This is probably simple for all but a newbie like me.
I’m using KiCAD 2013 ver on a Windows 10 desktop PC
Regarding EEschema.
For most of my schematics: Under library preferences, I remove all or nearly all libraries and add my custom library (call it “mylib”) Has worked well for a long time. Suddenly KiCad reports “mylib” can’t be found, yet I can view it with all the other libraries at Kicad>share>libraries. I can add it using library preferences. But, I can’t load a symbol and my schematics are now missing most or all parts.
This happened right after I used the component editor to modify the labels on a couple pins. I must have screw up something.
Can anyone help me recover to normal op?
Well, first people are going to suggest you upgrade to the current stable release. Since it is free not to many people use the older releases so you will get less support.
That said, not knowing what you have tried, have you closed out Kicad and reopened? Being Windows, you have tried a reboot, yes? 
Do you know where the file is on your computer? It is a text file so you should be able to open it and take a look. It almost sounds like permissions changed so you don’t have access to open it.
Smarter people will wander by eventually if this doesn’t help.
Maybe a problem with UAC. If you try to save a file to \Program Files, Windows doesn’t actually save it there, but in somewhere like C:\Users\bob\AppData\Local\VirtualStore. Then both the user and app get confused… For this reason, I install any apps that might need to write to Program Files somewhere else without these restrictions.
Perhaps a better practice is to make sure to save files to a user directory. You will need to add the path into eeschema so it can find the library.
Well, if you don’t find the file mylib.lib in your hard disk as bobc suggests, your missing symbols are surely in the yourproject.cache.lib file.
Thanks for your response hermit
Yes, I need to upgrade. I had read that there was some incompatibility between 4 and older versions. So I hesitated. That info was probably from people who know even less than me (if that’s possible)
I closed Kicad and reopened, also rebooted windows … no joy
Mylib is on the drive with all the other libraries. I can open it with notepad. It is listed as a library I can add in library preferences, but Kicad says the file can’t be found when I want to add a part.
bobc
I don’t know what “UAC” is. I can find the library using Windows explorer. The search path highlighted in the library preference window looks to be correct.
Pedro
I opened an old schematic, all the components from “mylib” were missing, replaced with “?”.
Don’t know if I need to do something to force use of the cache?
Thanks to all who have replied, I appreciate the help.
Then, copy mylib.lib to your home directory, anywhere outside the system files. Then try to add it as usual to the project.
Conversion from kicad 2013 to kicad-4 is not difficult. It only regards pcbnew, not eeschema.
Pedro
Success (sort of). I put a copy of Mylib in the folder with my project (happens to be on the desktop). Opened the project, opened preferences> library and changed the search path to the project file on the desktop… all the symbols from my lib appeared.
I’d need a different search path for each project. Maybe this suggests that I should move all the libraries to another fixed location.
Andy_P
Thanks for the explanation. Interesting that my version of Kicad has put all the libraries in the Kicad folder (that is in program files (x86) on the C directory)
Pedro
Maybe I need to delete Mylib from “Kicad>share>library”, then recopy it there?
Or move all the libraries to some other location in “my documents”?
You’re right, I need to upgrade. I have 1/2 dozen PCB drawings, wouldn’t enjoy having to rebuild them if an edit is needed.
Thanks again guys
My advice: keep your own libraries wherever you want in your user disk.
I’m a Linux user, so I keep my libraries in a folder in my /home directory.
Any update of kicad libraries will overwrite the current ones, so it is a bad idea to keep your own libraries at “Kicad>share>library”. Furthermore, a change in a component of the official library will “leak” in your existing projects without notice.
I use the official libraries as a start point to make my own ones. Sometimes I make changes to a component or footprint, sometimes I don’t.
1 Like
Pedro
I moved Mylib to a safe place, deleted KiCad and reinstalled a fresh copy. No change, still can’t access Mylib from Kicad>share>library but can if it is somewhere else.
I’m going to take your advice. Install KiCad 2017, move parts from KiCad’s libraries to mine as needed and save mine in a another location.
Thanks for your help and good advice.
Pedro
I moved Mylib to a safe place, deleted KiCad and reinstalled a fresh
copy. No change, still can’t access Mylib from Kicad>share>library but
can if it is somewhere else.
I’m going to take your advice. Install KiCad 2017, move parts from
KiCad’s libraries to mine as needed and save mine in a another location.
Thanks for your help and good advice.
Did you ever find a fix? I have the same problem and this is the only post I can find of someone who encountered the same thing
From your other post, your problem is with version 8 so unlikely to be the same problem. A 6 year old topic is rarely helpful. Closing it.