New here, hope to be "un-frustrated’ with my first experience with Kicad… I’m trying to find places to build a large parts library for my projects that i do. In the last 15 years i have built up a HUGE library for my Eagle… I could continue using my “free” non legit copy but i have decided to actually use LEGIT software now… ( yay )
I tried downloading some library files for Kicad but they are not being shown, 100% says i’m doing it wrong but is there a way i can download a HUGE pre-made library ? mostly SMD resistors caps & transistors & connectors.
I just downloaded the KiCad library : 51.6 MB 7,969 Files, 110 Folders
It’s a little hidden, (5.0.0-rc2), in KiCad shell.FootprintEditor.Preferences.FootprintLibraryWizard, where it has
[*] GitHub repository https://github.com/KiCad
as an option.
Once downloaded, it all shows up under
KiCad shell.FootprintEditor.View.LibraryBrowser
Plus there is this news, and links re Digikey’s new KiCad library work…
I don’t think I have ever used Eagle, though I have used around half a dozen other commercial layout packages for periods ranging from a few hours to several years. My advice: Don’t expect KiCAD to behave like Eagle, or any other layout software you may have used. It definitely has a unique personality.
If you poke around this Forum a bit you’ll discover that the library has recently experience both a significant clean-up and re-organization; as well as some fundamental changes related to the development of KiCAD ver 5.
As you become acquainted with KiCAD, don’t be afraid to ask questions here. Remember, we are a group of USERS helping each other along paths that we have walked ourselves. We are not the developers who built the paths, nor the architects who decided their routes and destinations.
I don’t expect it to I love learning and will take time to be happy with the software. I just want to have a large library for the Resistors caps & other goodies i use. I also use Digikey for all my parts so thats a bonus i guess
if you still have your eagle installed, you can convert most of your projects/libraries to kicad legacy format…
check this ULP
i prefer editing existing kicad libraries as per my requirement and saving as a separate library instead of directly using third party or converted libraries… midway approach to learning new software tool…
( yay )