[Solved] Could I get a little help with KiCad on Linux?

[pigeon]

Hi, have a fresh install of Kubuntu on my laptop and have just installed KiCad

Application: KiCad

Version: 6.0.7+dfsg-1build1, release build

Libraries:
	wxWidgets 3.0.5
	libcurl/7.85.0 OpenSSL/3.0.5 zlib/1.2.11 brotli/1.0.9 zstd/1.5.2 libidn2/2.3.3 libpsl/0.21.0 (+libidn2/2.3.2) libssh/0.9.6/openssl/zlib nghttp2/1.49.0 librtmp/2.3

Platform: Linux 5.19.0-29-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK, KDE, x11

Build Info:
	Date: Aug 10 2022 17:38:39
	wxWidgets: 3.0.5 (wchar_t,wx containers,compatible with 2.8) GTK+ 3.24
	Boost: 1.74.0
	OCC: 7.6.3
	Curl: 7.84.0
	ngspice: 37
	Compiler: GCC 12.1.0 with C++ ABI 1017

Build settings:
	KICAD_USE_OCC=ON
	KICAD_SPICE=ON

As I duel boot with Windows and Linux, I want to be able to add my footprints and symbols from one of the SSDs in my laptop so if I edit or make a new footprint in Windows I can access it on Linux too.

But when I go to the Prefrences> manage Footprint or Symble and click on the folder icon and navigate to the folder on the SSD I keep them on it won’t let me populate the table by selecting them all and hitting open, nothing happens, so currently I can only add one at a time, and that is going to take a while!

[greg_m]

Linux can read / write windows partitions. I presume your Windows disk is mounted and visible on Linux already.
If so then on Windows KiCad crate your own library, add the directory to KiCad paths, etc.
then on Linux KiCad add that path to the paths and your custom footprint library should be visible.

It’s important to have the same KiCad version on both systems.

I do the above on two separate machines - Windows at work and Linux at home. I sync projects and my own libraries via Dropbox. Works like a charm.

[pigeon]

Yep, all drives are mounted and viable, the one I keep my KiCad files on is just a Data drive rather than a OS drive (have 3 SSDs, 1: Windows OS, 2: Linux OS, 3:Internal Storage.

Both are running KiCad 6.x

Paths are all set to the right folders on both installs, the problem is the tables, can only add one library to the table at a time, rather than selecting everything in the symbols folder or footprint folder. On Windows I can just hit the folder icon in the table and Ctrl+A and add them all in one go, unfortunately, I can’t do this with Linux.

[greg_m]

Yes, I think you can only add one by one as you need to specify name for each (not just a filename).
However on your screen shot seems like you are copying standard KiCad libraries from one system to the other. They should be already added.
On Ubuntu you should have a package called “kicad-libraries”. Check if it’s installed.
Alternatively instead of full libraries you can install symbols, footprints or 3d packages only selecting a relevant package to be installed.

[jmk]

Hi @pigeon

Are you trying to add personal libraries only?

[eelik]

If you have a working setup on one system, you can copy a library table to another if the libraries are shared.

[pigeon]

Thats exactly what I want to do. is there an idiot’s guide out there?

[eelik]

File locations are here: Where are the configuration files (settings, library tables)?

[pigeon]

So do I just need to copy the folder:

C:\Users\pigeon\AppData\Roaming\kicad\6.0

And put a copy in:

$HOME/.config/kicad/6.0

?

[eelik]

No, just the lib-table files.

[lamikr]

Are there one or multiple lib-table files and what are their exact names?

[paulvdh]

Just click on the link eelik posted earlier and read what he wrote then.

[pigeon]

Thank you, works like a charm now!