Module management is fairly easy, but it does not seem to be very well used.
This is probably due to the way that the modules are installed, where everything is pretty much set up ready to go. If you have a hunt around in kicad/share/modules you will find some .brd files. these are the recommended method of managing / documenting modules. from the .brd files you can generate all the modules on them by using the archive footprints function. This method is documented in the help files of pcbnew. You can add modules to the .brd files then run the archive function to recreate the modules as needed. It is recommended that you create your ow .brd files for your own modules, as there is always the danger that modules can be overwritten during re-installs. I was not convinced at first by using .brd files for module management, but I've been convinced that it's quite a easy method. With the imperial / metric versions. the only thing I can think of is that it may be that because kicad (at least the 2009 versions) use imperial as it's base measurement system that someone created the imperial versions to avoid grid mismatches. Andy On Tue, 11 May 2010 21:25:03 -0500 Karl Schmidt <k...@xtronics.com> wrote: > I'm not sure I understand why the library of modules is in the state it is? > I would expect to see > module files like SO.mod, DO.mod, DIP.mod, PLC.mod, discreet_SM.mod, etc. Am > I missing something? > > > Anyway, it appears that I should not trust what is in the library anyway. I > got a copy of > "LP Calculator" to work. should probably be three versions of the modules > library for surface-mount > work - General purpose - high reliability and very-high density. (There are > settings to get these > numbers out of LP-calculator). > > A = Most - reliable - but bigger > B = Nominal - mid sized > C = Least - very small > > For others that want to generate these pads - here are the clues > > From http://landpatterns.ipc.org/default.asp Download this link > > http://landpatterns.ipc.org/files/PCBM_LP_Calculator_V2009-0831.zip > > Get Winetricks from: http://winezeug.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/winetricks Save > the script Then using > a Terminal type in sh winetricks in script directory Select using the GUI > dotnet20 and install > > There is one other detail that should get worked out - there are two ways > that cap footprints are > specified - and it generates confusion - metric and imperial - thus 0201 > (02x01mils) = 0603 in > metric (remind me to once again curse the creeps that stopped metrication > back in the '60s). > > Complete list > http://wiki.xtronics.com/index.php/Capacitor_Codes#Imperial_and_metric_case_size_codes > > There are two that overlap - there is are 0402 0603 in both imperial and > metric. > > > The library name ought to give a hint as to the units used.. > > The current lib lists these as SM0603 in imperial.. I'm thinking of > creating a metric named lib > with 0603M? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Karl Schmidt EMail k...@xtronics.com > Transtronics, Inc. WEB http://xtronics.com > 3209 West 9th Street Ph (785) 841-3089 > Lawrence, KS 66049 FAX (785) 841-0434 > > Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry. > -- Mark Twain > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > ------------------------------------ > > Please read the Kicad FAQ in the group files section before posting your > question. > Please post your bug reports here. They will be picked up by the creator of > Kicad. > Please visit http://www.kicadlib.org for details of how to contribute your > symbols/modules to the kicad library. > For building Kicad from source and other development questions visit the > kicad-devel group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-develYahoo! Groups > Links > > >
