Viewing footprints

Layout Footprints
1

As I prepare to put a project into stasis, I find I have a pile of various footprints that I don’t quite recall what they are.

How can I load them into KiCAD just to see what they are so I can keep only those that I used? I don’t see a File / Open Footprint command in the footprint tool.

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

This is an auto-generated message that is in place on the “footprints” section of the KiCad.info forum. If I remove it and ask for a footprint to be designed anyway, I understand that I will be subject to forum members telling me to go design my own footprint or referring me to a 3rd party footprint site.

2

Where are these footprints?
Surrounding the board?
In a project library?
In some folder in your OS?
Scattered around on the floor beneath your desk (sorry, couldn’t help myself) ? :grin:

3

A footprint library is a set of text files. Can you not look at them for clues from the fields?

For example here’s one from my library:

(module DIPS3048W51P254L2400H1075Q10N (layer F.Cu) (tedit 5E281AF2)
(descr SM411006N/15)
(tags Display)
(fp_text reference DS** (at 0 0) (layer F.SilkS)
(effects (font (size 1.27 1.27) (thickness 0.254)))
)
(fp_text value DIPS3048W51P254L2400H1075Q10N (at 0 0) (layer F.SilkS) hide
(effects (font (size 1.27 1.27) (thickness 0.254)))
)
(fp_line (start -1.885 -7.045) (end -1.885 0) (layer F.SilkS) (width 0.2))
(fp_line (start 32.365 -7.045) (end -1.885 -7.045) (layer F.SilkS) (width 0.2))
(fp_line (start -1.885 17.205) (end 32.365 17.205) (layer F.SilkS) (width 0.2))
(fp_line (start -1.885 -5.775) (end -0.615 -7.045) (layer F.Fab) (width 0.1))
(fp_line (start -1.885 17.205) (end -1.885 -7.045) (layer F.Fab) (width 0.1))
(fp_line (start 32.365 17.205) (end -1.885 17.205) (layer F.Fab) (width 0.1))
(fp_line (start 32.365 -7.045) (end 32.365 17.205) (layer F.Fab) (width 0.1))
(fp_line (start -1.885 -7.045) (end 32.365 -7.045) (layer F.Fab) (width 0.1))
(fp_line (start -2.135 17.455) (end -2.135 -7.295) (layer F.CrtYd) (width 0.05))
(fp_line (start 32.615 17.455) (end -2.135 17.455) (layer F.CrtYd) (width 0.05))
(fp_line (start 32.615 -7.295) (end 32.615 17.455) (layer F.CrtYd) (width 0.05))
(fp_line (start -2.135 -7.295) (end 32.615 -7.295) (layer F.CrtYd) (width 0.05))
(fp_text user %R (at 0 0) (layer F.Fab)
(effects (font (size 1.27 1.27) (thickness 0.254)))
)
(pad 10 thru_hole circle (at 30.48 0) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(pad 9 thru_hole circle (at 30.48 2.54) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(pad 8 thru_hole circle (at 30.48 5.08) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(pad 7 thru_hole circle (at 30.48 7.62) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(pad 6 thru_hole circle (at 30.48 10.16) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(pad 5 thru_hole circle (at 0 10.16) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(pad 4 thru_hole circle (at 0 7.62) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(pad 3 thru_hole circle (at 0 5.08) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(pad 2 thru_hole circle (at 0 2.54) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(pad 1 thru_hole rect (at 0 0) (size 1.1 1.1) (drill 0.7) (layers *.Cu *.Mask))
(model ${KICAD_USER_3DMOD}/sm411006n.wrl
(at (xyz 0 0 0))
(scale (xyz 1 1 1))
(rotate (xyz 0 0 0))
)
)

It is actually an inch-high LED display.

4

@jmk asked the right question here.

Going further, assuming you have a bunch of files spare files… then you can put all of them in a folder. and rename it to my_amazing_footprint_lib.pretty. The important part is the .pretty in the end.

Then create a file called fp-lib-table of just go inside a Kicad project folder that already has this file. Then edit it adding the path of this .pretty folder like:

(fp_lib_table
   (lib (name "MY_AMAZING_LIB")(type Kicad)(uri PATH_TO_THE_LIB/my_amazing_footprint_lib.pretty)(options "")(descr "My Amazing Lib"))
)

Then, launch Kicad, go to the Footprint library, and check if you can find this MY_AMAZING_LIB library full of footprints.

Some tweaks here and there would be needed on this tutorial because you may have other issues. But the process is something like that.

5

Silly joke:

Post office employee: I’m sorry about the damage to your parcel, it’s because it wasn’t properly stamped.

Irate customer: What, you used the wrong foot?

:rofl:

6

screenshot
screenshot433×655 107 KB

…wisenheimer.

7

Best done with “waffle stomper” boots after stepping into something…

8

Separate out the files into respective directories: lib, dcm and bck files are for symbols, and kicad_mod files are footprints.

9

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