Tweaking footprints in the library, but keeping original

Layout Footprints
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Hello All
Just recently discovered Kicad and am really impressed. Still some things to get my head around but working thru it ok.
Except: I added a TO252-5 component to a PCB today but discovered that the pin pitch is slightly out. The Micrel/Microchip part I’m using has a 50mil pin pitch but the Kicad footprint is a little less. It solders but it’s not right.
I wanted to tweak the footprint and save my yweaks as a new footprint but I can’t seem to work out how. Can’t paste into aa new one, can’t ‘Save As’. Seems I can only start again, which would be a little nuts?
Any help gratefully received.

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Generally you will need to start your personal libraries out of the mainline packages where you have save permission and where they will not get over written.

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The very first thing is to tell what version you have. 5.0.0 (or 5.0.1) is the latest and recommended.

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Thanks Chaps. I’m on 5.0.0-3. I have no experience of previous versions as I’m very new to the Kicad family!
I’ll look at starting my own custom library as I’ll be using all manner of non-standard and obscure things.

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In 5.0 you have a change to change the library into which the footprint is saved always when you “Save”. There’s a text field for the name and the list of the libraries. Actually it works as “Save As” even though it’s called Save. This will be different in 5.1 (to be released next year).

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The correct way to achieve what yo uare trying to do is take a copy of the footprint & install it in your own folder, then modify it all you want & save it in your folder. One of the reasons for doing it this way is that if you had permission to modify any of the symbols or footprints in the master folders, they get overwritten whenever you update KiCAD & all your hard work goes down the tube ;),
Hope this helps,

Pat.

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There are also relevant entries in the FAQ section, https://forum.kicad.info/c/faq, if your question wasn’t already answered here.

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Thanks everyone for the great info. It all makes a lot of sense. Have started a new custom library and now have my 1st new footprint - TO-252-5 with a 50mils pin pitch. I’m sure it’ll be joined by many new friends in the coming PCB designs.
Cheers All.

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