Standard logic IC's showing logic gates content instead of a rectangle

[Kicadiego]

Hi …I would like to have a symbol of a standard logic IC,for example 74HC132 ,allowing me to pick the requested gates for schematic .
I could draw it easily,but it would be good and time saving, to have the whole family ,or at least some ,of the 74xxx symbols in that form.
Thanks for hints.
Diego

[jmk]

Welcome @Kicadiego

When you add the symbol to the schematic, Unit A will appear. Each following left mouse click will place another gate in that symbol. For a 74132 you will need to left click your mouse five times.

[paulvdh]

In the initial stages of a schematic design it can be beneficial to use the canvas area outside of the paper size as a temporary holding area to park all sorts of snippet. From extra gates to repeating sections (for examples 8 wires of a databus with attached labels (and bus entries)). Such snippets can than easily be copied or moved when needed.

[Kicadiego]

Thank you.
It happens for 74LS132 but not for 74HC132,this appears in form of a rectangle.
Wich is the cleanest way to add it in the form i need?
In this last few weeks I have enjoyed the power and smartness of Kicad, but I still can not master it. In some post I read that the best way is to save personal symbols )and footprints )in a different folder, because the libraries default folder could be deleted and rewritten during updates.It is true?
Thanks again

[paulvdh]

@Kicadiego

It happens for 74LS132 but not for 74HC132,this appears in form of a rectangle.

I was wondering what the difference was, so I tried it myself. It turns out the HC version is not in KiCad’s default libraries at all. A simple solution / workaround is to first place all units of an 74LS132, then open: Schematic Editor / Tools / Edit Symbol Fields and then simply change the Value Field for the HC variant.

@Kicadiego

… because the libraries default folder could be deleted and rewritten during updates.It is true?

Yes. KiCad’s default libraries do get updated. At least with every mayor version release, and when you run KiCad-Nightly (which has it’s own set of default libraries) they do get updated quite often ( Once a day or week)

[ML9104]

I suggest you read the FAQs (top of this page).
There are a couple about Personal Libraries.

A comment to your specific case:
the 74xx library is very good, but very “1980ish”, being focused on 74LS parts. I personally copied the whole library to a personal library and renamed all the parts to 74HCxx, while pruning obsolete parts. I now have a perfectly functioning 74HCxx library. If other families are needed, I just rename the part in question in the schematic (eg, 74HC132 → 74ACT132).

[retiredfeline]

If you got the block style 74132 that comes from the 74xx_IEEE library. I would suggest ignoring or disabling the 74xx_IEEE library as the symbols there are not the ones most people are used to. They’re there for people who need them, like reproducing an old schematic’s looks. I once used an old 7490. If I were doing that schematic again, I’d probably rename the 74LS90 symbol.

Most (all?) of the 74HC parts are derived from the corresponding 74LS part, see for example 74LS00 and 74HC00, but it appears this hasn’t been done for the 74LS132. The fastest way to get something working is to rename the part in your schematic as ML9104 says, from 74LS132 to 74HC132. If you will be using it often, you could save a copy in your personal library. If you’re really community-minded you could submit a merge request for a 74HC132 derived from the 74LS132.

[jmk]

Hi @Kicadiego

Below is a reply to a post I wrote yesterday. This explains how to place a Kicad library symbol into a personal library and also how to rename that symbol.
You need to move the 74LS132 to a personal library and rename it to 74HC132.

If you do not yet have personal libraries this FAQ https://forum.kicad.info/t/kicad-7-beginners-guide-to-personal-symbol-and-footprint-libraries/38738 explains how to create personal libraries.

@jmk

I wrote that FAQ to make it as easy as possible, for new to Kicad and this type of software, to create.
You can never have enough personal libraries. I have 24 symbol and 22 footprint libraries.

It is easiest to save a Kicad symbol into a personal library first, and then modify it.
To do that:
Find and then highlight the symbol in the Kicad library you wish to modify.
Click File > Save as; then change the name to whatever you wish; then scroll through the library list in the window you just re-named the symbol, highlight your personal library in which you want the symbol saved, then save.
Close the symbol in the Kicad library you just copied and open the same symbol in your personal library.
Modify and save.

When drawing your schematic, use the symbol you have placed (and modified) in your personal library, instead of the Kicad library symbol and this will automatically link your symbol in your library to the schematic.

If, at a later date, you decide to move your symbols to different personal libraries or rename your personal libraries, symbols involved will no longer link to schematics. So: as mentioned in the FAQ, take a little time to plan the names and what is placed in whichever personal libraries.

[ML9104]

Yes, avoid the _IEEE logic libraries. They’re old and do not conform to the KLC, especially with regards to power connections.
KLC:

Full KLC

For your (and others’) inspiration, I attach my personal 74xx symbol library. It’s a good basis, but reflects my own style (which may not be to your liking):
0_74xx.kicad_sym (465.1 KB)

[Kicadiego]

Thank you for your answers to the topic question and to other questions appeared during discussion.
I am impressed about all these quick reactions and patience showed in answers.
I will check about how to subit a merge request.
Thank you to you all.
Diego