
More details about symbol libs.
In kicad 4 the list of symbol libs is stored in each project file separately. (There is no central equivalent to the fp-lib-table)
You can view/edit this in eeschema->preferences->component libraries.
That dialog is split into two. The lower part holds the search paths and the upper part the lib names.
Kicad will look in every search-path and takes each lib from the first search-path where it finds it. (The order determines the priority. More details about that are in this old post of mine)
By default one of the search-paths will point to the libs that come with the kicad installation. (In default installations there will not be a environment variable is used for it.)
OMG, finally!!!
So for future people installing on a Mac, you have to edit the default install paths (Preferences -> Configure Paths) to set KISYSMOD to your user name: /Users/username/Library/Application Support/kicad/modules
NOTE that you cannot edit the existing paths. You have to create a new path for KISYSMOD and delete the old path.
I suppose you have to repeat this procedure for the KISYS3DMOD pathway as well (I haven’t done this yet, but my footprints are loading at last 
Thanks to everyone for helping me through this!
Kelly, are you opening “Finder>Preferences” to change the default install path? I am unable to find it, there, or in system preferences. High Sierra v10.13.3
Second, when I loaded the fp-lib-table yesterday, I didn’t seem to have any difficulty finding where to place it. Now, and quite possibly yesterday, there is no kicad in ~/Library/Preferences. I do know that at least the documents ended up in user/me/documents/
All uninstalled this morning due to operator error.(put at least one too many files in the trash)
Knowingly trying this time in ~/Library/Application Support/kicad
Using Finder from your desktop, click on “Go” while you are holding down the alt (option) key. This will make your Library visible. Use Finder to open the Library folder and go to Application Support from there…
Kelly, thanks for the reply. With your earlier post on configure paths, and Andy’s lengthly post on Nov26, I now know where you are making changes. I had thought we were trying to make a ‘root’ change as to how the os installs new software. I still am not sure in the initial install if everything is in the right folders.
You’re welcome. I think it’s a user interface problem. The KiCad installer tells the user where to place folders, but does not provide the complete path (even as a text string in the README file). Because there are multiple instances of folders called “kicad,” it is easy to get confused. Also, many Mac users may not realize that Application Support is located in the Library, which is hidden from the Finder view by default … Just some thoughts.
First, my default Finder view is ‘Column’, and in the home directory in the sidebar MacHD -> Users -> constantine, choosing View -> Show View Options, there is no box for Show Library. However, switching to any of the other three Finder views offers that selection. That got me lost early on.
Confusing too that there are at lease three libraries, first level in the HD, then under System, and another hidden under user Constantine. So now I am trying to reread Andy and Kelly entries to try to understand if I need to uninstall all and reinstall. Current installation is primarily in the upper most Applications, and upper most Library -> Application Support. I also got confused by Andy’s use of the words ‘your home directory’. I thought he was speaking of the parent MacHD directory Library, and I now think he is speaking of my user Library, especially that I was finally able to find it.
User Interface? Let’s include in that, the inevitable pitfalls resulting from my weaknesses in computer literacy.
Dense enough to not be able to figure out what you meant by the GO selection yesterday. Duh.
No worries! A clean install might make your life easier.
So from Andy’s description, I understand kicad folder (lowercase k) gets put in user library -> Application Support.
Do you know if the Kicad Application folder (capital K) belongs in the User -> Constantine -> Applications folder, the standard /Applications folder, or it doesn’t make any difference? If I read the “Uninstalling” correctly, deleting the .apps from /Applications and not ~/Applications would be the standard folder.
Correct about the location of Application Support.
Yes, the usual Applications folder where you install any program.
Make sure your paths are correctly specified in KiCad. I had to manually enter new paths and delete the old ones (which were pointing to the wrong place).
When using the tutorial, I was hoping the reinstall would help me see something more than darkness when selecting “Run CvPCB to associate components and footprints”, then “View Selected Footprint”. Not. Don’t know if it makes any difference that I could not find the footprint Discret:R1 for R1 and R2. More reading/searching to do. BTW, thanks for all the replies&assistance.
It sounds like your footprint libraries are not loading. When you associate footprints with a KiCad schematic, you should see a list of available footprint libraries on the left, your parts list in the middle, and individual footprints in the right-hand column. If your not seeing this, then your footprint libraries are not loading correctly. If you are seeing this, then click on a footprint in the right-hand column and launch the footprint viewer. There, you should be able to see what the footprint looks like. Use the arrow key to quickly scroll through the list along with a visual reference – which aids tremendously in selecting the appropriate footprint.
My badd. I did not realize it was a single item footprint viewer, component by component. I now see that and how it works. Thanks. Now trying to get past a “track near pad” error while I was attempting to run my tutorial project wiring in Pcbnew. Learning curve for another day, Back to primary mission of creating an analog interface three wire auto-start between a Trace4024 Inverter and a Honda eu7000is generator; second, maximize all possible learning opportunities. Having simple and quality schematics will greatly facilitate engaging the build on social platforms. Thanks KiCad.
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