Symbol name bulk edit

Schematic Library Symbols
1

Want to ask about bulk editing feature to change library link symbol name.

I’m learning how to use Kicad without being shown whats the best way to tackle things. I am doing a hell of a mess of things.

What I did was import a pcb from eagle for this dev board. Then decided I will swap to default libraries. Trying to encounter as much as issues early so I can understand the gaps and work toward getting second pcb done much faster.

It seems to me when the symbol is placed on the schematic. It gives user a option to select in my case a resistor 0402 a part of schematic which then if chosen incorrectly at the beginning of schematic capture lingers on. Even tho footprints might be changed and the CAD tool doesn’t appear to be disharted by the mismatch of the symbol name something like PCM_AKL:0402 with 0805AKL footprint. Should for completeness this be changed or can it be left alone. Is there a feature that would allow me to do it in bulk .

In the edit symbol library links it only allows me to change all of the resistors in a group but I only want to change some of them to different symbol name

Whats the rationale for having the footprint part included in the name of the symbol. Is it there some hidden benefit. It doesn’t appear to make any sense, but there must be one.

Old time eagle user

2

some points:

  • select symbols you want to change, then main menu bar → Edit → Change symbols. You may restrict the scope to only the selected symbols
  • As you discovered “Tools–>Edit symbol library links” is restricted to exchange all symbols from a given type at once. Since this could also be done with the “Change symbols” dialog: forget “Edit symbol library links” and always use “Change symbols” dialog. (at least for getting started)
  • the symbol name itself has no influence on the selection of the footprint. So yes, you could combine a PCM_AKL:0402 with 0805AKL footprint.
  • It’s possible to assign “footprint filters” during the symbol definition in the symbol library editor. These footprint filters allow to restrict the footprint assignment to only these filtered footprints to prevent such mismatches as mentioned in the last point
3

thanks for invaluable knowledge that would take me ages to find out.

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