KiCAD StepUp Installation

[dimitris]

Hello,

Can anyone please help me to understand how to install the StepUp Workbench in FreeCAD?

I go to the Addon Manager in FreeCAD and it gets stuck on “Downloading addon list…”. I assume this is because of a work-related firewall or something. The thing is, I have already downloaded the StepUp zip file.

I tried simply copy/paste the StepUp folder within the Mod folder of FreeCAD, then restart FreeCAD, but this trick appears to no longer work.

Is there another way to install the StepUp addon without having internet connectivity?

[maui]

Hi @dimitris
from FreeCAD documentation:

https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/How_to_install_additional_workbenches
https://www.freecadweb.org/wiki/Installing_more_workbenches

look for
Alternative installation method “manual install”
and
Installing for a single user

Maurice

[dimitris]

Hi Maurice,

Thanks for the help. I was unable to install as a Workbench, but was able to use as a Macro.

One of the issues that was giving me a hard time was that I needed to “deeper” specify where the KiCAD-StepUp files were.

When I extracted the KiCAD_StepUp zip file, I renamed the folder to KiCAD_StepUp. I then attempted to locate this folder (KiCAD_StepUp) to:

• C:\Program Files\FreeCAD\Mod\
• C:\Users\tz24w7\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\Mod
• C:\Users\tz24w7\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\Macro

I tried each of these options independently, and could never get the StepUp option in the Workbench menu. I also could not see my macro, when I’d search for macros.

When I changed the path of the macros

from:
C:\Users\tz24w7\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\Macro

to:
C:\Users\tz24w7\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\Macro\KiCAD_StepUp

then I could use the macro, after I re-started the program.

Stupid little details, I know… But hopefully this will help someone else in the future!

Also - I ran FreeCAD as Administrator, not sure if that matters though.

Thanks again for your help!

[maui]

Hi @dimitris

@dimitris

I tried each of these options independently, and could never get the StepUp option in the Workbench menu. I also could not see my macro, when I’d search for macros.

When I changed the path of the macros

from:
C:\Users\tz24w7\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\Macro

to:
C:\Users\tz24w7\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\Macro\KiCAD_StepUp

then I could use the macro, after I re-started the program.

The suggested configuration option is:

C:\Users\tz24w7\AppData\Roaming\FreeCAD\Mod\kicadStepUpMod

then, after restarting FreeCAD you should be able to see StepUp as a workbench…
It is listed as ‘KiCad StepUp Wb’
It is not needed to run FC as Administrator.