KiKit cannot expand path environment variable for drawing sheet template

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1

Hi,
I am using kikit, version 1.5.1 on KiCad x64 8.0.2, release build on Windows 10.
KiKit is great but I noticed the following issue:

Invoking KiKit from the Kicad 8.0 Command Prompt to panelize my board fails when I refer to the source file being in a folder where a local drawing sheet is specified. This resides in *.kicad.pro als "page_layout_descr_file": "${KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR}/myCustomDrawingFrame.kicad_wks"

I get the following error:
grafik

When I first copy the *.kicad.pcb to a new temp folder and have KiKit work on this the panelisation process works, because there is no *.kicad.pro file present.

Invoking KiKit on the original file that is controlled by git would be my preferred method to make sure that no modifications are done to the copy of original file that are not tracked by git.

C:\Users\LangerJan\Documents\KiCad\8.0> kikit panelize ^
    --layout "grid; rows: 2; cols: 2; space: 2mm; hbackbone: 3mm; vbackbone: 3mm" ^
 ...
	C:\Users\LangerJan\gitlab\myproject\main_pcb\main_pcb.kicad_pcb ^
	C:\Users\LangerJan\gitlab\myproject\panel\main_panel.kicad_pcb

I’m not experienced in the internals of KiKit. Any suggestions on how to add my panelisation command into a script are highly welcome.

BR
Jan

2

Check out the KiKit author’s GitHub and FAQ . . .

https://yaqwsx.github.io/KiKit/latest/faq/

3

I use KiKit (currently also v 1.5.1 and KiCAD 8.0.2) and don’t experience problems you described. I have custom drawing sheet and no errors.

I usually generate a panel in a subfolder of the project so both are within git repo path. Additionally I add a date to the panel rail, so I know when it was generated.

As RaptorUK said - check KiKit FAQ and examples. Also try KiKit addon (frontend) in KiCAD PCB editor. It a good visual way for experimenting with different settings.

Try on a different project and / or using a different drawing template.
If that doesn’t help - you can submit an issue on the KiKit Github repo.

4

Dear Greg,
thanks for your fast reply.
I copied the drawing template to my local panel folder and KiKit had no trouble with it.

The problem seems to be the environment variable `${KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR} that is preceding the drawing frame template file path. We have a common drawing frame template that is controlled by git in a separate directory. By using the above variable we always get the latest version.

`${KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR} is defn’d in C:\users\LangerJan\AppData\Roaming\kicad\8.0\kicad_common.json as standard KiKcad environment variable, but KiKit doesn’t seem to know anything about it.

I’m not familiar with the difference between Kicad- and Standard Command Prompt so I have no idea how to work with KiCad internal environment variables.

5

OK, I understand. I usually use my own template whichautomatically copies the page template to the local folder, so I can’t reproduce your problem.

Looks like a bug. Report it on KiKit github issues page: