Which option to use when running version 5 first time?

Schematic
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I am running version 5 for the first time.
It came up with the last project that I used and it asks me about configuration of the global symbol library.

For all my projects I have my own set of symbols - I never used the symbol libraries that came with Kicad (except for creating my own symbols and then saving to my own libraries).

So should I select the default option or select the “copy custom global symbol library”?

[Joan edit] @bobc, @Rene_Poschl

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If you have your own symbol libraries, select the default option and just add your libraries instead of the symbol libraries that come with KiCad. You can always edit the corresponding ‘sym-lib-table’ files to edit your global and project specific libraries. (Preferences --> Manage Symbol Libraries…)

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Thank you. Will do so.

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KiCad 5 now comes with global and project local symbol library tables (like the footprint did already in version 4)

For some reason the symbol library table side offers more options than the footprint side of things. With the footprint side you only get a notice that the default table got copied if there was no table in your users config directory.

So what do the 3 options for the symbol side mean?

Copy default global symbol library table:
This copies the library table that comes with your installation to your users config directory. This library table is the one that is maintained by the maintenance team of the official library. It resides inside the github repo for the symbol libraries. (Edit: The maintained table is inside the repo. The one that will be copied is the one that is inside found in your system directory.)

Copy custom library table:
This enables the “select global library table” option on the bottom of the dialog. Clicking that link will allow you to select an already existing library table. This is useful for users who already ran kicad 5 and have a custom library table setup. (Or if they have setup the library table using a text editor or some kind of script.)

Create empty library table
This like the name states sets up kicad without any libraries. It is useful if you do not yet have your own library table but do not want to add all libs of the official lib. (You either want to exclusively run your own libs or you want to select which official libs to add.)

No mater what option you choose you can always edit the lib table later on. Either with the kicad internal library managers or with a text editor.

1 Like
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Thanks, this supports memsgrad advise to select “default”

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As you updated from v4 this might also be worth a read: I had KiCad 4 installed previosly. Now i updated to v5. Now i have some problems with the library setup

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Thanks - I see that this link points to another link - I guess I have some reading to do.
Going now for a vacation so it will wait a week.

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The linked post in the FAQ is not really reading material for you. (The FAQ post it self is still something you should read as the described problem might affect you.)
It is for people who do not yet understand the kicad library management system. It gives a step by step instruction on how to install kicad 5 after kicad 4 such that the full official library is setup correctly. (With the option of keeping kicad 4 running in parallel.) It does not really describe it for people who have their own libs.

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