KiCad Printing - transistors disappearing

Software
1

I re-installed KiCad a few days ago. Simply to use the Schematic program to draw a circuit. When I print it, the transistors ‘disappear’!
On searching this looks like it was a bug that was quashed?
But not in my version. Ubuntu

Application: KiCad Schematic Editor
Version: 6.0.0-rc1-bf2b03b42f~115~ubuntu18.04.1, release build

Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.0.4
libcurl/7.58.0 OpenSSL/1.1.1 zlib/1.2.11 libidn2/2.0.4 libpsl/0.19.1 (+libidn2/2.0.4) nghttp2/1.30.0 librtmp/2.3

Platform: Linux 4.15.0-191-generic i686, 32 bit, Little endian, wxGTK, xfce, x11

Build Info:
Date: Nov 19 2021 15:42:34
wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 3.22
Boost: 1.65.1
OCC: 7.5.2
Curl: 7.58.0
ngspice: unknown
Compiler: GCC 7.5.0 with C++ ABI 1011

Build settings:
KICAD_USE_OCC=ON
KICAD_SPICE=ON

2

Hello & welcome @Johnb

Kicad is up to 6.0.7 now. Seven lots of bug fixes since 6.0.0
It would be worthwhile upgrading and then checking again.

3

You have an old and unstable version.
Download version 6.0.7, I hope you can install it given your slightly dated system.

4

It may be necessary to delete the kicad settings otherwise the problem may recur.
“/home/USER/.config/kicad/6.0”
I have Linux Mint 20.3 but I think the path to the settings is identical.

ATTENTION: You lose all the settings, save the files before taking the test.

5

Hi All
Thanks for the suggestions. I did install from the site:- Install on Ubuntu | KiCad EDA
Which gave me this version. If I plot the circuit the transistors internal diagram appears. But printing it does not.
Maybe the Ubuntu repository is incorrect?
Regards
JohnB

6

Hi
Just checked the page. It says 6.07 but installed 6.0 ???

7

You appear to have a pre-release version which won’t update. I would delete all KiCad packages and install from the page you linked to.

Oh, and if there are any repositories for nightlies or something like that, remove those specifications too, otherwise you may even get 6.99.

8

Maybe it depends on the version of Ubuntu dated.

9

Hi
Checking again. kicad is already the newest version (6.0.0-0rc1-202111191542+bf2b03b42f~115~ubuntu18.04.1).
If I re-install from that PPA, it installs the same version.
Not the ‘stable release’ latest version.

10

Just tried printing some transistors. All is well on 6.0.7Application: KiCad

Version: 6.0.7-f9a2dced07~116~ubuntu20.04.1, release build

Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.0.4
libcurl/7.68.0 OpenSSL/1.1.1f zlib/1.2.11 brotli/1.0.7 libidn2/2.2.0 libpsl/0.21.0 (+libidn2/2.2.0) libssh/0.9.3/openssl/zlib nghttp2/1.40.0 librtmp/2.3

Platform: Linux 5.4.0-124-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK, cinnamon, x11

Build Info:
Date: Jul 26 2022 19:32:41
wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 3.24
Boost: 1.71.0
OCC: 7.5.2
Curl: 7.84.0
ngspice: 36
Compiler: GCC 9.4.0 with C++ ABI 1013

Build settings:
KICAD_USE_OCC=ON
KICAD_SPICE=ON

11

Hi jmk
I can upload a pdf of the circuit. Or a jpg. But the circuit prints with all but the collector, base and emitter.
But it plots. To pdf or printer. No issues.
But regards the version 6.0.7, I don’t understand why the apt update/upgrade still downloads an ‘older’ version.
Don’t bang your heads against a brick wall. I can plot diagrams…
Regards
JohnB

12

Hi @Johnb

I use Mint which uses the same Ubuntu.
Go here and try the Mint version, after you have exterminated your 6.0.0

13

It could be a package construction error via PPA, you can open a problem on kicad gitlab.

14

Hi @Johnb ,
The kicad-nighly version on your linux mint updates?
Updates on my system are stopped on July 21st.

Error I wanted to ask @jmk

15

I think there was a situation where pre-release versions had a package version number that was based on the date 202111… and therefore sorted higher than any actual release version. This happened to some people earlier this year. Such is the hazard of tailgating pre-release versions.

The solution is to remove all packages of that pre-release, and also remove any mention of pre-release repositories in the system, then install following the documentation.

16

This only solves your printing problem, not all the other bugs that have been fixed.

17

Hi All
OOPS! I installed the kicad-nightly as per the Mint install page.
It also doesn’t print NPN / PNP transistors. The version in help about:-
Application: KiCad

Version: 6.0.0-rc1-unknown-014bad7b28~144~ubuntu18.04.1, release build

Libraries:
wxWidgets 3.0.4
libcurl/7.58.0 OpenSSL/1.1.1 zlib/1.2.11 libidn2/2.0.4 libpsl/0.19.1 (+libidn2/2.0.4) nghttp2/1.30.0 librtmp/2.3

Platform: Linux 4.15.0-191-generic i686, 32 bit, Little endian, wxGTK, xfce, x11

Build Info:
Date: Dec 5 2021 21:05:01
wxWidgets: 3.0.4 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 3.22
Boost: 1.65.1
OCC: 7.5.2
Curl: 7.58.0
ngspice: unknown
Compiler: GCC 7.5.0 with C++ ABI 1011

Build settings:
KICAD_USE_OCC=ON
KICAD_SPICE=ON

Any suggestions - apart from trying Windwoes?

18

Hi,
You’re still on 6.0.0

ksnip_20220819-200853
ksnip_20220819-200853718×309 38.8 KB

You need to completely uninstall that Kicad 6.0.0 and start aga
As I mentioned, the Mint 6.0.7 works properly, uses the same Ubuntu installation.

20

Hi jmk
WHERE does it say NOT for use on 32bit OS’ ??
I did not see that on any of the KiCad pages. Nor did the ubuntu install mention this.
If it is only for 64bit, surely the ‘downloads’ page should mention this?

Not happy.
regards
JohnB

21

For windows there is the 32-bit version.