Sticky footprint - will not update

(v6.0.2) After I edit and save a footprint to a global lib, and refresh the symbol in the schematic editor, and then refresh the board from the updated schematic, the old footprint does not update. I must (sometimes) delete the old symbol from the schematic, save the schematic and the board, and then re-add the updated symbol and update again. Don’t mean to flog a dead horse here, but big nuisance.

Hi WelshmanJeff,

Not a direct solution to your problem, but you may want to save to a local lib rather than a global one. The global libs are part of the software and may change the next time there is an update.

In our case, we created a private set of global libs that are stored in our KiCad 6 directory and as such they are private to us.

Your second paragraph clarifies but just to make it clear.

fp-libraries

Global here actually doesn’t necessarily mean system but means a library that can be used by all projects of that user, as opposed to a local lib which is specific to the project. If the global library is accessible by the user or group, rather than installed as part of the KiCad suite, then it can be writable. I’ve got one on this list where I store the footprints I’ve collected for parts not in the system library.

Ditto for symbol libraries.

refresh the symbol in the schematic editor, and then refresh the board from the updated schematic …

What exactly do you mean with “Refresh”? (there is "Refresh"command on mainmenu-bar–>View–>Refresh, but that has no connection with the symbols. This just redraws the screen to get rid of drawing artifacts)

After I edit and save a footprint to a global lib

If you have modified (and saved) a footprint you need to update that footprint in the board-editor, not in the schematic editor. Select the footprint you want to update, goto Tools–>Update Footprints from library and choose your options.

It’s another thing if you have changed the footprint in the schematic → symbol → symbol properties dialog. After such footprint-change the command "Tools–>Update PCB from schematic (F8) should load the new footprint also into the board.

Thanks for the response… I meant “refresh” in an abstract sense. My understanding of the overall model might have just been incomplete. I doinked with it a lot and I can’t even be sure if I tried the method you outlined. I just abandoned Eagle for KiCad - different model. One of the reasons I took up KiCad was the separation of symbol and footprint concerns (which I like a LOT) but it carries a bit more complexity for the user. It would be great, I think, if the symbols and footprints were hashed so that the user would not have to attend to updates. Now, it is not evident in either the schematic or the board editor that any symbol or footprint has changed. Is this an issue that must be closed? Thanks for your forbearance.

Noted - thank you. Sorry, I meant global across my dev box. I wish to reuse some of the symbols and footprints that I use. A few are customized for the current project are stored there (in the project dir). Having a private vocabulary is unhelpful.

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