First, the Step-file misses some come components. During export I get following errors
“Could not add 3D model to C12.
File not found: ${KISYS3DMOD}/Capacitor_SMD.3dshapes/C_0402_1005Metric.wrl
Searched paths:
C:\Program Files\KiCad\6.0” and so on.".
I have added resistor and capacitor model into “C:\Users\LM10_64\Documents\KiCad\CM4IO_fdpro\CM4IO.3dshapes” folder.
Second: Should there be colors in the FreeCAD view? I haven’t. There are colors in the KiCAD viewer.
This is Win10/64 machine with
"Application: KiCad (64-bit)
As I understand it, then (if available) the .WRL models are used for KiCad’s internal viewer (and these have fancy colors), but STEP export only uses .step files (and these do not have the colors).
A lot of the default libraries have both a .wrl and a .step model for their footprints.
I have added both step and wrl files in “G:\Users\LM10_64\Documents\KiCad\CM4IO_fdpro\CM4IO.3dshapes” folder. Both C_0402_1005Metric.step and C_0402_1005Metric.wrl files are there and of course resistor files too.
Answer 2. Resistors and capacitors have3D models in “G:\Program Files\KiCad\6.0\share\kicad\3dmodels…” folder, what is the reason that they do not show in the 3D output?
The only limitation I have experienced is that if transparency is defined like for LEDs it is lost on export from KiCad (might not be supported in STEP models).
I tried to check if my paths and such are working, and I found a strange thing…
When I open Router/preferences/Managesymbol libraries menu, I can’t see Capacitors or resistors? Should I?
I think I see the same parts missing in both (but yes colors seems to be missing in FreeCAD). The STEP file will not show empty footprints as it does not show traces. (In the FreeCAD screen shot you are apparently hovering the mouse over the board so that it has the yellow selection color. )
So perhaps there is need to check settings in KiCAD with respect to where it will look for the 3D models, both globally and for the subfolders defined in the footprints.
I was referring to @LM21’s result not mine of course. Interestingly, it does not matter if that option is ticked on or off in my installation, colors appear in both cases, but the cause is likely that the option to make compound on import does not seem to work, I always get a holding container.
OS: Windows 10 Version 2009
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.24267 +99 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: Branch_0.19.3
Hash: 6530e364184ce05ccff39501e175cf2237e6ee4b
Python version: 3.8.6+
Qt version: 5.15.2
Coin version: 4.0.1
OCC version: 7.5.3
Locale: English/United States (en_US)
This is interesting. I will definitely check that unchecking when I start my Win10 machine.
About my folder and paths, yes, there may well be something wrong with them, because I have messed with them when I was installing a new component into the library. But it is not too clear because those folders are there and files in there make sense( to me, at least).
@otoien Where is that preference tab. I have looked all the menus and preferences, but I have not found that kind of screen or window. And it is so unfamiliar that I don’t think I have ever seen it here before.
Edit: This is a nightly build from yesterday (if it helps)
I havn’t a step menu there. OCA is the last I have. And this is the latest version I could find
That is FreeCad version Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.19.24267 +99 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: Branch_0.19.3
I updated KiCAD only and now I can see the step option in preferences.
Edit: And when I did what was told in post 10, I can see colors now, but not much else. Many parts are missing their 3D component.
