The setup/config for footprints/3d models differs from the part/symbol library setup, because the layout part of the program already underwent a change and the schematic part didn’t yet - but it’s coming.
To set up symbol/part libs globally (for all projects) is not really taken care of in the GUI afaik, you have to do it manually - the GUI only set’s up the porject. The footprint/3D model setup is global and will be for all projects.
Thus we have different ways for doing similar things for different parts of the program at the moment.
It’s confusing, it,s not nice, but it is how it is as there are only so many programmers working on KiCAD and they only have so much time.
Also, un-/over-/reinstalling KiCAD won’t help in your case - you need to configure it.
And there are many ways that lead to Rome, I try to show you the IMHO most straight forward ones..
#Local footprints & 3d model setup looks like this:
My KISYSMOD and KISYS3DMOD path variables are being set here:
Start > Control Panel > System > Computer name, domain.. ‘Change Settings’ > {new window} System Properties > {Tab} Advanced > Environment Variables > System Variables ..
that’s why they appear greyed out and can’t be set in KiCAD anymore, but you don’t have to do that (just explaining why mine look like they do).
KISYSMOD: point it at your local footprint directory
KISYS3DMOD: point it at your local 3d model folder
Either set those two variables in KiCAD or in your Windows Environment Variables dialog.
Both ways work.
Once you got that it should be straight forward to add footprint ‘repos’ via the GUI
or the text editor in the fp-lib-table file here:
C:\Users\JonDoe\AppData\Roaming\kicad
#Local symbol/parts setup looks like this:
As I said, the schematic tools didn’t get a refurbishment yet, so their global setup is a bit more clumsy and not as straight forward with global path variables.. you have to dig deeper there and use a text editor if you want to make the global setup stick.
Otherwise you have to use the GUI method for every new project you’re starting…
The symbols/part libs and the path to them is set in the .pro file that resides in each project’s folder.
That .pro file has been assembled from a template file and other stuff that KiCAD puts in there when you create a new project.
This means, for your case (no old projects) you just have to configure the template .pro file once and all new projects will contain this setup. For older projects one would need to do this manually for each and every one of them in the project folder.
The kicad.pro file (the template) is located here:
C:\Program Files\KiCad\share\kicad\template
Open it with a text editor and you’ll find something like this:
update=22/05/2015 07:44:53
version=1
last_client=kicad
[general]
version=1
RootSch=
…
[cvpcb]
version=1
NetIExt=net
[eeschema]
version=1
LibDir=E:/Data_KiCAD/_KiCAD_Symbols
[eeschema/libraries]
LibName1=.SchematicStuff
LibName2=Capacitors_0805_Kemet-16V-X7R
LibName3=Capacitors_0805_Kemet-50V-X7R
LibName4=Capacitors_1206_Kemet-50V-X7R
LibName5=Capacitors_Alu
LibName6=Con_Others
…
You’re interested in the part that comes after [eeschema]
The first entry of interest for you is LibDir.
That essentially is the “KISYSSYM” path variable for the schematic part of KiCAD.
Point it to your symbol library folder. You can have more than one defined here.. just append the next one by doing this:
LibDir=c:/folderA,d:/folderB (or was it a semicolon ‘;’ as separator ?)
Ah well, KiCAD willl tell you what it wants.
Then a bit down are your local library entries.
The numbers need to increase for each entry and the entry names should be the library file names without the .lib ending (otherwise KiCAD will tell you that it doesn’t like it).
You can test this setup on the projects .pro file before you manipulate the global kicad.pro file.
Or you can even modify the local .pro file with the GUI in EEschema and copy the results into the global kicad.pro file, so it sticks and you have to do it only once (or anytime you change something with your local libs).
For the GUI way - this will affect your current project only! - open KiCAD, then EEschema and there under preferences > component libraries it should look something like this (left window in that screenshot):
Remove any paths/libs in the upper window you don’t like, that don’t work or whatever.
Then hit [Add] button #1 and add the path to your local libs. I prefer absolute, but depending on your setup relative might be better.
This will put a path into the .pro file where it says ‘LibDir’.
Once you got that, use the [Add] button #2 and add libraries.. one by one (and yes, you have to navigate to them manually each time.. it sucks.
That’s why I mentioned the text-editor way up there and the global setting kicad.pro file so you don’t have to do this for every each and one of your projects.
When you hit ok you can test the setup working right there by placing a symbol from one of the libs.
The right screenshot is demonstrating that..
Questions?