What I am trying to create is a .125" diameter hole with no copper or solder mask within .050 inches of the hole. So there is a clearance of 0.05" from the hole edges. If I misunderstand what clearance means or what it is clearance from, then that could explain some of my difficulty.
Since my last posting I examined the stock library "mounting holes". They have just a .030 hole regardless of the mm specified in the name of the footprint. Only a ring on the Cmts.user layer changes with dimn. implied by the footprint name. Is there a way to tell the drill file how to use the Cmts.user layer? -Denis On Sat, Jul 14, 2018 at 6:05 PM, Erik Lane <[email protected]> wrote: > That sounds to me like you're actually creating a plated hole, if the drill > size is larger than the finished size. I'd first double check that. > > On Sat, Jul 14, 2018, 5:24 PM Denis Heidtmann <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > PLUG mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug > _______________________________________________ PLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.pdxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug
