Kicad Version

Software
1

Hello everyone.
I have an issue, in our lab we are sharing same kicad library using one drive. initially we all were using version 8. Now one of our guy has installed kicad version 9 and when he added the common footprint library and opened a footprint. Now the people who are using version are unabale to use it can anyone suggest suitable solution for this.

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if you use the standard libraries, try reinstalling them.
If you have personal libs, i think the only sensible solution is to all jump on the 9.x.y wagon. (unless you have backups, that in any case is a thing you should do)

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I guess you would not have asked if you had a backup, which I do find a bit strange when a library is shared in a class. Maybe this “one drive” thing makes backups on it’s own? (I never used it).

Is this for footprints or symbols, or both?

Everybody upgrading to KiCad V9 does seem the most logical way to go. If that is not an option for you either, then there are at least two options left.

  1. You can re-create the library from all the V8 projects that use it. (KiCad embeds local copies of both symbols and footprints in each project it’s used.
  2. You can attempt to figure out what the changes in the library format is, and then fix it with a text editor. I am guessing that the changes are very minimal, as KiCad’s library formats are settling down for several mayor KiCad versions now.
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@paulvdh Dude we had the back up, I know how to recover my footprints from projects.

My question was is there any way to overcome the issue.

5

Well, sorry but my crystal ball is out for repair this week.

A solution?
Make the onedrive thing read only, use local copies or separate library for who uses KiCad V9. Put everyone on the same KiCad version. Plenty of options.

You can also sponsor KiCad to buy some developer hours to implement (limited) future compatibility.
I.e. this is not “backward” portability. It’s the KiCad V8 that can not read the library from the future.

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6

KiCad does not allow mixing versions on a project. KiCad versions incrementally change the file formats to add new features and even remove vestigal things.

Force “that one guy” to use V8, or upgrade everyone else to V9.

It really shouldn’t be much of a debate, every engineering org standardizes on one CAD version and changes version in unison.

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