If i have 2 custom (Schematic symbols) component libraries (e.g “Lib1” & “Lib2”) and i use components from BOTH libraries in a project, what will happen to the project if decide to move all the “Lib2” components into “Lib1” and delete “Lib2”?
Will the project complain about missing parts/libraries? and will those affected components become removed from my project?
I have a feeling i would have to re-assign each of the components in the project to point to the correct component that is (now) in Lib1, but of course i would need to do this to literally 100’s of my projects and a lot of labour to do this.
Is there an easy way to achieve moving my components between my custom libraries?
If you have KiCad V6 or later, it will not damage your projects. Newer KiCad versions store a copy of all needed information inside the project itself.
But ERC will complain about the defective library links. There are a lot of ways you could handle this. The simplest is to simply disable the warning. the “most advanced” is to write a script that reads the files of your KiCad projects and then fixes the links.
Th avoid confusion with answers, it is best to get the nomenclature correct when posting.
Kicad has Symbols in Symbol Libraries, Footprints in Footprint Libraries and Images in 3D libraries. Kicad has no component libraries.
No to both. Kicad stores the placed footprints and symbols in a file in the project PROVIDED all your projects have been moved to Kicad 6, 7 & 8.
From memory , pre Kicad 6 projects will have problems unless they have been opened and then saved in Kicad 6 or later.
Not really. Symbols and footprints can only be moved individually.
Open Symbol/Footprint Editor
Open library
Right Mouse click on symbol/footprint to move.
Select “Save Copy as”
Select new library from newly opened window
OK
There is also some informative library procedures in this FAQ.
I’d already started writing before you edited your post to include your used version, but I remembered from a previous post the version you use.
My comment was included because you mention “hundreds” of projects, so I included pre Kicad 6 comments because you may well have been using Kicad for some years.
, pre Kicad 6 projects will have problems unless they have been opened and then saved in Kicad 6 or later.