Move all 3D Models of one project in one common folder

Hi there,

I want to ask if there is a way to automatically move/copy all 3D models which are used in a pcb to a common folder in the project directory like for example ${KIPRJMOD}/3D_models and also fix the footprints in the pcb, to point on the models in the new directory.
Background is, that we want to give our design to some external person. He can open it, but some 3D models are missing in 3D view. This is because the footprint its pointing to 3D models for exmaple on C:/my_3dModels. And that folders is not existing on the other persons machine. I know that was not a clean way when creating the design but is there a easy way to fix the project.

directly from KiCad I believe it is not possible, but there is an excellent plugin from MitjaN: Archive Project that does exactly that.

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Ok, thank you I will try that.

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Maybe in V8: Draft: Pcbnew: Adding 3d model archival tool (!1338) · Merge requests · KiCad / KiCad Source Code / kicad · GitLab

Please tell, how a to use plugins or specially that plugin.

Not the quickest way but, it’s simple and effective:

You can get to Editing the Footprint in several ways
Either from the PCB or the Footprint Editor

Example from PCB:
Right-Click a Footprint on the PCB, Open in Footprint_Editor
File>Export>Footprint

Export it to desired folder

Whenever you install a plugin, you can get an icon to execute it, if not all plugins are listed under Tools->External plugins, so whenever you want to archive your stuff, you click on it

In this case you click in on “Run”

image

And when it is done, you will get a window listing the missing models, if any:

image

And now, there should be a new folder in your project folder with the 3d models

image

and the models of the footprint in your project, point to that new directory

btw, I used the “Archive 3D models” plugin directly from the PCM, so much easier to install and keep updated.

Hope this helps.

3 Likes

Thank you. Thank you 20 times

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