The most useful and easy way to create foot print and symbol

Layout Footprints
1

I hereby certify that I am not simply asking someone else to design a footprint for me.

I am suggesting radical way to solve issue for new components footprint and symbol library.

You are suggesting the Kicad tool should provide a repository of highly standardized, validated “shells” or “footprint templates” that are separate from the electrical components themselves.

How Your “Shell” Library Concept Works in Practice

Your idea is implemented in most professional EDA tools (including the advanced parts tools like KiCad ) through the separation of the component model into three distinct, reusable assets:

* Symbol Library: The electrical definition (the schematic block).

* Footprint Library (The “Shells”): The standardized physical package definitions (the TO-220, 0603, SOIC-8 shells).

* Device/Component Library (The Glue): The final entry that links a specific symbol to a specific footprint and defines the pin mapping.

Why Kicad 's Default Search Doesn’t Show “Shells”

The reason the main Kicad library search is confusing is because it prioritizes the final, linked Device (which is what you place on your schematic for manufacturing) over the individual, reusable Symbol and Footprint assets (your “shells”).

If you search for a resistor:

* You get: A Device (e.g., 10k_0603_C12345).

* You don’t get: The raw Footprint (the 0603 shell) unless you specifically go into the Footprint Library section.

✅ Implementing Your Suggestion

You can create and manage your library exactly as you suggested by focusing on the individual asset libraries:

* Access the “Shells” Directly: Go to the main Libraries panel and specifically select the Footprint type (instead of the default Device type). This is where you can find and reuse the standard “shells” like TO220.

* Create Simple Symbols: When you have a new part, you don’t need a complex symbol. You just need a simple block with the correct pin count and electrical names. You can create a new symbol and save it to your Symbol Library.

* Build the Final Device: Use the “New Device” or “New Component” function. This tool is the only place where you link your newly created/modified Symbol to a reused Footprint (your “shell”), and confirm the pin-to-pad mapping.

The Bottom Line: Your suggested workflow is the correct way to manage libraries efficiently. The initial confusion in KiCad often comes from the main search prioritizing the massive list of completed, manufacturer-specific Devices rather than the reusable Symbol and Footprint (shell) assets.

THANKS AND REGARDS

MAHESH SANGHANI

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@Mahesh_Sanghani

This is not manufacturer specific . . .

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neither is this . . .

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or this . . .

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This is . . . because only one manufacturer makes this device . . .

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Very wrong, KiCad has always favoured using generic symbols and footprints and avoided “atomic” symbol+footprint+3d model approach used by Eagle etc. The atomic model scales badly into huge libraries. Was the OPs post using AI?

3 Likes
4

I don’t understand this thread.

Was it made by dividing the other thread?

In first post there are for example “You are suggesting..” what suggest it comes from another conversation but I don’t know with whom OP discusses.

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This account seems to only have three posts, all starting a topic. Never replies to any comments.

None of the previous topics seem to make any sense either.

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If only shell type of foot light and symbol library then one can modify pins etc of this shell footlight and symbol.

What is better way ?

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We have Symbols and we have Footprints . . . if you need something not provided create your own Symbol and create your own matching Footprint.

It sounds like what you are asking for . . .

I’m not sure what you are missing that you want added. ?

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I’ve always considered the Kicad footprint and symbol libraries as shells.

If I need something, and a Kicad library has exactly what I want, great!
If not, there is the that wonderful shell function “save as”, which makes creating items so easy.

1 Like
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Do ‘shell’ is the library, footprint or case?

It looks that ‘shell’ is case.

I think you differently understand ‘shell’ then OP.

I am not able to catch what the thread is about.

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If I understand you correctly, your “Device/Component Library (The Glue)” is exactly what database-driven library is. This is already possible in KiCad.

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I am also having some difficulty in understanding this post. (I guess there is also a language barrier here) As already mentioned, KiCad has quite a lot of “generic symbols” (They are in the Device symbol library), and there are also many generic Footprint libraries (DIP IC’s, SOIC, etc).

In it’s simplest form the “glue” is not needed as an extra level at all, because the link between a symbol and a footprint, is only the footprint link (as a text field) inside the symbol.

I know that eagle used this extra indirection layer, and I don’t like it at all. I prefer the simple and direct “symbol pin number” to “footprint pad number” mapping. For most symbols this is also sufficient. It’s only a relative small number of parts where a symbol can map to a footprint with different pad numbers. In those cases KiCad has duplication of the graphics of a symbol. (Atmega 328 is a good example, KiCad has at least 3 different symbols because of the pin number mapping).

@Mahesh_Sanghani How much experience do you have with KiCad (and with other PCB design programs)?

One thing I do agree with is that KiCad’s current library system is not sufficient anymore for the amount of parts that are in it. One thing that is being worked on is cascading library tables to create multiple levels in the library system, and I guess that functions to limit a search to a specific library will also be added at some point.

1 Like
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I reread the OP’s post this morning.

The post makes much more sense if the word “the” is substituted for the OP’s “your”. (I think this is a translation problem).

Basically, @greg_m seems to have understood the OP’s post. The OP apparently wants the Kicad Libraries set up as a database.

13

This thread is ambiguous. Just look at this section:

KiCad does neither. When you search for a resistor in the schematic editor, you get Device:R, a bunch of specialty resistors (Shunts, Potentiometers, Termistor, NTC, etc) And recently also around 80 resistor network variants, but not the options mentioned by Mr. Sanghani.

Edit / addition: IMHO further speculation about the degree of ambiguity is a bit senseless

14

I don’t think the OP’s idea has been well written and the translation is worse.

To me, it seems the OP wants an accessible list of suitable footprints (the shells) for each symbol when that symbol is selected. A rudimentary database???

15

All new Ic and other semicundors will use one of many packages.

The list of components runs in few milion numbers but the package do not have millions and milions .

So if we have shells for widly use semicounders we can slect as per our requirment /design and modity them for pin and over all sizes.

This is for symbol and foot print .

I am into led lighting and maximum IC are made in China.

They use ESOP8 package for linear ic .

I searched for ESOP 8 , BUT could find one .

I belive dummy or shell under new library will help a lot .

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I don’t know what the exact size of an ESOP-8 is, but KiCad does have:

  • 7 variants of SOP-8
  • 2x SSOP-8
  • 11x MSOP08
  • 2x SSOP-8
  • Some TSSOP-8
  • Some TSOP-8
  • Some VSSOP8

and more… But unfortunately the IC manufacturers keep on re-inventing (nearly) the same thing.

17

I don’t look how the footprint in datasheet is named but only what are its dimensions and use footprint that matches or design new one giving it the name understandable for me.

For example in my library:

SO8 - is a standard SO8 (150 mils)

SO8-200 - is wider SO8 (200 mils)

SO8P3025 - is SO8 with thermal Pad 3.0x2.5mm

SO8P3427 - guess.

18

I understand it as you are looking for footprints that have no specific names to then use them as a starting point for designing your own by modifying this dummy footprint. But they will also have to have some name and it will also can happen than you will not hit the correct name when searching.

For me this not differs from using the other footprint having specific name as starting point. When I serach in KiCad library footprint to be used as starting point for my footprint I am just looking for something being similar to what I need.