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kicad:footprint_management [2013/06/26 02:49] mithatkicad:footprint_management [2018/09/09 14:12] (current) mithat
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 ====== KiCad Footprint Management ====== ====== KiCad Footprint Management ======
 +<WRAP center important 60%>
 +The stuff here was written for versions of KiCad preceding 4.0. The latest versions of KiCad have introduced new library management features, rendering some of what follows obsolete.
 +</WRAP>
  
 ===== Footprints, modules, libraries ===== ===== Footprints, modules, libraries =====
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 KiCad places footprints into **footprint libraries**. Footprint libraries use the ''.mod'' extension. One ''.mod'' file typically contains definitions for several (usually related) footprints. KiCad places footprints into **footprint libraries**. Footprint libraries use the ''.mod'' extension. One ''.mod'' file typically contains definitions for several (usually related) footprints.
  
-<WRAP center round tip 60%>+<WRAP center tip 60%>
 KiCad uses the term "module" interchangably with "footprint". KiCad uses the term "module" interchangably with "footprint".
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-<WRAP center round tip 60%> +<WRAP center tip 60%> 
-There are two kinds of libraries in KiCad: **footprint libraries**, which are stored in ''.mod'' files, and **component libraries** (i.e., schematic symbol libraries), which are stored in ''.lib'' files. Our concern here is with footprint libraries (stored in ''.mod'' files).+There are two kinds of libraries in KiCad: **footprint libraries**, which are stored in ''.mod'' files, and **component libraries** (i.e., schematic symbol libraries), which are stored in ''.lib'' files. Our concern here is with footprint libraries.
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
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 ===== System footprint libraries ===== ===== System footprint libraries =====
  
-KiCad ships with a large set of predefined system footprint libraries. The locations of these footprint libraries will depend on your operating system. PCBnew and CVpcb will let you use these system footprint libraries automatically. You can also (and often need to) supplement the system footprint libraries with third-party and user libraries.+KiCad ships with a large set of predefined footprint libraries. The locations of these footprint libraries will depend on your operating system, but they are typically installed in a system level (rather than user level) subdirectory. PCBnew and CVpcb by default let you use these system footprint libraries automatically. You can also (and often need to) supplement the system footprint libraries with third-party and user libraries.
  
 ===== Third-party footprint libraries ===== ===== Third-party footprint libraries =====
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 ==== Adding a third-party footprint library to a project ==== ==== Adding a third-party footprint library to a project ====
-To use a third-party footprint library in your project, you must first make the library available to the project.((There is probably a way to configure KiCad to include access to additional libraries in new projects by defaultI have yet to learn how to do it.))  The procedure is as follows:+To use a third-party footprint library in your project, you must first make the library available to the project.((There is probably a way to configure KiCad to include access to additional libraries in new projects by default, but I have not yet looked into this.))  The procedure is as follows:
  
   - Place the ''.mod'' file in a location that makes sense.((It might make sense for you to create a file system outside your project for libraries, for example a folder called "kicad-libraries" that contains two additional folders: "third-party" and "personal".))   - Place the ''.mod'' file in a location that makes sense.((It might make sense for you to create a file system outside your project for libraries, for example a folder called "kicad-libraries" that contains two additional folders: "third-party" and "personal".))
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 In addition to distributing collections of footprints in libraries (stored in ''.mod'' files), it is also possible to distribute individual footprints using ''.emp'' files.((Many/most/all of the footprints downloadable from  http://www.kicadlib.org/ are packaged as .emp files.)) However, to use a footprint stored in an ''.emp'' file, it must first be //imported// into a library. In addition to distributing collections of footprints in libraries (stored in ''.mod'' files), it is also possible to distribute individual footprints using ''.emp'' files.((Many/most/all of the footprints downloadable from  http://www.kicadlib.org/ are packaged as .emp files.)) However, to use a footprint stored in an ''.emp'' file, it must first be //imported// into a library.
  
-//**Even though you can import footprints into system and third-party libraries, you are strongly advised against making any changes to system and third-party libraries.**// When you update KiCad, there is a good chance that the system libraries will be overwritten, and you will lose any changes you have made to them. Similarly, if you download an update to a third-party library, you will lose the changes you have made to that library.+You should add new footprints only to user footprint libraries. See [[#User footprint libraries]] and [[#Adding existing footprints to an existing user library]] below.
  
-Instead, you should add new footprints to user footprint libraries. See "User footprint librariesand "Adding existing footprints to an existing user library" below.+<WRAP center important 60%> 
 +**Even though you can import footprints into system and third-party libraries, you are strongly advised against making any changes to system and third-party libraries.** 
 + 
 +This is because when you update KiCad, there is a good chance that the system libraries will be overwritten, and you will lose any changes you have made to them. Similarly, if you download an update to a third-party library, you will lose the changes you have made to that library. 
 +</WRAP>
  
 ===== User footprint libraries ===== ===== User footprint libraries =====
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 For creating new footprints and for making changes to footprints in system or third-party footprint libraries, it is highly recommended that you use only libraries you have created yourself---what we will call //user libraries//. In other words, you should create new footprints only in user libraries, and footprints in system and third-party libraries that you wish to change should first be copied to a user library and edited there. For creating new footprints and for making changes to footprints in system or third-party footprint libraries, it is highly recommended that you use only libraries you have created yourself---what we will call //user libraries//. In other words, you should create new footprints only in user libraries, and footprints in system and third-party libraries that you wish to change should first be copied to a user library and edited there.
  
-//**Even though you can create/add/edit footprints in system and third-party libraries, you are strongly advised against making any changes to system and third-party libraries.**// This is because when you update KiCad, there is a good chance that the system libraries will be overwritten, and you will lose any changes you have made to them. Similarly, if you download an update to a third-party library, you will lose the changes you have made to that library.+<WRAP center important 60%> 
 +**Even though you can create/add/edit footprints in system and third-party libraries, you are strongly advised against making any changes to system and third-party libraries.** 
 + 
 +This is because when you update KiCad, there is a good chance that the system libraries will be overwritten, and you will lose any changes you have made to them. Similarly, if you download an update to a third-party library, you will lose the changes you have made to that library. 
 +</WRAP>
  
 ==== The Module Editor ==== ==== The Module Editor ====
kicad/footprint_management.1372214957.txt.gz · Last modified: 2013/06/26 02:49 by mithat

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