After an update, I cannot remember which one. Some 3D footprints(e.g. for the Diodes_SMD library) disappeared. I thought it was due to a pending update since most seemed to have changed. But it’s been a while.
Can someone who knows what’s going on comment on this.
Oh, that rules me out then 
The libraries are in a state of continual improvement. I did consider trying to track all the changes, but it is way too hard. All that is worth doing is finding what is available now. To do that, specific names are needed, “some footprints” is too vague. Also, are you actually referring to 3D models or footprints?
I’m referring to the 3D models. The entire Diodes_SMD library of footprints doesn’t have 3D-models anymore.
Sound like the libraries and footprints are out of sync, there are still 3D models for Diodes_SMD https://github.com/KiCad/kicad-library/tree/master/modules/packages3d/Diodes_SMD.3dshapes Looks like a recent renaming took place…
How exactly did you update?
This renaming took place shortly before the kicad 4.0.6 release. (the new names are present in the commit taged as 4.0.6)
@ucicu do you run kicad 4.0.5 or older? If so you do not have the renamed files.
The same is true if you did not update the libraries when updating kicad to 4.0.6 (In linux it is a separate package in windows a tickbox in the installer.)
A reminder: Kicad (out of the box) always downloads the newest footprints from github. (Not really always, but when it needs them. Examples: opening cvpcb, importing a netlist with new footprints, opening the footprint editor, …)
But 3d file libraries (and symbol libs, templates, …) are not updated automatically. What files you get is decided during packaging. (In other words what files you have depends on your kicad version.)
I’ll try to update the libraries manually. I was just waiting and allowing automatic updates. Unfortunately that seems to have left out that library.
For the record, I’m using linux ubuntu 16.04,