Versioning Configure Paths Environment Variables

[topherbuckley]

All my kicad projects are versioned with git. I use hard links to to make use of my global sym-lib-table and fp-lib-table files in each project so I can use these across devices and share them for collaboration. For example, my project lies within ~/myproject and my config files are in the default location ~/.config/kicad/6.0. From within ~/myproject I use hard links with:

ln ~/.config/kicad/6.0/sym-lib-table

which will create a hard link of the global sym-lib-table within my project. That way, whenever I make a change to the table, I can commit that change and ensure that a given commit in the project has a working table alongside it.

I’m looking for a similar way to version or backup the Environmental Variables found within the Configure Paths GUI:

Unfortunately I cannot find any documentation as to where these Environmental Variables are stored. If I make a change to these, I am not detecting any change in the ~/.config/kicad directory. I also don’t detect any changes within my project files. Does anyone know where this information is stored such that I can back it up, share it, or version it? I know I can simply copy and paste it, but I don’t want to depend on my remembering to make a manual copy every time I make a change. I would like to commit this data to git such that I can track changes to it.

References:

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…

Path configuration

Hello! I am trying to read the above document and also this one and I have a few questions. At present I don’t see Kicad default libs, only mine. What should I setup to see the default libs when choosing the add symbol tool? I mean, not entering the libraries one by one, but as a folder. That’s why I thought the paths could make it. Beside this, the link above speaks abot KICAD_CONFIG_HOME, which is not in the paths actually stored in Kicad (or maybe at another place, or maybe also hardc…

KiCad 6 "Configure paths" default values

I am new to KiCad (always used commecial applications) , but now planning to move to KiCad. I purposely started with the 5.99 version (fully aware that it implies a risk), but I do not want to invest time in 5.x version, setting up a workflow and then probably when it is settled have to change/learn again for v6.x Another reason to start with v5.99 is the availability of the RPI carrier board design. Anyway, the reason for this post. I was looking into the directory structure for my libraries…

[retiredfeline]

User defined envvars including overrides are in kicad_common.json in the config directory, for example I have:

  "environment": {
    "show_warning_dialog": true,
    "vars": {
      "KICAD_TEMPLATE_DIR": "/usr/share/kicad/template",
      "KICAD_USER_3DMOD": "/home/me/lib/kicad/Me/Me.3dshapes",
      "KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR": "/home/me/lib/kicad/template",
      "KIGITHUB": "https://github.com/KiCad"
    }
  }

The default envvars are probably hardwired in the distributed package as they are platform dependent.

[topherbuckley]

@retiredfeline

User defined envvars including overrides are in kicad_common.json in the config directory

Thanks! Turns out this file is only updated when you close KiCAD so I wasn’t seeing the changes in the config directory.