Troubleshooting Disappearing Libraries

[crakkkd]

I just downloaded KiCad Version 7 today and was using KiCad’s built-in footprint libraries and importing external libraries with no issue. Specifically, I used the Capacitor_SMD and Capacitor_Tantalum_SMD default libraries. However, I had KiCad crash out of the blue, and when I went to reopen my project, the Capacitor, Capacitor_SMD, and Capacitor_Tantalum_SMD libraries were empty when previously there were dozens of footprints in them. Furthermore, the libraries that I had imported were still listed, but there were no footprints in them either. I tried adding the external libraries again, and while they showed up in the footprint library tab, they were empty – despite the fact I could see the footprint models in the same directory through File Explorer. So far this is what I have tried to do:

1. Quit Kicad. Relaunch. Libraries are still empty.
2. Restart Computer. Relaunch. Libraries are still empty.
3. Uninstall Kicad and delete AppData KiCad directory. Reinstalled and still several default libraries were empty and I could no longer add external libraries. As before, I could get them to appear in the footprint tab, but when I clicked on them, KiCad showed them as empty.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? It’s incredibly frustrating and has completely derailed me. Thank you for any help you can provide.

[jmk]

Where are you trying to save these imported libraries.

Kicad built-in libraries are read only.

[crakkkd]

First I went to the footprint assignment tool, then to manage global and project libraries, and clicked on the folder icon on the bottom to add new libraries. Then I click “ok” and the library is added. The thing is, that doesn’t explain why the majority of the libraries KiCad came with are empty. I reinstalled it on my other computer and checked the capacitor footprint libraries and there are tons of footprints. I’m not sure if my KiCad on my first computer is corrupted or what happened.

[BobZ]

Any libraries that are not included in the KiCad installation are personal libraries which need to be installed in some other folder. If those are put into the same folder as the built-in libraries they will be erased/overwritten the next time that KiCad is updated.

I am not sure if this fully explains your experience, but it may help. Please include it as a basic rule for using KiCad.

UPDATE:

Personal libraries need to put into a folder that is completely different from folders containing any part of the KiCad installation.

For example, mine are in C:\Bob Data\KiCad which folder has only some of my personal KiCad data.

[crakkkd]

Yes, my external libraries were not within KiCad installation, rather they were in a directory under the current project I was working on.

[crakkkd]

It happened to me again on my new installation. Most if not all libraries appear empty in KiCad. Again, my external libraries are NOT in any KiCad installation files. My external libraries currently are in my Users/user/Downloads/Project_Library/NA555DR/KiCadV6/footprints.pretty

But when I got to File Explorer and look at the Capacitor_SMD Library:

Everything is still there, but nothing is showing up?

Is there something that I’m missing here? Thanks.

[BlackCoffee]

@crakkkd

/KiCadV6/footprints.pretty

My Opinion: This is like a ‘Plague’ in Kicad…

I’ve been using Kicad since v4 and no matter what, when it comes to this problem, it’s a persistant Plague and varies.

I’ve learned how to cope/solve it but, it’s largely different for different systems and users and not consistent.

So bad that I created a Python App to fix it (see screenshot of the selection items I coded to keep my fingers from wearing out).

You can perhaps see the problem and fix it by:

Open the Footprint Editor and find some part of interest… (check many parts…)

Then, top menubar: File>Footprint_Properties

Look at the path to the .step, .wrl .stp. If everything is okay and you see the 3D in the 3d-Viewer, great.

If you Don’t see the 3D model in 3D-Viewer and there is no Red indicator of problem, this happens but, the path is still bad. Re-link it.

If there is a Red indicator of bad link… Re-Link it.

To Re-Link:
Simply Click it and a tiny Folder icon should appear on right-end. Find the file and link it…

NOTE: A mix of Footprints may be good, may be bad. May have old links or updated links…

I see in your POST, “V6” - generally, Kicad should have taken care of this and linked properly. But, it’s not a perfect world…
Sometimes changing V6 to V7 helped.
Sometimes simply relinking to the same file helped…

Some screenshots showing some of what I indicated…

I just updated (few days ago) from v7.0.10 to v7.0.11 and had the same recurring plague

FOLLOW-UP: I’m still going through the files - this is example of file that did not get updated correctly… A stock Kicad part/footprint/link. See the Red indicator!

[crakkkd]

Thank you for your reply. This issue is incredibly frustrating and it’s ridiculous that they have not solved this issue after 3 versions. Do you know if they plan to address this issue? I have gone through about 20 random footprints from different libraries and I can see all the 3d models. I have not seen any red indicators, but even so, nothing appears when I filter by the library. However, when I open up the Footprint Assignment Tool for the first time, under the Filtered Footprints column, I can see all of the footprints, but the moment I try to filter by the specific library, they disappear. Do you know of a workaround to go into the Footprint Editor to attach footprints to schematic components?

[jmk]

Hi @crakkkd

All imported, created and modified from Kicad; footprints, 3D images and symbols must be placed in Personal Libraries.
Personal Libraries must be created.
This link is to a FAQ you will find at the top of every forum page. This explains how to create Personal Libraries.

Any questions please ask here.

I’m not sure what the problem is with Kicad supplied libraries.
When you installed Kicad 7, did you tick the “Recommended” box for installing Kicad Libraries?

[ML9104]

Perhaps you’ve forgotten to tell KiCAD where the libraries are? That’s not automatic.
You’ll need to open Preferences → Manage footprint libraries to do that.
Whether you point directly to the footprint files or add a default path is up to you.

[retiredfeline]

@crakkkd

when I open up the Footprint Assignment Tool for the first time, under the Filtered Footprints column, I can see all of the footprints, but the moment I try to filter by the specific library, they disappear.

Is your Assign Footprints window large enough? Can you maximise it? If the window is too small then the Filtered Footprints column may be truncated.

Although I cannot get the column to totally disappear or become blank, but this is on Linux and may be different on another platform.

Another line of inquiry is the Footprint Filter. At the top of the window are three icons representing the different possible filters: Filter by Filters in Symbol, Filter by Pin Count, and Filter by Library.

These icons are toggles. The result set is the intersection of all the active filters so could be empty. Which ones have you turned on? Click on them to see if the results change.

Also, in the starus area at the bottom of the window, the state of the filters is shown. For example:

What does your status area show?

[BlackCoffee]

@crakkkd Maybe this will help to understand (in a graphic way)… I posted an image…

[crakkkd]

I did find a few components that had their paths broken and relinked them. I also restarted my computer and relaunched my project and I can filter all my footprints again. This seemed to do the trick so thank you very much, I hope it does not happen again.

[retiredfeline]

Operations on the footprint libraries use a local cache file called fp-info-cache. It could be that errors can mess up this file. I usually delete this cache file before the next invocation of KiCad even though it will cost me a bit of computer work rebuilding the cache.