Newly installed kicad 6 - no footprints (on WIN 10)

[LiamObsolete]

hi,
I recently upgraded to Kicad 6.0.4 from 5.1.12

Well I say that I upgraded when in fact (at first) I just installed them side by side. I then realised that there was a problem when I tried to assign ANY of the built-in footprints to a schematic symbol in eeschema.

Basically when I try to assign a footprint to a symbol it tells me that the footprint libary cannot be found.

After reading through a load of posts online regarding similar issues which people have experienced I decided to uninstall both versions of Kicad and then reinstall just Kicad 6.0.4 on it’s own. But this has not solved the problem.

Looking at the list of paths in: [preferences/ configure paths] I can see that the footprint directory is set as follows: -

KICAD6_FOOTPRINT_DIR: C:\Program Files\KiCad\6.0\share\kicad\footprints

When I open that path in windows explorer I can see that all of the files are there… but for some reason kicad is not recognising them

When I try to open the footprint editor directly from the project manager page I get the following error…. even directly after a fresh install…

Errors were encountered loading footprints:
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Battery_Holders.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Buttons_Switches_SMD.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Buttons_Switches_Keyboard.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Buttons_Switches_THT.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Buzzers_Beepers.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Capacitors_SMD.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Capacitors_Tantalum_SMD.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_Card.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_DSub.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_Harwin.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_HDMI.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_Hirose.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_IDC.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_IEC_DIN.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_JST.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_JAE.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_Multicomp.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_Phoenix.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_Samtec.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_TE-Connectivity.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_Terminal_Blocks.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_TestPoints.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_USB.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_WAGO.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Capacitors_THT.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Converters_DCDC_ACDC.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Crystals.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_Molex.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Displays.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Displays_7-Segment.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Enclosures.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Diodes_SMD.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/EuroBoard_Outline.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Heatsinks.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Hall-Effect_Transducers_LEM.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_BGA.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_CSP.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Fiducials.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_PGA.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_DFN_QFN.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_SIP.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_SOIC.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_LGA.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Connectors_Mini-Universal.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_SSOP.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Inductors_SMD.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_DIP.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/LEDs.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Measurement_Scales.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Modules.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Microwave.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Opto-Devices.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Mounting_Holes.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Oscillators.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Package_DirectFET.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Potentiometers.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Pin_Headers.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Relays_SMD.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Power_Integrations.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Resistors_SMD.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Relays_THT.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Inductors_THT.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/RF_Antennas.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_LCC.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/RF_Modules.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Diodes_THT.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Sockets.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Shielding_Cabinets.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Socket_Strips.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Symbols.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/TerminalBlock_Philmore.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/TerminalBlock_4UCON.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/TerminalBlock_RND.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/TerminalBlock_MetzConnect.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/TerminalBlock_Phoenix.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/TerminalBlock_WAGO.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/TO_SOT_Packages_SMD.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/TO_SOT_Packages_THT.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Transformers_SMD.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Transformers_THT.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Valves.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Varistors.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Resistors_Universal.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Wire_Pads.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_SON.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Fuse_Holders_and_Fuses.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Housings_QFP.pretty’ not found.
Footprint library ‘${KIGITHUB}/Resistors_THT.pretty’ not found.

[paulvdh]

Uninstalling KiCad does not remove it’s configuration files.

As far as I know the github libraries have been deprecated for some years now.

Did you find this FAQ article:

Where are the configuration files (settings, library tables)?

KiCad stores user settings (or preferences) and library tables for the user in a system specific location. The default paths are: Unix (Linux etc.): The user’s home directory + .config/kicad/ (= $HOME/.config/kicad/) Windows Vista & later: “C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming” + kicad\ (= %appdata%\kicad) OSX: The user’s home directory + /Library/Preferences/kicad/ From later 5.99 nightly builds onward the configuration folder has the version number added for each x.y version. For example: 5.99…

In short:
Simply deleting (or renaming) the configuration directory fools KiCad into thinking it is a fresh install and it will then ask you if it should re-create the library tables. Make sure you do so.

[LiamObsolete]

Thank you paulvdh

I uninstalled again… but this time made sure to remove the kicad folder in appData\Roaming\ as well… then reinstalled and followed instructions to create a new table from default settings… And now it’s all working fine.

I really appreciate your help.