No Kicad Footprints (.pretty files)

Design Tools and Resources
1

I have been downloading a variety of Cad files for a pcb project and each time i generakky receive in the ZIP file a symbol, a 3d shape file but no footprint for Kicad. I have looked for a generic file but the footprint for the SMD item I want is 8.30mm x 8.30mm and i cannot locate a footprint. I have also tried for a footprint on a schottky diode, an TI 2596-5.0 and a dozen other various components. even when thw cad drawings show a footpint and the button says "Download symbol and footprint - No footprint. Any assistance would be gratefully recieved.

1 Like
2

I was having this issue also. The DigiKey library is a bit older now. There is another platform that one could use that Kicad uses.

  1. https://www.ultralibrarian.com/

and…

  1. Download Libraries | KiCad shows 4.x to 10.x for what versioning you currently have now.

I was also having issues downloading footprints and symbols.

Supposedly, especially with Kicad 10, things are a bit more complicated but can be done with Key A and Key E.

For instance:

Place the Symbol: Open your schematic 
(Eeschema), press A, search for 74HC126, and place it.

Assign the Footprint: Press E while hovering 
over the placed symbol to open its Properties. 
Click on the Footprint field, then click the 
library browser icon (the bookshelf symbol). 

In the left pane, scroll down to the built-in 
Package_DIP library.

In the center pane, select DIP-14_W7.62mm 
(this is the standard 300-mil wide through-hole footprint). 
Click OK and save your schematic.

I cannot explain right now why Kicad is not accepting to outside libraries. Maybe I am off base here but even on adding the directory and files to Kicad 10.x, I have come up empty. I will test another form which Adafruit Playground covers here: https://adafruit-playground.com/u/BlitzCityDIY/pages/import-eagle-part-libraries-into-kicad-10-0 .

I will try to understand more in time.

3

Also, I do not know packages that have the 8.30mm * 8.30mm. I think the closest to that size in mm is 7.62mm * 7.62mm which you may be able to find in their packages.

4

I think I am starting to understand now.

  1. Make a .pretty file or get it somehow.
  2. Go to PCB Editor
  3. Within PCB Editor, go to Footprint Editor
  4. Insert PCB .pretty file and push Footprint Editor .pretty file to PCB Editor
  5. Cyclic!

Update

Look up how to create .cmp files in Kicad. This may help.

It seems .cmp files are located within another type of Kicad file now.