Hi,
Thinking of migrating from version 5.0.0 to version 7.
Will my current 5.0.0 projects import into version 7?
Are there any issues I should be aware?
Can I have version 5.0.0 and version 7 on the same computer and use them independent of eachother?
Thanks…
Ian
After transferring and converting to a new version, you will not be able to open these projects in the old one… I recommend saving a copy of the projects and libraries… Some plugins that have not been updated for a long time will stop working in the new version… When converting old projects, errors in the design rules of which appear It wasn’t there before… Everything can be solved but it requires some time and work…You can use 2 different versions but you need to be careful not to open the old project in the new version, otherwise it will be converted when saving
Yes.
Not so much an issue, but when installing 7.0.8 (the latest, bugfixed 7.0.0) make sure you tick the “recommended” box when asked about library installation.
As mentioned above, when you open and save a 5 project in 7, you will no longer be able to view that project in 5, so if you wish to retain 5, make a second copy of your projects; one set for each Kicad version.
This depends on your OS. Linux, no. Windows, yes. Mac, don’t know.
I think is common knowledge, but i warn you all the same:
once committed to 7.x you will not be able to revert your projects back to 5.x.
(and probably you will not feel the need to 
)
make sure you tick the “recommended” box when asked about library installation.
Why?
This depends on your OS. Linux, no.
Luckily, my Linux doesn’t know that so i can use 5.0 and 7.99 in parallel.
Because the current libraries will not be installed.
My Linux is not so lucky.
Installing 7 overwrote 6. Same with 4 to 5 and 5 to 6.
Installing 7.99 overwrote 6.99. Same with 5.99 to 6.99.
Because the current libraries will not be installed.
Should i tick that box even when i don’t use any default libraries nor plan do use them?
My Linux is not so lucky.
Installing 7 overwrote 6. Same with 4 to 5 and 5 to 6.
Installing 7.99 overwrote 6.99. Same with 5.99 to 6.99.
You can’t install them both with a packed manager and then expect the command kicad to work with both, yes.
But you can compile one (in my case it is 7.99), move the binaries to a special folder and use both of them in parallel (you may need to set some environment variables like PATH and use some other hacks).
It isn’t something for a DAU (can you use that in english? Dumbest assumable user, someone that doesn’t understand how to use a computer) but it is possible.
Other possibility is to use a VM or some other kind of sandbox.
V5.0.0. Waauw, that is ancient. Looking back on the KiCad website, it was released on: 2018-07-22
I wonder why you never updated to newer KiCad V5 versions. KiCad V5 goes all the way up to KiCad V5.1.12, released over three years later on 2021-11-10.
First, a small recap of the KiCad version numbers. Currently the KiCad project is on a yearly release schedule for releasing a major KiCad version (The first digit) each year. This mayor release has all the new features which were programmed in the year before it. (Developed in the KiCad-nightly, which as a Vx.99 version number). Because of these big changes, it is also likely to introduce a lot of new bugs.
The second digit is for introducing new features in the same mayor KiCad version. After KiCad moved to releasing a mayor version yearly, this second digit is not expected to be used again and probably stays at 0. The third digit are bug fix updates. These are currently released about once a month, and it is recommended to always update when these get released. Currently there are usually over 70 bug fixes each month. Sometimes unforeseen things happen with these bug fix releases, and it gets pulled back. If you have a company that relies on KiCad, then it’s probably best to wait one or two weeks before updating to the latest bug fix release.
As I wrote before. KiCad V5.0.0 is quite old, and a lot has happened since. In KiCad V6 all the icons have been re-designed, and this makes KiCad look quite a bit different, and this will take some time to get used to.
The most important thing however, is that starting from KiCad V6 the schematic has a completely new file format. In this new file format (based on S-expressions) all schematic symbols are embedded in the schematic file itself, and this makes your KiCad projects a lot more robust. KiCad V5 did make [project]-cache.lib and [project]-rescue.lib files, and these are essential parts of the KiCad V5 projects. People often deleted the [project]-cache.lib file, and this seemed to have no ill effects, but that was only true as long as the original V5 KiCad libraries were still available. If both the [project]-cache.lib and the original libraries are missing, then a KiCad V5 project is severely damaged and it takes some significant manual intervention to fix that.
If your KiCad V5 projects are complete (so inclusive those files) then migrating your projects to KiCad V7 should be easy. The process is basically just 1). Open the project in KiCad V7. 2). Go through the rescue / symbol remapping. 3). Save the schematic. 4. Open the PCB in KiCad V7 and save it. The PCB does not need any special remapping.
Another noteworthy change is that the libraries have been updated, extended and improved. All (I think) SMT pads now have rounded corners, both on the pads themselves and in the solder stencil. This is an IPC recommendation that improves solder paste release and therefore a more consistent amount of paste on the pads. When you update a project, the old footprints are maintained. You can upgrade the footprints to newer versions, but this is a user decision.
I migrated from V5 to V6 and then from V6 to V7 with no issues.
Later someone migrating from V5 to V7 had some issues. My advice was to go through V6 and it helped him. But it was at times of 7.0.2 or 7.0.3 so may be source of his problems were fixed since then.
I am at Windows so no that problem (libraries are ‘by default’ installed). I also use only my libraries but from time to time when I want to add new footprint I like to get as a starting point a footprint from KiCad libraries.
My only problem was (may be it is only Windows related) that at first run of schematic and first run of pcb KiCad asked to point my library list and opened to select it a window that didn’t showed system or hidden files and that list is such kind of file.
So I copied my lists into some normally seen folder and when asked for it I was able to select them so I got them in V7.
Linux: In some distributions, for example fedora, KiCad is packaged under separate names depending on whether it is a stable or a development / nightly version. Thus you can have one stable and one nightly installed as a regular distribution specific package, in fedora installed with the help of dnf.
In addition to that, you can have a flatpak of KiCad, which will work independently of the regular packages and without conflict with them.
You could thus have for example:
Regular distribution package: KiCad 5.0.x (or 5.1.x)
Regular development nightly package: KiCad 7.99
Flatpak: KiCad 7.0.x
what I really miss in Linux is AppImage distro for kicad
Any particular reason you prefer AppImage over snap or flatpak?
(KiCad 7.0.7 seems to be available as snap as well as flatpak. Link to flatpak on KiCad website works, though it seems finding KiCad on the flathub website doesn’t at the moment, at least not when I tried.)
snap and flatpack require to install extra bunch of sw (like snap and flatpack).
AppImage is a standalone package fully portable among OS releases
Looks like only KiCad 5.1.2 is available as an AppImage.
yes I know, it is from myself 
Unfortunately I’ve found issues in porting to U22 also kv5
Hello @johannespfister
It appears we have both misread each others posts.
I misread this:
and you misread this:
I have one stable release and one nightly release. ie 7.0.8 & 7.99
You have one stable release and one nightly release. ie. 5.0.X & 7.99
I am unable to have two stable releases or two nightly releases. My linux does not allow me to have eg. 5.0.12 as well as 7.0.8 nor does it allow me to have 6.99 as well as 7.99.
If I used Windows, I would be allowed to have eg. 5.0.12 as well as 7.0.8.
If you are absolutely certain you will never use the Kicad Libraries, there is no need to install them.
I installed them and keep them up to date but I keep them hidden and use my own libraries exclusively for my projects.
I keep the Kicad Libraries because I copy and/or modify the symbols and footprints in those libraries when I need new symbols and footprints for my own libraries for my projects. Modifying or copying Kicad symbols and footprints saves me a lot of effort when I want new items.
Sorry about any confusion. 
My linux does not allow me to have eg. 5.0.12 as well as 7.0.8 nor does it allow me to have 6.99 as well as 7.99.
You can still have both when you compile one. I can compile 7.0.8 and have 5.1.9 installed by the packet manager in use both (with some extra work).
Too much trouble and not worth the effort for me.
I have enough problems trying to keep up with the latest release and its new features without trying to remember how it used to be done
A flatpak for 7.0.x might be slightly or significantly less effort than compiling.
The question is a little off topic, but can I find out the number of the ipc standard in which the footprint is recommended to be rounded?