Erik,

Thanks for the offer.  I will let you know if I do not undo the logjam in a
reasonable time.  Paul has offered some very helpful suggestions which I
hope will get me where I need to be.

-Denis

On Thu, Jul 12, 2018 at 10:14 AM, Erik Lane <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'm out of town for the next ten days or so, but over I'm back if you still
> need help with this I can meet you somewhere. I live in Vancouver, so would
> usually prefer something North of the river, unless he can coordinate with
> some other errands in running over there.
>
> I'm by no means an expert, but have used various versions of KiCad to make
> a fair number of boards and custom footprints.
>
> Thanks,
> Erik
>
> On Wed, Jul 11, 2018, 9:52 PM Denis Heidtmann <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > I am afraid I must be very dense or stupid.  I cannot find a way to find
> > out what $KIPRJMOD is set to.  Is this not a variable that I should be
> able
> > to determine the valve of, either using set, printenv, or echo?  Setting
> > that question aside, you say "The /libs/footprints.pretty part can be
> > anything you like, as long as it corresponds to an actual directory
> > structure within your project directory."  What is my project directory?
> > It seems my project is not a directory; it is a file.
> >
> > The file fp_lib_table resides in the same folder as the .pro, and it
> > contains:
> > (fp_lib_table
> >   (lib (name Mounting_Holes)(type KiCad)(uri
> > "$(KISYSMOD)Mounting_Holes.pretty")(options "")(descr ""))
> >   (lib (name socketbd)(type KiCad)(uri
> > "$(KIPRJMOD)/socketbd.pretty")(options "")(descr ""))
> > )
> >
> > Some of this may not matter since kicad has tools dealing with the
> > intricacies of the file structure.  I do not know if the other problems I
> > am encountering are related to directory-related errors or not.
> >
> > I have been trying to create a 1/8" ID hole without any Cu and a
> clearance
> > to the solder mask and the ground plane.  I keep getting an error stating
> > "Error: the pad is not on a copper layer and has a hole" in one instance
> > and something else that I cannot get to repeat at present about needing
> the
> > hole and the pad to be the same size, which they are.  These questions
> are
> > likely due to vagaries of kicad requirements for NPTH pads and not
> library
> > issues, but since I cannot seem to save what I have done, I will blame
> > anything.
> >
> > I intend to go to the Clinic this Sunday in the hopes that someone there
> > can set me on a correct path.
> >
> > Thanks for reading this rambling complaint.
> >
> > -Denis
> >
> > On Tue, Jul 10, 2018 at 2:39 PM, Paul Mullen <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > On Tue, Jul 10, 2018 at 02:18:05PM -0700, Denis Heidtmann wrote:
> > > > The issue I expect to encounter is choosing the new file and the
> > > > file name.  It seems kicad has rules (kept secret) for directory and
> > > > file names.
> > >
> > > I don't think it cares about the directory name.  Footprint files need
> > > a .kicad_mod suffix, though.
> > >
> > > To KiCad's PCB editor, pcbnew, the directory is the library, and the
> > > files are footprint modules within the library.  pcbnew has a tool for
> > > adding new footprint libraries,  Preferences->Manage Footprint
> > > Libraries... (the actual name may differ between versions).
> > >
> > > The tool will create a file in your project named fp-lib-table.
> > > Alternatively, you can create the file yourself.  It should look
> > > something like:
> > >
> > >     (fp_lib_table
> > >       (lib (name "My Custom Footprints")(type KiCad)(uri
> > > "$(KIPRJMOD)/lib/footprints.pretty")(options "")(descr "My custom
> > > footprints!"))
> > >     )
> > >
> > > $KIPRJMOD is automatically set, and points to the directory containing
> > > your design's .pro file.  The /libs/footprints.pretty part can be
> > > anything you like, as long as it corresponds to an actual directory
> > > structure within your project directory.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Paul Mullen
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > PLUG mailing list
> > > [email protected]
> > > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > PLUG mailing list
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> > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
> >
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