V6 No Libraries available

[craftyjon]

@Docara

other than reference to 5.99 and 6.0 in the file structure are all other files the same essentially the same so cutting and pasting etc should be fine?

Yes (at the moment, at least)

[jmk]

@Docara

I’ve been doing what you’ve suggested but like I said it disappeared from the 5.99 configuration as well - thought there might have been an easy fix ah well !!!

Hi @Docara
Did you look, in 5.99, at the very bottom (under all the Kicad libraries) of “Manage Symbols Library” under “Preferences” for your missing library?

[Docara]

Hi Jmk

Thanks for the suggestion but unfortunately yes - that’s where the were.
I have done a complete system search for my custom library but the only files I recognise are the new ones I created in v6. I just can’t get my original library or library structure back even now in v5.99

They only way left open to me using v6 is to import each symbol and associated footprints piecemeal into a new library. Luckily I haven’t created many new components just lots of downloaded ones.

Its really frustrating I can find them in file explorer just not in Kicad - I have tried copying and pasting or pointing to them via ‘configure paths’ or manage XXXXX etc in preferences v6 just will not show them unless created fresh within v6.
even though

Ah! well!!!
Thanks again both for your input

[jmk]

@Docara

If you can find them in file explorer you should be able to access and enter the file by clicking on the black folder icon at the bottom of Preferences/Manage Symbol Libraries/Symbol Libraries. This takes you to everywhere on your computer, then, when found, just do a bit of mouse clicking.

Alternatively, create a new library folder (same Symbol Libraries page) by clicking the + button, double click on the empty library path box, then click on the black folder symbol that appears. You get the same result as above.

Don’t forget to fill in the other blank boxes.

[Docara]

@jmk

I’m sure that what I was trying to do. However I will need to check ‘Dont forget to fill in …’ just to make sure.

Interestingly (I wonder if this is related) I have since found out that both my active project AND included sample projects are ‘Read Only’ and ! I have tried to change DRC settings but v6 won’t let me.

It does seem v6 RC has issues that the previous versions didn’t !!
Is there anyway anyway to completely nuke Kicad from my system and start again? (leaving v5.1.11)

thanks

[jmk]

5.1.11 is 5.1.12 now and both are completely independent of 5.99 now 6.0.RC
Exterminating 6.0.RC will have no effect on any 5.xxx

Did you manage too find your library folder via the folder in the symbol library?

[Docara]

Nope!

My original configuration which I had and was working is gone (for both v5.99 & v6) after I installed v6.

I can find my folder with all my downloaded files containing symbols, footprints, 3d but the Kicad ‘library’ that I was using in the various editors across Kicad with v5.99 has effectively gone. Whilst I did find a file name named as the original library there’s now nothing in it (0bytes) after accepting the option to convert or something similar.
All associativity from the schematic to the (in progress) PCB has been lost because there is no longer a library they point to. I’ve tried recreating it but Kicad doesn’t recognise the new name so I have to recreate symbols and footprints across my (albeit small) project in an new libraries.

Sorry I cant be more descriptive I’ve tried SO many obvious things that I’ve forgotten what I did or didn’t do and not that conversant with Kicad’s library structure.

The bottom line for me is, when I upgraded to v6 from v5.99 the second time and accepted the choice to import or convert (whatever the wording was) using my original library setup - the library has gone for both v5.99 & v6.

The only choice I have is to recreate everything I had from scratch and associate / update components on an individual basis as needed.

Other than issues in the PCB Editor (which was why I tried the upgrade), for me, the version I was running (below) had a far better user experience than the latest v6 - there’s something strange going on with v6
Strangely, after the umpteenth time of opening up Kicad, just tried again and it no longer says the project is ‘Read only’ when trying to change board settings so there is some progress!!!

OLD
Version: (5.99.0-9294-gd3cf97847e), release build

NEW
Version: (6.0.0-rc1-170-g6652e5acf4), release build

Ah well the joys of running a nightly LOL

[jmk]

Did you know where your personal library lived before your disaster?

I’m at this moment downloading the latest 6. whatever and I’m pretty sure every time I download I have to re-install my personal libraries in both my symbol and footprint libraries… I’ll let you know in a while when the download is complete. We live way out of town so are still on ADSL2 rather than Fibre.

[Docara]

Ooooh good question

Let me look around PC in case initial frustration caused major brain fart and ended up talking BS
Will be back in 10 or so - hopefully before you spent too much time your end.

Oh just curious where do you live (ADSL)

[Docara]

Right

In a folder
…Documents > Kicad > 5.99 > footprints

I have found two folders called located
‘My Custom Library’ dated 2nd Feb 2021
‘My Custom Library.pretty’ dated 28/11/2021

My ‘Custom Library’ is empty
In ‘My Custom Library.pretty’ there are my various footprints with the ‘.kicad_mod’ extender

I know I have added components to ‘My Library’ within the last month. I did the upgrade to v6 on o around the 28th Nov.

I have also found a file ‘My Library.lib’ (1KB) in my download component folder dated 24/10/21 (not sure)
and a ‘My Library.bak’ (6KB) dated 29/11/21

I cant remember the history or time line of ‘My Library’ it might have been the first try at setting up a library structure following a tutorial before the proper one - I dunno???

[jmk]

@Docara

Oh just curious where do you live (ADSL)

10Km out of a country town Clunes, Victoria, Australia.
Most towns and the adjacent 5Km radius have fibre, but outside that you’re usually stuck with ADSL on copper or satellite.

My download failed tonight. Will try again in the morning, but I’m pretty sure if a new download includes the Kicad libraries my personal ones are deleted and I have to reinstall them through the symbol manager.

It looks like your libraries are really gone though. Not much information in1KB or 6KB.

A suggestion for future library management:
Find a place on your computer, create and name a folder "libraries (or whatever) then create files in that folder for your symbols and footprints then, using the method I described above, install them via the library manager.

I keep my libraries on a separate data drive. At the moment I have 8 PCB files and 10 Schem. files. (probably about 500 symbols and footprints… I never use stuff from Kicad libraries directly. Always copy and often modify into my own libraries.
A typical library path looks like: /media/Jan/JanD/kicad_libraries/1a6_ICs/schem_kicad_sym.

My OS is Linux but Windows would be similar except media & / I think.

[der.ule]

So it seems that you haven’t lost your libraries after all, you only need to add them to your installation:

If you open KiCad, in the project manager Preferences->Configure Paths you will get this window:

there you should add the NAME and PATH to your libraries, in my case I use USER_FOOTPRINTS and USER_SYMBOLS for the environment variable names and its paths.

once done that, you are still not able to use them in your projects until you add them to your library lib-tables (footprints and symbols)

For the footprints in PCB Editor (PCBNew) you should go to Preferences->Manage footprint libraries and then click on the folder button to add your libraries to the table.

after clicking ok, you should be able to use your custom footprint in your projects,

hope this helps

EDIT:
This are the relevant FAQs for the topic, however, they are slightly different because they were done with v5 in mind, but still give you a pretty good idea how all works.

I installed KiCad 5 but there are no libraries. (The default option for sym lib table setup is disabled)

On most systems the libraries can be installed seperately. Meaning it is possible to install kicad without libraries by accident. Most Linux distributions have split up the packages for kicad installation. One package only installs the software (KiCad itself) while others install the libraries. The reason for this is that the 3d model libs are now quite large. In addition this is how a lot of distros suggest this sort of thing to be handled (separation of installers for software and data) Si…

Library management in KiCad version 5

Disclaimer: screenshots taken in nightly from between version 5.0 and 5.1. Version 5.0.x looks slightly different. Version 5.1.x will look like the screenshots show. This is a detailed lecture. If you want to know how to simply add some assets you downloaded to KiCad then you can read the shorter tutorial How to get a downloaded symbol, footprint or full library into KiCad version 5? Summary KiCad does not automatically detect libraries! There is no special library location (you might still ca…

[Docara]

Still No!

I cannot get my ‘old’ stuff into v6 as a block. I have to setup a new library / path structure in v6 and go to Symbol Editor or Footprint Editor on the main screen then import them individually into the new libraries.
Thanks guys don’t waste too much time over this - there is a workaround solution after all

Oh just started up v6 and now the components I entered in the newly setup library have disappeared from the ‘Add Symbol’ system in the schematic.

I’m nuking v6 and v5.99 will probably end up reproducing in v5 and wait till v6 is more stable and let it update conventionally - shame there’s nice feature and GUI in nightlies

And yes I have scanned with Kaspersky etc

Thank you all once again

[craftyjon]

@Docara

I’m nuking v6 and v5.99 will probably end up reproducing in v5 and wait till v6 is more stable and let it update conventionally - shame there’s nice feature and GUI in nightlies

While you are free to do this if you’d like, there are no known stability issues that would cause the problems you’re having. What has happened is either a matter of user “error” (in quotes because clearly we could do a better job of explaining to users how to make things work properly) or (less likely) a bug that is not reported at the moment and therefore will not be fixed.

I’m not quite following all the steps you’ve taken and what you’ve tried, but so far it sounds like you have misplaced the location of your old symbol library. Unfortunately I’m not sure what to suggest about that – I certainly don’t think it’s likely that KiCad somehow deleted your library file.

To sum up, here is my recommended way of upgrading KiCad versions (from 5.1 to 5.99, 5.99 to 6.0, or 5.1 to 6.0)

• Start with default settings if coming from 5.1. If coming from 5.99 to 6.0, importing settings is fine but do not select the option to import library configuration.
• When you first start the schematic or board editors, choose the option to copy the default global library tables
• After doing so, go to the library table configuration and re-add any custom libraries you were using in your old version

There are shortcuts and “power user” tricks that can make the above steps faster/easier, but this way is the most likely to work without any confusion for new users.

[jmk]

HI @Docara

When you get to this recommendation:

@craftyjon

After doing so, go to the library table configuration and re-add any custom libraries you were using in your old version

Create new empty personal libraries using the method both I and @der.ule mentioned. THEN find your symbols from wherever you can and enter them into your new personal libraries.

[Docara]

Hi craftyjon
I think it was a matter of user error, however , ‘something’ went wrong and it would be nice to know what.
You are not alone I’m not following the steps I took LOL - what started out as, perhaps, a simple question has balloon somewhat.
So as far as I can remember this is the sequence of steps I took

1. Was running v5.99 (look above for build code) quite happily until I started to layout PCB

2. thought I’d try a standalone install (new location) of the latest (Saturday) v6. When first run prompted for upgrade blah blah which I declined it case it buggered up my project.

3. Was impressed with the progress of (now) v6 so uninstalled standalone and went ahead with a ‘proper’ fresh install opting for defaults paths etc. This time no upgrade prompt on first run (which you helped resolve)

4. No ‘My Custom Library’ of my components, went hunting tried Configure paths, etc all the places you’d expect to configure a library. Found a folder named as expected, tried to add it to library structure and I think I clicked a button which said something like ‘migrate legacy library’ or something (bottom right of window)

5. Gone around the houses trying different things from cutting & pasting, pointing to locations etc still lost previous configuration. As mentioned previously here I can see files in a folder but v6 refused to see them let alone import them and use.

6. lastly today I realised a lot of the settings didn’t take hold unless I completely restarted v6 (surprisingly) by which time I’ve made too many changed to go back to the line drawn in the sand just after upgrade.

I think I just need need to start afresh with all crap removed - clearly it will have to be a later version or I wont be able to access my existing project (I realise i’ve done too much tweaking of components and footprints to go back to v5.1.x)

What is the best way to wipe my system of Kicad to start again - clearly uninstall leaves things behind.

Thanks again

[Docara]

Right I have completely removed v5.99 & v6
Installed the latest v6 nightly

So what is the relationship between configuring paths and adding new libraries to ‘Manage Symbol Libraries’ & ‘Manage Footprint Libraries’?

If I setup, say, a folder called ‘My Library’, do I then setup 2 subfolders called, say, My Symbols & My Footprints. Then just point the two new libraries to to these locations?

I’ve been around this game for over thirty years it shouldn’t be this obscure to do a basic task

[craftyjon]

@Docara

What is the best way to wipe my system of Kicad to start again - clearly uninstall leaves things behind.

You would need to delete the folder %APPDATA%\kicad to wipe everything; the uninstaller does not delete this.

@Docara

So what is the relationship between configuring paths and adding new libraries to ‘Manage Symbol Libraries’ & ‘Manage Footprint Libraries’?

Configuring paths is not necessary to add new libraries. It is necessary if (1) you want to use a non-standard configuration of the default KiCad libraries, or (2) you want to add new libraries using an environment variable (which you will see some people recommending but is not required)

To add an existing custom library, use the Manage Symbol Libraries or Manage Footprint Libraries dialogs.

If your library does not exist yet, you can’t add it this way. Instead, go to the Symbol Editor (or Footprint Editor), choose File > New Library, and when prompted, choose to add the new library to the global library table.

@Docara

If I setup, say, a folder called ‘My Library’, do I then setup 2 subfolders called, say, My Symbols & My Footprints. Then just point the two new libraries to to these locations?

No, you can’t add a library by just creating folders in your file manager* – you need to create them inside KiCad using the symbol/footprint editors. Once you have created them, or if you get a library from somewhere else, you can add the existing library to a new KiCad installation using the library manager dialogs.

*well, you could technically, but you’d have to create some very specific folders and files by hand, and that is not how we’d recommend doing so.

[Docara]

Thank you craftyjon this is SO helpful.