Hi,
I have some comments according global libraries,
As the obedient user that I am, I would as recommended, make my own libraries for symbols, footprints, and spice models, which I also find very reasonable and necessary. This means that when I select an op-amp for any schematic, I always get the same symbol, and the same spice model.
As I see, it is only possible to attach a spice model to a symbol in a specific project, is that correct?
I need a library tool that can work on a global library, independently of any projects. This
When I open the symbols library via the “Preferences - Manage symbols Library” menu, I can add and remove existing libraries to my project, but not create and delete libraries!. It is rather odd to me that I must open a library via a Project Preference menu, and this was not “symbol managing” for me, but managing a table of the actual project libraries.
It is not logical to me that I have to open a “Symbol editor” in order to create a new library.
It is rather odd to me that I have to go though two menu entries in order to connect a spice model. This spice model should have been attached previously once forever in my global symbol library.
I suggest that you make a hierarchical library manager (not hidden in Preferences menu or the file menu).
Here you can create, save, delete and edit any library, i.e. if it is a symbol-, a footprint-, 3D-model- or a spice-library that you want to work with. When you click edit, the library opens and you can see the elements in the library
Now you can create, edit, save and delete elements in the selected library and save one or more selected elements to an other library of the same type. I am sure that the basic functionality already exists i KiCad, but the access is confusing, you do not know in which library you work.
The access names (menu entries, headlines etc.) must distinguish more clearly what is a real library (containing symbols, footprints, 3D-models or spice models) and what is a table of available libraries for a specific project.
You should be able to assign spice models in the global library. see the Simulation_xxx libs that ship with kicad. @holger should be able to tell you more about that.
Every kicad tool can work on both global and local libs. This includes the library managers as well es the library asset editors.
The library manger is there to manage the library tables. It is mainly used to add or remove multiple libs at once from a given library table. Or to make some advanced things happen (like a non standard use of path variables, the use of the github plugin, …)
Well here we disagree. If i want to make a new word document i open word and tell it to make a new one. So if i want a new library asset then it is logical that i use the library editor. (I am aware of the file manager feature to create a new document directly from its right click context menu. But choose to ignore this path for the given analogy)
The symbol (and footprint) editors are exactly this “manager”.
Both allow making new libs and add them to either the global or local lib table. Can be done with file->new lib, a button in the top toolbar or by right clicking in the treeview found on the left side. (I assume there also is some hotkey at least from the file->new menu entries)
The lib editors also allow adding assets (symbols or footprints) to any given library. (again file menu, top toolbar or right click in the treeview.)
I have made my own libraries for symbols and footprints and I’m using only them. At that moment I don’t plan to use spice in KiCad.
How often do you create a new library? I have decided what libraries I will have and my first work to start to use KiCad was to make all my libraries. I made them all global so I will have one list for all my projects. I plan to add new symbols and footprints when I will need them but rather not the new libraries. I’m not an experienced KiCad user - tomorrow I will do my third KiCad PCB.
When I need to edit/add symbols I just open (from main KiCad window) the symbol editor and the same if I need to edit/add footprints. I would not expect one editor for that all - symbols are so different from footprints that for me it is logical to use different tools.