Now I’m set to Kicad 7.0 (Ubuntu 22.10). For some reason, my libs are not here anymore,
so I have to set them back. Ideally, I would like to add a folder containing all my private libraries.
But “manage symbol libraries” allows only to add them one by one. And beside this, these are
the libraries I use most, so I would like them to be on top. It will take quite a while to move them
1 by 1 (I dont’t know the number of libs I have, but likely more than 100.
Is it possible to add them by batches?
If not, is there a text file I could edit to add them all at once?
Thanks,
R
Addendum: As for adding more than 1 file, it works! I don’t know what I did first, but now I could
add a few files at once. Now how to move them upwards as a batch does not work by selecting
more than one.
Symbols and footprint libraries are listed in the sym-lib-table and fp-lib-table files. There are global variants in your KiCad configuration directory (~/.config/kicad/ on Linux), and each project will have these if project specific libraries are defined.
Each KiCad version also has it’s own sub directory in the configuration directory So copying is done quite easily with a text editor, or even better, a program made for merging files such as https://meldmerge.org/
The easiest way to move them is to rename the “nickname” in the “library managers”. This is fully explained in the FAQ here. It will only take you a few seconds after you have finished installing your personal libraries.
Ok, I will have to explore the config files to make it better fit my needs.
Yesterday I noticed a feature I don’t find today.
In the symbol libraries panel, there was some kind of “favorites” setting allowing to promote the libs
I use frequently to the top of the pile. I don’t see this feature anymore. Only the arrows to put them
higher or lower by one line at a time. However, If I want to do that with 100 libraries and push them
over the 200 existing libs, it will take ages (100 files, 200 times the up arrow, therefore 20000 clicks
and 1 tendinitis.
Yesterday, just after I promoted the files I wanted to, they were on the top of the list, preceded by
a star, but this setting has disappeared. Do I need to save this setting somewhere?
All you need to do is:
Open your Schematic and footprint library managers.
Scroll to the bottom of the list to find your personal libraries.
In the column titled “nickname” place a “0 or 1 or 2 or 3” in front of the name.
Any libraries with those numbers preceding the nickname will be seen in your list of libraries in the PCB and Schematic editors. They will be above the 4xxx Kicad Library.