Thanks to the advice given to me here I have made progress on this venture. I managed to figure out the library stuff. I figured out how to make an array of unconnected footprints. I have done some routing. Great.
Now I am trying to create an unplated hole .125 inches in diameter with .050 inches clearance to the solder mask and any copper. I found numerous references to this on line, but do not know the magic yet. Starting with a mounting hole in the provided library should be the easiest, but I cannot figure out how to edit them--I cannot see the hole size in the footprint editor, so do not know how to change the hole size. I created a few of my own footprints which had a .125 inch hole, but when I check the gerber/drill file they had a .150 inch hole. So some more clues would be gratefully appreciated. -Denis On Thu, Jul 12, 2018 at 2:35 PM, Denis Heidtmann <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 >> > [email protected] >> > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> PLUG mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug >> > > _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
