--- In kicad-users@yahoogroups.com, andy_7945 hvbry...@... wrote:
Hi all,
I'm new to KiCad and am starting my first board design with it. I am
using the SVN2508 version, which I think is the latest, under WinXP SP3.
I like to use libraries I've created myself so that I know the physical
dimensions of the footprints are correct for the actual parts I'm using.
I read through the KiCad documentation to determine the best practices
for this. In section 11.11 of the PCBNew manual, it says this:
It is recommended to create libraries indirectly, by creating one or
more auxiliary circuit boards that constitute
the 'source' of (part of) the library, as follows:
Create a circuit board in A4 format, in order to be able to
print easily to scale (scale = 1).
Create the modules that the library will contain on this circuit
board.
The library itself will be created with the File/Archive
footprints/Create footprint archive command.
So I decided to use this approach. The technique I used was to load a
module into the module editor from an existing library, modify it to fit
my requirements, setting the Reference field to the name I want for
the module. When I finish editing the module, I use the Insert module
into current board command in the module editor. Then, when I've
created all the modules and I'm ready to save the new library, I use
File/Archive footprints/Create footprint archive from PCBNew per the
documentation above.
After setting the module search path to the newly created library, I
still wasn't able to see the newly created modules in CVpcb. I tracked
this down, and found that when I load a module from an existing library,
edit it as described above, then insert it into the auxiliary board, the
module name ends up being that of the module I started with in the
original library, not the reference field entered for the new module as
described above. In trying to figure out how to fix this, I couldn't
find a way to specify the module name prior to inserting it into the
board when starting out by modifying a module in an existing library. So
I ended up deleting the modules from the newly created library. Then I
added them to the library one by one using Load module from current
board and Save module in working library from the module editor. When
doing it this way, one is prompted for the module name and the saved
modules of course have the correct name in the library.
This is all okay, as I can use a revised approach by creating the
library first, then inserting each module into the auxiliary board one
by one after the fact. But this is not how the documentation says to do
it. This causes me to believe that I'm somehow missing some important
detail of how to specify the module name when using the above described
procedure (Load module from lib, edit the module, change its
reference field, then Insert module into current board). If so, how
can I specify a new name for the module?
Thanks,
Andy C
I think I am right here:
Select the component you want to edit in Library editor from PCBnew by
selecting the component.
Edit it as you want , then save by selecting the library YOU want to
save it in. If this does not exist, create it with the Create new
library tab. This will save the device in the new library. Use
something meaningful like Custom_Lib or similar. Do not have spaces in
the names, use underscores if you have to. KK does not like spaces in
module or symbol names.
Before making another component or editing an existing one, you will
have to add the library from PCBnew. Go to preferences, Library, Add
Library and add in your new library. Save the preferneces to the
project on exit (automatically called on exit from tab). You can then
add more components to it.
To use this library in another project, add it in the same manner, using
Add library as KK only includes default libraries in new projects.
The same applies to ESchema for libraries.
If you can, save the libraries elsewhere, as you may find that new
installations overwrite or remove existing customised libraries. I have
also tried to maintain my own duplicate symbol libraries for modded
parts, as I have had some instances where most of the current symbol
library in Eschema have been wiped by ESchema failing, only with the
previous version though.
I have the whole package installed on a USB flash drive and when I move
PCs, the data and libraries go with me. It is easier than trying to keep
several installations up to date.
Enjoy! It is a nice PCB package and works as well or better than most!
